England · WJEC EduqasSyllabus
Electronics syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the England Electronicssyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Component 2 Application of Electronics
Module overview →- How does a 555 timer in astable mode produce a continuous square wave, and what sets its frequency?The 555 astable: producing a continuous square-wave output, the frequency and period equations, the duty cycle, and using an astable as a clock or flasher.13 min answer →
- How does a 555 timer in monostable mode produce a single timed pulse when triggered?The 555 monostable: producing a single output pulse when triggered, the pulse-duration equation, and using a monostable for timed delays and switch debouncing.12 min answer →
- How does an operational amplifier amplify a small signal, and how is its gain set by resistors?Operational amplifiers: the op-amp as a high-gain amplifier, negative feedback, and the inverting and non-inverting amplifier gains.13 min answer →
- How is the a.c. mains turned into the smooth d.c. that electronic circuits need?Power supplies: rectifying a.c. to d.c., smoothing with a reservoir capacitor, the idea of ripple, and stabilising the output voltage.13 min answer →
Component 1 Discovering Electronics
Module overview →- How does a logic circuit add binary numbers, and how is the half adder extended to a full adder?Binary numbers and adders: counting in binary, the half adder (sum and carry), the full adder with a carry in, and adding multi-bit numbers.13 min answer →
- How are logic circuits written and simplified using Boolean algebra?Boolean algebra: writing Boolean expressions for gates, the laws of Boolean algebra, De Morgan's laws, and simplifying an expression to use fewer gates.13 min answer →
- How do you turn a set of requirements into a working logic circuit, and why are NAND and NOR universal?Designing combinational logic: building a circuit from a truth table or word description, combining gates, and the universal NAND and NOR gates.13 min answer →
- What do the logic gates do, and how is each one described by a truth table?Logic gates: AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR and XOR, their symbols and truth tables, and the digital high and low logic levels.13 min answer →
Component 1 Discovering Electronics
Module overview →- How are current, voltage and resistance defined, and how does Ohm's law relate them?Circuit concepts: charge, current, voltage (potential difference) and resistance, their units, and Ohm's law relating voltage, current and resistance.13 min answer →
- How do you measure voltage, current and resistance, and use instruments to test a circuit safely?Measuring and testing circuits: connecting voltmeters, ammeters and multimeters, the difference between measuring across and through, and reading circuit and timing signals on an oscilloscope.12 min answer →
- How do you calculate the electrical power dissipated by a component and the energy it transfers?Electrical power and energy: power as the rate of energy transfer, the equations relating power to voltage, current and resistance, and resistor power ratings.12 min answer →
- How do current, voltage and resistance behave in series and parallel circuits?Series and parallel circuits: the rules for current and voltage in each, and combining resistors in series and in parallel.13 min answer →
- How does the systems approach break an electronic product into input, process and output subsystems?Electronic systems and subsystems: the systems approach with input, process and output blocks, block diagrams and signal flow, and analogue versus digital signals.12 min answer →
Component 1 Discovering Electronics
Module overview →- How does a capacitor charging through a resistor create a time delay?Capacitors and time delays: charge stored on a capacitor, the RC time constant, and how a charging capacitor in a potential divider produces a time delay.13 min answer →
- Why does an LED need a series resistor, and how do you calculate its value?Driving LEDs: the need for a current-limiting series resistor, the forward voltage drop of an LED, and calculating the resistor value for a chosen current.12 min answer →
- What types of resistor are used in circuits, and how are their values read and chosen?Fixed and variable resistors: preferred (E-series) values, the resistor colour code, tolerance, and variable resistors (potentiometers and rheostats).12 min answer →
- How does a potential divider produce a chosen fraction of the supply voltage?Potential dividers: the potential-divider equation, choosing resistor values for a target output voltage, and the effect of loading the output.13 min answer →
- How do LDRs and thermistors turn light and temperature into a changing voltage?Sensing subsystems: light-dependent resistors and thermistors, their resistance behaviour, and building light and temperature sensing circuits with potential dividers.12 min answer →
Component 2 Application of Electronics
Module overview →- How do flip-flops count clock pulses in binary and divide a frequency?Counters: chaining flip-flops to count clock pulses in binary, frequency division by each stage, and the modulus of a counter.13 min answer →
- How does a flip-flop store a single bit, and how is it different from a combinational circuit?Flip-flops and latches: storing one bit, the difference between sequential and combinational logic, the D-type flip-flop, and edge triggering by a clock.13 min answer →
- How are the input, process and output subsystems interfaced into a complete working electronic system?Interfacing and system design: matching analogue and digital subsystems, signal conditioning between stages, and designing and testing a complete input-process-output system.13 min answer →
- How does a microcontroller control an electronic system, and how is its program planned with a flowchart?Microcontrollers: the microcontroller as a programmable processing subsystem, inputs and outputs, and planning a control program with a flowchart.13 min answer →
- How is a binary count turned into a readable decimal digit on a seven-segment display?Seven-segment displays and decoders: the seven-segment display, the decoder that drives it from a binary count, and common-anode and common-cathode types with current-limiting resistors.12 min answer →
Component 1 Discovering Electronics
Module overview →- How does a diode pass current one way only, and what is it used for?Diodes: forward and reverse bias, the forward voltage drop, the LED, rectification, and protecting circuits against reverse current and back-EMF.13 min answer →
- How can a switching circuit latch on and stay on, and how does feedback give a clean switching action?Latching switches and feedback: using a relay or positive feedback to latch an output on, the need for a reset, and how feedback gives a snap (Schmitt) action that avoids chatter.12 min answer →
- How is a MOSFET used as a voltage-controlled switch, and how does it compare with a bipolar transistor?MOSFET switching: the MOSFET as a voltage-controlled switch, the gate threshold voltage, why it draws no steady gate current, and choosing between a MOSFET and a bipolar transistor.12 min answer →
- How is a bipolar transistor used as a switch to turn a load on from a small input current?Transistor switching: the bipolar transistor as a switch, cut-off and saturation, current gain, and choosing the base resistor to drive a load.13 min answer →
- How does a comparator switch its output when a sensor voltage crosses a reference level?Comparators: comparing two voltages, the reference set by a potential divider, the digital output, and using a comparator to make a sensing system switch at a threshold.13 min answer →