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Northern IrelandTechnology and Design

Electronic and control systems

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What are the basic electronic components, and how is Ohm's law used in a circuit?

Electronic components and quantities: conductors and insulators, resistors, capacitors, diodes and LEDs, and using Ohm's law V = I R.
A CCEA GCSE Technology and Design answer on basic electronics: conductors and insulators, resistors, capacitors, diodes and LEDs, current, voltage and resistance, and using Ohm's law V = I R including a current-limiting resistor calculation.
12 min answer →

How do input sensors detect conditions, and how does a voltage divider turn a change into a voltage?

Input subsystems: switches, the light-dependent resistor, the thermistor, and the voltage divider that turns a sensor's resistance change into a voltage signal.
A CCEA GCSE Technology and Design answer on input subsystems: switches, the light-dependent resistor (LDR) and the thermistor, and how a voltage divider (potential divider) turns a change in a sensor's resistance into a changing voltage signal for the process stage.
12 min answer →

How do logic gates make decisions, and how are flowcharts used to control a sequence?

Logic gates and digital control: the AND, OR, NOT, NAND and NOR gates with truth tables, combining gates, and flowcharts for program control.
A CCEA GCSE Technology and Design answer on digital control: the AND, OR, NOT, NAND and NOR logic gates with their truth tables, combining gates to make a decision, and using flowcharts (sequence and decision) for program control.
12 min answer →

What is a microcontroller, and how does a capacitor set the timing in a circuit?

Microcontrollers (PICs) and timing: programmable control with a microcontroller, and resistor-capacitor timing where the capacitor charges to create a delay.
A CCEA GCSE Technology and Design answer on microcontrollers (PICs) and timing circuits: how a programmable microcontroller controls inputs and outputs, the advantages of programmable control, and how a resistor-capacitor circuit charges to create a time delay.
12 min answer →

What output devices does a system use, and how does a transistor switch a large load from a small signal?

Output devices: lamps, buzzers, motors and relays, and the transistor used as an electronic switch to control a larger current from a small input.
A CCEA GCSE Technology and Design answer on output devices: lamps, buzzers, motors and relays, and how a transistor acts as an electronic switch, turning a small input current into the switching of a much larger output current, with a protection diode for inductive loads.
11 min answer →

What is the systems approach, and how do input, process and output describe a control system?

The systems approach: representing electronic and control systems as input, process and output blocks, with feedback, using block (systems) diagrams.
A CCEA GCSE Technology and Design answer on the systems approach: describing an electronic or control system as input, process and output blocks, the idea of feedback, and using block (systems) diagrams to design and analyse a system.
11 min answer →