Potentiometer Flashcards
What’s the abbreviation for potentiometer?
POT
What types of resistor is a potentiometer?
A POT is a type of variable resistor.
How many resistors does a potentiometer use?
A POT is a 3-thermal resistor.
Among the functions of a potentiometer, it can controls/divides..?
It controls/divides output voltage from a fixed input.
How do potentiometers control output voltages
They control output voltages by varying resistance.
What’s output voltage?
amount of produced power
What electrical functions can potentiometers do?
They control volume, tone, and brightness.
What does calibration mean?
to adjust a device to make accurate results
How do potentiometers help with device measurements?
POT adjust devices precisely (tuning audio tools, set reference voltages.)
A potentiometer measures _________ in joysticks, servos, and robotics.
Position sensing: It measures rotations in joysticks, servos, and robotics.
How do potentiometer measure movements/rotations in devices?
by converting mechanical moves into electrical signals
What’s the potention’s middle terminal called?
a wiper arm
What are the potention’s 2 outer terminals called?
the outside/fixed/end terminals
What do the 2 end terminals do?
End terminals give constant connection to its power supply and ground.
What do the 2 end terminals connect to?
to the input voltage (e.g. power) and the other, to ground
What does the wiper arm do while 2 end terminals work?
The wiper arm then adjusts voltage output between the end terminals by varying resistance.
What’s the resistence element of a POT?
a strip/track made of carbon/metal oxide.
How does the wiper arm exactly work?
The wiper army is a movable contact sliding along the resistive element to vary resistance.
How does the wiper function with the resistive element?
A wiper divides resistive element into 2 parts, making variable resistance.
What’s variable resistance
a resistance value being changed
True or false?
Resistance between the wiper and each end terminal is the same as a wiper moves
False: Resistance between the wiper and each end terminal varies as a wiper moves
What’s the schematic symbol for a potentiometer?
a normal resistor pointed by an arrow
to correlate
to correspond, match up
What’s the equation for the voltage drop across potentiometer?
V out = V in * [R2 / (R1 + R2)]
What does “Vout” mean?
“voltage out”–voltage drop/output voltage
What does “Vin” mean?
“voltage in”–input voltage
