I realize this video is 11 years old, but I still wanted to say thank you. Thank you for not assuming too much, for explaining it simply and clearly. And for anyone reading this who is trying to teach themselves electronics but is feeling intimidated, keep at it. You CAN get it. Don't be afraid to make a mistake, you will burn up some components and release the magic smoke, but before you know it, things will start to click and it will start making sense.
Collin: Thanks for sharing. You and others like you have helped me pass my truck coach exams. You have helped me provide a better life for my family and for that I thank you. Keep up the good work.
Hi Collin! I've just started learning electronics, and thanks to you, it's becoming a lot less intimidating. Thank you for all that you do. Your videos are excellent. Cheers!
A true testament to Collin's great teaching and videography skills: Every Collin's Lab video has at least (if not two) one top comments that call for the return of Collin. p.s. Collin come back. we all miss you.
This helps A LOT to those of us who wish we could do half of what people like Collin can do, but have no idea where to start! It has always been something that scared me, but him simplifying and explaining each of these things makes them seem kinda easy.
I just started reading Make: magazine and saw some schematics. Even though I didn’t plan on building the project I still wanted to know how to read it. So thankful for this video!
Please give me a job,sir,electrical and electronic amie engineer ,syed mahfuzur rahman,syedmonirhossainctg@gmail.com.i am unemployment bsc engineer.i am low meritorious student.but i am honest.i am useless. Help me to give me a job.come i am Allah s jannati oli /prophet.Now i am simple man ,want a life,01721021791,Bangladesh, north halishahor,37 age,b block,r1,h30,Chittagong. Give me money to keep strong. Teacher house.
I love this Channel a lot. Its very informative and Collins make sure the viewer understands the subject discussed in the video. Keep it up ☝. Thumbs up. Love watching every videos you make.
I look forward to your every video, Collin. You certainly have a gift for teaching. If I had a teacher like you back in college, I might have not gone into Accounting.
Object lesson in the idea of not knowing how much one does not know. I didn't think I was going to learn anything from this vid. I did. I suspect now that if I were to re-check a 3-watt amp I made, which ended up distorting badly, I will find that they are all backwards. I very much appreciate your comparing the look of schematic symbols to their real-world components. I've always thought that was the best way to learn them. Well done.
+Fluffykiwis J hi everyone ,if anyone else trying to find out how to make electronic circuits try Elumpa Circuits Expert Alchemist (just google it ) ? Ive heard some great things about it and my co-worker got cool success with it.
I do think, when talking about electronic circuits and schematics, people should get comfortable with the conventional current. Even though it is a scientifically incorrect way in looking at the electron flow, most of the, if not all, schematics are drawn having conventional current in mind. I remember first learning about this in school. Pissed the hell out of me. When you're dealing with + and - in the circuit, it really is not a big deal, but once common grounds and power supplies come into play, I just found conventional current to be more useful when reading schematics.
Another point in favor of this: current isn't always carried by electrons -- in stuff like batteries, current can be carried by actual movement of positively charged atoms. So it's usually best to just think in conventional current ("net movement of positive charge") instead of worrying about what subatomic particles are carrying the charge. An electron moving left is totally equivalent to a hole moving right, for the purposes of circuit analysis. So IMO, talking about electrons during circuit analysis does nothing but confuse students.
@3Deity I am not so sure you were wrong. Collin's explanation is describing electron flow, conventional current would flow in the direction the arrow points.
@rydude998 If you are talking about two-color diodes, these are actually two diodes wired internally in parallel. So, no matter which way you try to pass current, one or the other of the diodes will conduct, getting, say, red light in one direction and green light in the other. (By quickly switching directions, your eye sees two colors at once, giving, in this case, yellow.)
Loved it! How about a nice follow up video with more detail. May I suggest the bandpass filter schematic used for the background. Possible tips in follow up: Explain how the virtual ground connects, How & where to save ground connections on a breadboard, how the schematic directly compares to breadboard and PCB. I think many like my teenage son would gain a better understanding of this information with your methods of teaching and demonstrating. I will keep watching for more tips and ideas!
