Electronic components UK are the building blocks of devices and circuits that perform a variety of functions, from turning on a light to controlling your car. They change electric currents so they can transmit information and power a wide range of gadgets that make our lives easier, safer and more efficient.

They come in two main varieties – passive and active components. These are the building blocks of every electronic device and work hard to power them all. They may be packaged as discrete components or integrated inside packages such as semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) or hybrid integrated circuits.

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Basic electronic components have a number of electrical terminals called leads that connect to other devices over wires to create circuits with specific functions. Discrete components are usually packaged as individual units but can also be found in multi-component arrays or networks of like elements or as embedded in a package such as an IC or thick film device.

A circuit board is a substrate on which electronic components are soldered or glued together to form a complete system. The base material is typically a woven fiberglass impregnated with epoxy resin. The insulating layers are separated by copper traces on each side that connect various components to each other and to a power supply.

The surface of a PCB is covered with pads on which electronic components are mounted using solder. The land pattern on the pad corresponds to the arrangement of the component leads. Each PCB has a legend that provides details such as the name of the component, its manufacturer, its application, and the version of the PCB.