Electronics is a branch of physics that involves the study of electronic circuits. These circuits are composed of passive components that include resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Passive components can expend, store, and release energy. In addition, circuits can contain active components, including batteries, transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits (computer chips). Active components are generally considered to provide power to a circuit and process electrical signals in more complex ways than passive components. The study of electronics and the use of passive and active components form the foundation for all modern electronics. From computers and cell phones to kitchen appliances and gaming consoles, modern life would be impossible without our advanced level of electronics technology.

You can divide the study of electronics into several different fields, including analog, digital, radiofrequency, and signal processing. These individual fields often require their own technical understanding and approach. Analog systems are systems that continuously vary over time. An example of an analog signal is an audio signal or the electrical signal underlying music you hear through a speaker or headphones. Digital signals are composed of only two states, on and off. Digital systems are the foundation of computers and many other data processing systems. Wireless or radiofrequency engineering involves high frequencies that require specialized techniques to transmit, receive, and process. Finally, signal processing is an approach for interpreting, manipulating, and producing electrical signals from different sources, including sounds, images, and other signals derived from measuring or analyzing equipment.