Colin was talking about the orientation of the diode in the circuit schematic, not the direction of charge flow in the diode. Charge flow goes from the anode (negative end) to the cathode (positive end). That's another thing, Colin mistakenly called the negative end of the diode the cathode. That's the anode end. Any device that dissipates electrical energy has the cathode end being the positive end and the anode end being negative.
Electron flow and hole flow exist in BOTH PNP AND NPN transistors and can be used to explain either. Pedants talking about electron flow and insisting it goes one way or another should remember that these are metaphors and cannot be considered "reality" since Quantum Mechanics rule here and the fundamentals of Quantum Physics say that an electron (or other fundamental particles) can exist everywhere at once i.e. they can (in theory) exist in two places at the same time.
@xbatusai You are still correct. In the world of electronics, every single positive and negative sign is the exact opposite. So in a schematic the electrons flow from positive to negative (look at a battery), this is called conventional current. But realistically, the electrons are flowing from the negative terminal to the positive. This is NOT to say that the electrons flow the opposite way around your circuit, it's saying your positive and negative markers are wrong.
Great video as always Colin. The only thing which could have been improved is the diode section, which very quickly brushed over the fact electrons flow from negative to positive and not from positive to negative as was presumed. You weren't wrong in what you said, just that it could be a point for confusion :)
Electrical engineers still use conventional current flow (if positive charges were in the electricity) when analyzing circuits. Using the actual direction of electron flow causes confusion. That's why textbooks tell you to use the conventional direction to avoid confusion and sign issues. I know because I'm an electrical engineering student.
Hey there. I can explain. Collin says that electrons can not flow in the direction of the arrow. It sounds like he screwed up but he's actually right. It's confusing because the direction of the arrow indicates which way CURRENT is allowed to flow. But current isn't defined as the flow of negative charges, it's defined as the flow of positive charges, mostly because the guys first studying electricity didn't fully understand it and thought electrons were positive.
I really liked this video it's quite good. A lot of the stuff would only make sense if you took physics but it's still a great video (IE capacitor parallel plates). The only downside is that actually analyzing circuits gets waaaaaay more complicated, especially when you start getting into non-steady state stuff and using the calculus. I'd love to see a video about the different methods of determining voltage drops, amps, power, etc etc. Like using KVL, KCL mMethod, mesh node.
@Neodymio No, the video is correct. Electrons can only flow from the negative terminal to the positive. However, since we started designing electronics before we knew whether it was the electrons or protons that moved, we assumed protons, so CONVENTIONAL current, used in all electronics and electrical engineering, depicts current as flowing from positive to negative. So conventionally we'd say that current flows in the direction of the "arrow", left to right, but the electrons move the other way
@modgemtb One end (the end of maximumness) goes to the signal/voltage source. The other end (of minimumness) goes to ground or the return. The center (the wiper) is connected to the circuit that is being fed by the pot. When the shaft is turned to some point, the wiper is positioned at some voltage point between that of the source and zero. Pots have power ratings and the current drawn from them must not exceed them, which is not usually a problem for signals like audio or small DC controls.
@GegoXaren I live in Argentina and we also use the squiggly line, everybody does, in fact I don't think I've ever seen someone use the rectangles. For me the squiggly line is much more representative of what a resistor is, like most symbols, the rectangle lacks character, it doesn't imply anything.
@number0IX Yup, right on. In fact, many LEDs have a relatively low peak reverse voltage specification. Most of the ones I use are rated around five volts, IIRC. If you push them too hard in reverse bias, they *will* fail. It's not an LED if it conducts in both 'directions'; that would be a light bulb, neon bulb, or other device where polarity doesn't matter.
Nice set of videos! One thing that makes diodes and transistors easier to understand is to think of positive current. Have you done a video about that?
@leipare I know, but conventional flow is better at actually describing electric potential, which is the driving force behind electricity. That's why everybody uses it instead of electron flow.
haha dude you are strange and very different but thats why you make learning extremely fun and easy. Just want to say thank you, keep up the good work, and most importantly dont change because if i had teachers like you in school i would actuallly have learned stuff while enjoying it.
