Chapter 9 – Electrical

Publisher Summary Electrical and electronic engineering is recognized as the largest and most diverse field of engineering and is concerned with the development, design, application, and manufacture of systems and devices that use electric power and signals. The most important subjects in the field are: electric power and machinery, electronic circuits, control systems, computer design, superconductors, solid state electronics, medical imaging systems, robotics, lasers, radar, consumer electronics, and fiber optics. Electrical engineering can be divided into two main branches: electric power and electronics. Electric power is concerned with the design and operation of systems for generating, transmitting, and distributing electric power. One of the most important developments in the last 30 years has been the ability to transmit power at extremely high voltages in both the direct current (d.c.) and alternating current (a.c.) modes, reducing power losses proportionately. Electronic engineering deals with the research, design, integration, and application of circuits and devices used in the transmission and processing of information. Electronic engineers design circuits to perform specific tasks, such as amplifying electronic signals, adding binary numbers, and demodulating radio signals to recover the information they carry. Correct operation of all the electronic control equipment should be checked within the normal limits of system voltage, battery voltage, and air pressure.