Table 3-1 Capacitor Values
Marking Value101 0.0001 μF102 0.001 μF103 0.01 μF471 0.00047 μF472 0.0047 μF473 0.047 μF474 0.47 μFFor much more detail about various types of capacitors and how to read
capacitor values, we recommend that you go out and buy Electronics For
Dummies,by Gordon McComb and our own Earl Boysen (Wiley).
A final capacitor distinction that we have to make is variable versus fixed. All
the capacitors we talked about so far are fixed,meaning they have a set value
you can’t adjust. However, variable capacitors can by adjusted by various meth-
ods. We use a variable capacitor, for example, in Chapter 8 for tuning a radio.
Transistors
Transistors are the darlings of the electronics world. Transistors amplify a
signal or voltage, or switch voltage on or off. The really amazing thing about
transistors is how tiny they are: Before the advent of transistors, people used
vacuum tubes to perform the same function, and a vacuum tube is huge in
comparison. Transistors also use a lot less power.
When you shop for transistors, be sure to check the package type. You can use
packages starting with TO, such as TO-92, TO-39, and TO-220 (as shown in
Figure 3-5) in breadboards or manually soldered circuit boards. Packages start-
ing with SOT or SOIC are meant to be used on huge assembly lines and don’t
have the types of leads that you can use easily in hobbyist electronics projects.
Chapter 3: Assembling Your Electronics Arsenal 41