Conventionally, yes, but electrons flow in the opposite direction to what we think of as the current flow. Electrons are negatively charged, so they flow from negative to positive. It's a bit counter-intuitive, but that's just how it is.
I hold a UK Bachelor's Degree (B.Tech - equivalent to a B Eng) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, graduating in 1975, and I concur 100%. NO engineer - electrical OR electronic - worth his salt would EVER say that "current flow" (as measured by an ammeter) was the same as "electron" flow and ALWAYS refers to current flow when talking about circuits . It's just CONVENTION. This has ALWAYS said that current "flows" from a high potential to a lower potential.
@mysteryplane2001 There are 3 major "powers" in electronics. The Volts, the current (measured in amps) and ressistance (measured in Ohms), though i'm not sure how you measure stuff in the U.S., I wrote it how we measure it in Europe. A diode is a thing that lets the electric current flow one way, but not the other. It's like a filter, stuff goes in, but doesent go out. A capacitor charges an electric charge and then realeases it. The two things meantioned above are mostly used in AC current.
The reason electrons flow from the negative point to the positive point is this, Think of it like magnets, alike charges repel, so if you were an electron, you'd flow to the positive side because electrons have a negative charge.
he describes current flow through the diode in the electron flow convention (the way a diode physically operates). This is opposed to conventional flow (where electrons are assumed to flow from the positive to negative terminals connected to a battery for example) He's not incorrect, though he probably should have mentioned the convention
No, it's right. The cathode is negative for a diode. That's where the electrons come from in that instance. Protons don't move in a wire. The hypothetical "positive charge flow" that people speak of is just that, hypothetical. There isn't actually any positive charge flow in electricity. Only electrons flow in electricity. The positive charge flow is a convention used to indicate current, since current is defined as being opposite the direction of electron flow.
Actually in a diode there is flow of both electrons and holes (nb holes are absences of electrons thought as positive charge). Now as most diodes are P+N junction diodes, the current flow is mostly due to hole flow, i.e. conventional current is not just for convenience but is the right thing to think about. So the maker of this video not only inexplicably chose to use the electron flow instead of the conventional one he also chose to do so with the worst possible example.
He described the diode correctly. Voltage always goes from negative to positive and since the "arrow" always is pointed towards negative, the power would go like he showed us in the video. Make this top comment so that everyone that complains can see that they're wrong.
Collin describes the diode well, but the graphic was wrong, I think. It showed the current being blocked in the direction of the arrow. It's actually the other way for common diodes. The current can flow in the direction of the arrow, but it is "blocked" in the opposite direction. Otherwise, great video.
My mistake. In a diode the cathode is the negative end. In a battery supply power to a circuit the cathode is the positive end. It can be confusing; so to avoid that confusion you'll notice electrical circuit textbooks not speaking of a cathode or anode of an electronic device very often. Hence, that's why I couldn't remember which was which.
hi guys, the best results that i've ever had was by following the Gregs Electro Blog (just google it) without a doubt the most useful info that I have ever followed.
Electron flow IS current flow (by definition) and remember that it is ONLY a metaphor it is NOT supposed to represent DETAILED reality merely a means to better comprehend things. If DETAILED understanding is required then take a Physics degree and get into Quantum Physics. If schematics blow your mind wait until you try to get a handle on "an electron can exist in more than one place at one time" type principles and "fixed" energy bands etc.
Diodes: the arrow points in the direction according to "conventional current flow" as in plus going to negative but yes, the electrons are actually travelling from negative source to the cathode and out tbe anode
An easy way to remember; Arrow in direction of plus to minus, and also representing a drop of about 0.6 volt . Also looking backwards, a "K" is apparent and this is the anode side, and a more positve potential on this side will allow a current flow.€-------.
*INCOMPLETE*...you left out Transistors. Hopefully there will be a follow uP video. Admittedly, this is the first video of yours I have viewed. All the same, great job
I realize this video is 11 years old, but I still wanted to say thank you. Thank you for not assuming too much, for explaining it simply and clearly. And for anyone reading this who is trying to teach themselves electronics but is feeling intimidated, keep at it. You CAN get it. Don't be afraid to make a mistake, you will burn up some components and release the magic smoke, but before you know it, things will start to click and it will start making sense.
