Talk:Circuit theory

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[edit] Deleted link

Two users introduced links to puzzles. I deleted them because they are completely off-topic. Maybe they fit better in an article about topology and math problems?

First link: Impossible Puzzle, which is nominated for deletion Second link: Water, Electricity and Gas, which is redirected to Three cottage problem - the same problem which is nominated for deletion. Cbdorsett 16:49, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Parts of a circuit

These comments are directed to electrical and electronic circuits -- I regret to admit that I do not know what the correct usages are in pneumatic or hydraulic circuits.

These comments will also not address microwave or radio communication links or emerging optical devices.

1. Source of Energy

Source of Operating Electrical Energy, such as

Electromechanical generators, storage cells, primary cells, solar cells, thermal cells, etc. These are usually not active components-- but it does occasionally occur.

2. Transmission Lines :

A very important special case for the relatively long-distance transmission of bulk electrical energy or signals typically data or audio), such as -

-- For signals - Coaxial cables, twisted-pair cables.

-- For energy transmission - Local and long-distance utility transmission lines.

3. Active Components :

Devices capable of influencing or regulating the flow of electrical energy according to externally applied signals, such as -

-- Vacuum tubes, simple, like in old-time radios and TVs and complex-cavity, such as the magnetron tubes in the domestic microwave oven.

-- Transistors, typically silicon junction, MOS, thin-film, plastic, etc as well as emerging new types of transistors recently announced involving hafnium films.

4. Passive components :

Devices complementing the regulation of the flow of electrical energy by the active components according to their intentionally exploited natural electrical characteristics, such as -

-- Resistors (Energy dissipation)

-- Capacitors (Static energy storage)

-- Inductors (Dynamic energy storage)

They also include components which receive and dissipate or transform electrical energy to other forms of energy, such as -

-- Incandescent or LED lights

-- Motors, solenoids and MagLev devices

-- Welding machines

-- Loudspeakers

5. Transformers :

Devices capable of passively altering the tension (voltage) or charge flow (current) in an electrical circuit. They may also concurrently electrically isolate one part of a circuit from another.

This distinction gets blurred in the magnetic amplifier and other "parametric" (non-linear) devices.

6. Interconnections :

Devices (usually, but not always, wire-like) used to interconnect the above, such as -

-- Ccopper traces on wiring boards

-- Aluminum traces on integrated circuit chips

-- Appliance cords

-- Point-to-point wiring in electronic assemblies

-- Cabling within larger electrical assemblies

-- Utility power-line cables

-- Telephone wiring, etc.

This commentary could go on to other parts of the article, but I think it is sufficient to say that those comments in the article dealing with electricity are weak and misleading and need a through workover by someone knowledgable in the art -- actually, someone knowlegable in ALL of the arts so as to draw distinctions, comparisons and analogs correctly.

[edit] Circuit Theory

So far as electrical/electronic circuits are concerned, the correct term for "circuit theory", that is, the behavior of electricity in "loops" is "linear network analysis"

Linear network analysis, in its fully developed form, is an extremely complicated subject to which entire careers, lives and many tens of thousands of pages have been devoted in the twentieth century. See Ernst Adolph Guillemin.

This article should NOT mention "theory" -- it is just a very short introduction to what is usually called (in electricity) "electrical circuits".

Undid unsigned revision 108258398 by 72.155.49.153 (talk) Cbdorsett 05:27, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

The page called Electrical circuit is nothing but a redirect to Electrical network. My attempts to edit those two pages so that users can read about electrical circuits on a page called "Electrical circuit" have all been reverted. The page called Circuit is a redirect to about twenty different pages. I created this page so that something can be written about circuits in general without heavyhanded reversionary editing.

Wikipedia does not yet have a page entitled Ernst Adolph Guillemin. If he was in fact notable in his field, start a page. Let me know if you want some help with the technical wiki details.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Guillemin

Your proffered definition of "circuit theory" as --

"Circuit theory is the theory of accomplishing work by means of routing matter through a loop"

is incorrect, chiefly because no "work" (as defined in physics) must necessarily be accomplished as the end goal. The end goal may be the transmission or modification of signals -- data, audio, etc, where "work" is entirely a secondary matter or side-effect.

I challenge the entire article as confusing, generally misleading and as adding no useful information to the "wiki"-pot. Some diligence is required, after all, to keep the "wiki"-pot from containing mulligan stew. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 208.63.239.173 (talk) 01:12, 16 February 2007 (UTC).

If you would care to make any specific suggestions for improvement, we will work on them. If you think something is misleading, say what it is. Regarding the definition: I think it is accurate in so far as it goes. How exactly can we transmit information or modifying signals without causing matter to move? If the monitor does not light or the speaker does not move air molecules, you will not receive any information, right? If the circuit modifies an electromagnetic signal, the motion of photons is affected, right? The definition has nothing to do with how people use the work, and makes no value judgments as to what work is primary and what work is "secondary." I'm sorry if the article confused you, but if we work together, maybe we can clear it up so that nobody else is confused. Cbdorsett 14:49, 16 February 2007 (UTC)