Collin: Thanks for sharing. You and others like you have helped me pass my truck coach exams. You have helped me provide a better life for my family and for that I thank you. Keep up the good work.
Hi Collin! I've just started learning electronics, and thanks to you, it's becoming a lot less intimidating. Thank you for all that you do. Your videos are excellent. Cheers!
Gosh that man must be one of the most rated teacher of all times ! God knows how well he explains things !
A true testament to Collin's great teaching and videography skills:
Every Collin's Lab video has at least (if not two) one top comments that call for the return of Collin.
p.s. Collin come back. we all miss you.
This helps A LOT to those of us who wish we could do half of what people like Collin can do, but have no idea where to start! It has always been something that scared me, but him simplifying and explaining each of these things makes them seem kinda easy.
This video has to be the best out there for teaching the basics of schematics
I'm just getting started in Electronics as a hobby. I am really enjoying your videos, thank you for making them.
Same sir
Me to
I just started reading Make: magazine and saw some schematics. Even though I didn’t plan on building the project I still wanted to know how to read it. So thankful for this video!
It may have been helpful to note that an IC has a dot in the "top-left", or where you would start counting pins on the physical piece.
Please give me a job,sir,electrical and electronic amie engineer ,syed mahfuzur rahman,syedmonirhossainctg@gmail.com.i am unemployment bsc engineer.i am low meritorious student.but i am honest.i am useless. Help me to give me a job.come i am Allah s jannati oli /prophet.Now i am simple man ,want a life,01721021791,Bangladesh, north halishahor,37 age,b block,r1,h30,Chittagong. Give me money to keep strong. Teacher house.
I love how you simplify everything. Your tutorials make my brain swell like a balloon.
Another thing to note when reading schematics, is generally signal traces run left to right, and power traces run top to bottom.
I love this Channel a lot. Its very informative and Collins make sure the viewer understands the subject discussed in the video. Keep it up ☝. Thumbs up. Love watching every videos you make.
I look forward to your every video, Collin. You certainly have a gift for teaching. If I had a teacher like you back in college, I might have not gone into Accounting.
Collin should have his own channel for his lab videos, he is the reason I've watched half the Make videos.
Watched in slow motion to take notes, I LOVE YOU MAN
Collin creeps me the fuck out but gives me so much knowledge at the same time.
I think I just found my inner nerd... Throughout the whole video, I felt so excited to learn about all of these. Thanks for this.
Object lesson in the idea of not knowing how much one does not know. I didn't think I was going to learn anything from this vid. I did. I suspect now that if I were to re-check a 3-watt amp I made, which ended up distorting badly, I will find that they are all backwards.
I very much appreciate your comparing the look of schematic symbols to their real-world components. I've always thought that was the best way to learn them. Well done.
I'm loving these. Stumbled upon them from the electronics intro Maker vids - but this guy is a legend. Lovin' it.
It would have been nice having something like this when I was a kid. I had to come up with my own allegories. Good job! I like this video.
Collin's Lab was the only reason, why I subscribed.
You're awesome, love your simplistic method of explaining complex ideas; if only more lecturers had your flair!
+Fluffykiwis J hi everyone ,if anyone else trying to find out how to make electronic circuits try Elumpa Circuits Expert Alchemist (just google it ) ? Ive heard some great things about it and my co-worker got cool success with it.
I do think, when talking about electronic circuits and schematics, people should get comfortable with the conventional current. Even though it is a scientifically incorrect way in looking at the electron flow, most of the, if not all, schematics are drawn having conventional current in mind. I remember first learning about this in school. Pissed the hell out of me. When you're dealing with + and - in the circuit, it really is not a big deal, but once common grounds and power supplies come into play, I just found conventional current to be more useful when reading schematics.
Another point in favor of this: current isn't always carried by electrons -- in stuff like batteries, current can be carried by actual movement of positively charged atoms. So it's usually best to just think in conventional current ("net movement of positive charge") instead of worrying about what subatomic particles are carrying the charge. An electron moving left is totally equivalent to a hole moving right, for the purposes of circuit analysis. So IMO, talking about electrons during circuit analysis does nothing but confuse students.
I'm just now getting into electronics and this makes learning about it so frustrating.
@3Deity I am not so sure you were wrong. Collin's explanation is describing electron flow, conventional current would flow in the direction the arrow points.
@rydude998 If you are talking about two-color diodes, these are actually two diodes wired internally in parallel. So, no matter which way you try to pass current, one or the other of the diodes will conduct, getting, say, red light in one direction and green light in the other. (By quickly switching directions, your eye sees two colors at once, giving, in this case, yellow.)
wow this is the clearest explanation of schematics i have ever heard!
Learned more in 5 min than I did in high school about diagrams. Maybe because I was interested today :)
Loved it! How about a nice follow up video with more detail. May I suggest the bandpass filter schematic used for the background. Possible tips in follow up: Explain how the virtual ground connects, How & where to save ground connections on a breadboard, how the schematic directly compares to breadboard and PCB. I think many like my teenage son would gain a better understanding of this information with your methods of teaching and demonstrating. I will keep watching for more tips and ideas!
I work in electronics everyday and I still learned things. Great vid.
Thank you so much for this! Finally someone to explain things without his audience falling asleep.
Colin was talking about the orientation of the diode in the circuit schematic, not the direction of charge flow in the diode. Charge flow goes from the anode (negative end) to the cathode (positive end). That's another thing, Colin mistakenly called the negative end of the diode the cathode. That's the anode end. Any device that dissipates electrical energy has the cathode end being the positive end and the anode end being negative.
Electron flow and hole flow exist in BOTH PNP AND NPN transistors and can be used to explain either. Pedants talking about electron flow and insisting it goes one way or another should remember that these are metaphors and cannot be considered "reality" since Quantum Mechanics rule here and the fundamentals of Quantum Physics say that an electron (or other fundamental particles) can exist everywhere at once i.e. they can (in theory) exist in two places at the same time.
So simple, even an English major can understand it! Thanks, Collin -- I love your videos.
@xbatusai You are still correct. In the world of electronics, every single positive and negative sign is the exact opposite. So in a schematic the electrons flow from positive to negative (look at a battery), this is called conventional current. But realistically, the electrons are flowing from the negative terminal to the positive. This is NOT to say that the electrons flow the opposite way around your circuit, it's saying your positive and negative markers are wrong.
I miss projects from collin. these are great
Thanks Collin your video gave a detailed explanation for electronic schematics. Awesome job!
Well done, Collin. You did in six minutes what many have failed at doing in entire books.
Great video as always Colin. The only thing which could have been improved is the diode section, which very quickly brushed over the fact electrons flow from negative to positive and not from positive to negative as was presumed.
You weren't wrong in what you said, just that it could be a point for confusion :)
Electrical engineers still use conventional current flow (if positive charges were in the electricity) when analyzing circuits. Using the actual direction of electron flow causes confusion. That's why textbooks tell you to use the conventional direction to avoid confusion and sign issues. I know because I'm an electrical engineering student.
Hey there. I can explain. Collin says that electrons can not flow in the direction of the arrow. It sounds like he screwed up but he's actually right. It's confusing because the direction of the arrow indicates which way CURRENT is allowed to flow. But current isn't defined as the flow of negative charges, it's defined as the flow of positive charges, mostly because the guys first studying electricity didn't fully understand it and thought electrons were positive.
I feel so much smarter. This needed to be on youtube. Thank you Collin!
I really liked this video it's quite good. A lot of the stuff would only make sense if you took physics but it's still a great video (IE capacitor parallel plates). The only downside is that actually analyzing circuits gets waaaaaay more complicated, especially when you start getting into non-steady state stuff and using the calculus.
I'd love to see a video about the different methods of determining voltage drops, amps, power, etc etc. Like using KVL, KCL mMethod, mesh node.
I love your video and your pace/cadence of communication. I was hoping to see the inductor symbol explained before or after the capacitor.
@Neodymio No, the video is correct. Electrons can only flow from the negative terminal to the positive. However, since we started designing electronics before we knew whether it was the electrons or protons that moved, we assumed protons, so CONVENTIONAL current, used in all electronics and electrical engineering, depicts current as flowing from positive to negative. So conventionally we'd say that current flows in the direction of the "arrow", left to right, but the electrons move the other way
nice i am the one who chatted with you of facebook and this is great to help me out sometimes.
Very nice! I will be placing a reference to this video in a video series I am creating.
@rekinu5 That's Ground (GND). It's connected to Earth ground, digital ground, or the negative side of your supply.
@modgemtb One end (the end of maximumness) goes to the signal/voltage source. The other end (of minimumness) goes to ground or the return. The center (the wiper) is connected to the circuit that is being fed by the pot. When the shaft is turned to some point, the wiper is positioned at some voltage point between that of the source and zero. Pots have power ratings and the current drawn from them must not exceed them, which is not usually a problem for signals like audio or small DC controls.
@GegoXaren I live in Argentina and we also use the squiggly line, everybody does, in fact I don't think I've ever seen someone use the rectangles. For me the squiggly line is much more representative of what a resistor is, like most symbols, the rectangle lacks character, it doesn't imply anything.
@number0IX Yup, right on. In fact, many LEDs have a relatively low peak reverse voltage specification. Most of the ones I use are rated around five volts, IIRC. If you push them too hard in reverse bias, they *will* fail. It's not an LED if it conducts in both 'directions'; that would be a light bulb, neon bulb, or other device where polarity doesn't matter.
La verdad es muy educativo el señor collins,saludos chicos
Thank you. Very much you explain slowly and step by step and also the function😊🙂🙂 thank you...4x
Nice set of videos! One thing that makes diodes and transistors easier to understand is to think of positive current. Have you done a video about that?
maybe I'm late but the music in the background was exactly what I needed this morning
music page?
thnx Mr.Collin you deserve every like and subscribe
Awesome vid! I finally understand how to actually read schematics now.
Collin vid showed in subscription notice. WOOT! Collin for president.
Excellent video. I like the no bs approach.
I'm a wanna -be nurde (Nurds are the new school of cool!) and i just learnt a lot and enjoyed in this vid - Thnak you Colin (you rock!)
@leipare I know, but conventional flow is better at actually describing electric potential, which is the driving force behind electricity. That's why everybody uses it instead of electron flow.
haha dude you are strange and very different but thats why you make learning extremely fun and easy. Just want to say thank you, keep up the good work, and most importantly dont change because if i had teachers like you in school i would actuallly have learned stuff while enjoying it.
@rydude998 LED's do not allow light to flow in both directions, this is why they have one big leg and one short leg. Current can only flow one way.
Conventionally, yes, but electrons flow in the opposite direction to what we think of as the current flow.
Electrons are negatively charged, so they flow from negative to positive. It's a bit counter-intuitive, but that's just how it is.
I hold a UK Bachelor's Degree (B.Tech - equivalent to a B Eng) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, graduating in 1975, and I concur 100%. NO engineer - electrical OR electronic - worth his salt would EVER say that "current flow" (as measured by an ammeter) was the same as "electron" flow and ALWAYS refers to current flow when talking about circuits . It's just CONVENTION. This has ALWAYS said that current "flows" from a high potential to a lower potential.
Great as usual.
It would be more helpful, as if there were some links in the description for Fritzing and other free/open-source CAD applications.
Grate video but are you agent Smith from the matrix?
jajajajaja maybe :V
I think he was going for a Jack Kilby look
Everything that has a beginning has an end neo....
You can choose the red resistor or the blue resistor
thanks for the video..
@mysteryplane2001 There are 3 major "powers" in electronics. The Volts, the current (measured in amps) and ressistance (measured in Ohms), though i'm not sure how you measure stuff in the U.S., I wrote it how we measure it in Europe.
A diode is a thing that lets the electric current flow one way, but not the other. It's like a filter, stuff goes in, but doesent go out. A capacitor charges an electric charge and then realeases it.
The two things meantioned above are mostly used in AC current.
The reason electrons flow from the negative point to the positive point is this, Think of it like magnets, alike charges repel, so if you were an electron, you'd flow to the positive side because electrons have a negative charge.
At 03:42 you got the working principle of the diode backwards. It's wrong.
Do you know the difference between conventional flow vs electron flow?
he describes current flow through the diode in the electron flow convention (the way a diode physically operates). This is opposed to conventional flow (where electrons are assumed to flow from the positive to negative terminals connected to a battery for example) He's not incorrect, though he probably should have mentioned the convention
We miss you Collin!
Another great video. Simple, informative, inspiring, and effective!
Collin needs his own channel!
Well done Collin, educating the masses. But will they get it?
Once again thank you Mr. Cunningham
@surferboy36O rectangles are used in Sweden for resistors.
It's a nice guide, but I wonder why you'd use the physical electron current instead of the technical current to describe how diodes work.
@Yvessam The flow of electrons is the opposite direction to the flow of current.
they're also great for troubleshooting problems.
This dude is the only reason I'm subbed here.
thank you for this useful video,,, hope to see a video of how to determine if the shematic is working,,
Awesome video for beginners! How much time you spent planning and making this video?
No, it's right. The cathode is negative for a diode. That's where the electrons come from in that instance. Protons don't move in a wire. The hypothetical "positive charge flow" that people speak of is just that, hypothetical. There isn't actually any positive charge flow in electricity. Only electrons flow in electricity. The positive charge flow is a convention used to indicate current, since current is defined as being opposite the direction of electron flow.
Thank you so much. You make me to understand very well. I have job interview. You r very helping
Actually in a diode there is flow of both electrons and holes (nb holes are absences of electrons thought as positive charge). Now as most diodes are P+N junction diodes, the current flow is mostly due to hole flow, i.e. conventional current is not just for convenience but is the right thing to think about. So the maker of this video not only inexplicably chose to use the electron flow instead of the conventional one he also chose to do so with the worst possible example.
can you please keep explaining more about schematics its really interesting
He described the diode correctly. Voltage always goes from negative to positive and since the "arrow" always is pointed towards negative, the power would go like he showed us in the video.
Make this top comment so that everyone that complains can see that they're wrong.
Collin describes the diode well, but the graphic was wrong, I think. It showed the current being blocked in the direction of the arrow. It's actually the other way for common diodes. The current can flow in the direction of the arrow, but it is "blocked" in the opposite direction. Otherwise, great video.
My mistake. In a diode the cathode is the negative end. In a battery supply power to a circuit the cathode is the positive end.
It can be confusing; so to avoid that confusion you'll notice electrical circuit textbooks not speaking of a cathode or anode of an electronic device very often. Hence, that's why I couldn't remember which was which.
I now want the big schematic as my desktop!
Cheers Colin! Your a legend! please dont stop making these vids!
hi guys, the best results that i've ever had was by following the Gregs Electro Blog (just google it) without a doubt the most useful info that I have ever followed.
The only reason I subscribe to make.
Electron flow IS current flow (by definition) and remember that it is ONLY a metaphor it is NOT supposed to represent DETAILED reality merely a means to better comprehend things. If DETAILED understanding is required then take a Physics degree and get into Quantum Physics. If schematics blow your mind wait until you try to get a handle on "an electron can exist in more than one place at one time" type principles and "fixed" energy bands etc.
Diodes: the arrow points in the direction according to "conventional current flow" as in plus going to negative but yes, the electrons are actually travelling from negative source to the cathode and out tbe anode
An easy way to remember; Arrow in direction of plus to minus, and also representing a drop of about 0.6 volt . Also looking backwards, a "K" is apparent and this is the anode side, and a more positve potential on this side will allow a current flow.€-------.
U need your own channel u are so awesome
*INCOMPLETE*...you left out Transistors. Hopefully there will be a follow uP video. Admittedly, this is the first video of yours I have viewed. All the same, great job
Thank you for explanation.. very easy to understand
@Zadster Yep. Gotta make sure not to mix up electron flow and current flow.