Electrical Circuits Vs. Electronic Circuits - Similarity and Differences

Let's start with the basics. Both electrical and electronic circuits are crucial to understanding the world of electricity and electronics.

The key distinction is that electrical circuits deal with electricity in its raw form - that is, the movement of electrons along a conductive path - while electronic circuits deal with the manipulation and control of that electric current to achieve specific functions.

Electrical Circuits

Electrical circuits can be as simple as a battery connected to a light bulb. The battery provides a voltage, or an "electrical pressure," that forces electrons to flow through the bulb, producing light.

The crucial components here are the power source (the battery), the load (the light bulb), and the conductive path connecting them.

Here, the focus is mainly on the efficient transmission and utilisation of electric power.

Electronic Circuits

Electronic circuits, on the other hand, involve components like diodes, transistors, capacitors, and integrated circuits (ICs).

While they too have a power source, a conductive path, and a load, these circuits are designed to manipulate the current and voltage to do more complex tasks.

These tasks include amplifying signals, processing data, or oscillating at specific frequencies.

The main similarity between electrical and electronic circuits is the principle of current flow - electrons moving from a point of high potential to low potential.

They also share foundational laws, such as Ohm's Law (V=IR, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance) and Kirchhoff's Laws, which deal with the conservation of energy and charge in circuits.

However, there are significant differences as well.

Power Handling: Electrical circuits generally handle higher power and voltage as compared to electronic circuits. Electrical circuits deal with power in the order of kilowatts and are concerned with electricity transmission and machinery. In contrast, electronic circuits work with milliwatts of power and low voltage, focusing on signal processing and control.
Components: Electrical circuits primarily contain passive components like resistors, inductors, and capacitors, which do not control the flow of current. However, electronic circuits contain active components like transistors and diodes that can control the current flow depending on the input.
Functionality: Electrical circuits generally have a straightforward function: to transmit and use electrical power efficiently. However, electronic circuits can perform various tasks like amplification, oscillation, modulation, and signal processing. For example, an amplifier circuit amplifies the input signal, while an oscillator produces a signal of a specific frequency.
Complexity: Generally, electronic circuits are more complex than electrical circuits due to the variety of functions they can perform and the advanced components they contain.
Current flow: In electrical circuits, current can flow in both directions, known as Alternating Current (AC). But in many electronic circuits, current flows in one direction only, called Direct Current (DC). However, some electronic circuits can also work with AC.
Analysis: Electrical circuit analysis involves real values, as it primarily deals with magnitudes of voltage and current. Electronic circuit analysis, on the other hand, may involve complex numbers, as it considers phase relationships between voltage and current.
Design: The design of electrical circuits prioritises power efficiency, safety, and reliability, focusing on the proper ratings of components to handle the required voltage and current. Electronic circuit design, however, emphasises factors like gain, bandwidth, noise, and distortion, which are critical for signal processing and control.

In advanced applications, electrical and electronic circuits work together. Consider a computer: the power supply is an electrical circuit, converting mains AC to low-voltage DC.

But the processor and memory are electronic circuits, performing complex data processing tasks.

Thus, while electrical and electronic circuits share basic principles, their roles, components, and design considerations are quite distinct.

To excel in electrical engineering, one must understand both types of circuits and the unique ways they are employed in various applications.

I hope I have covered the basics and all the similarities and differences between electrical and electronic circuits. Let me know if you have further questions. I will be happy to answer them for you.

Implications of these differences

This answer would not be complete without discussing the actual implications of the difference between electrical circuits and electronic circuits. Let's focus on the real-world implications of these differences.

Applications: Electrical circuits are typically found in power generation systems like power plants, electric vehicles, and household electrical systems. They handle high voltage and power, and they must be robust and capable of dealing with power surges or short circuits. On the other hand, electronic circuits are ubiquitous in modern technology. You'll find them in computers, smartphones, radios, televisions, and numerous other devices. They are designed to perform specific functions like signal amplification, modulation, and demodulation.
Noise: Noise is a critical factor in electronic circuits but is typically less significant in electrical circuits. Noise refers to unwanted signals that can interfere with the correct functioning of the circuit. For electronic circuits, which often deal with very small signals, noise can be a severe problem. The design of electronic circuits often needs to take into account noise reduction or filtering techniques.
Impedance Matching: Impedance matching is an essential concept in electronic circuits but not often a concern in electrical circuits. Impedance is the opposition offered by a circuit to the flow of AC. For maximum power transfer or minimum signal reflection, the source and load impedance need to match. This concept is fundamental in radio frequency and high-speed digital circuit design.
Signal Processing: Electronic circuits are essential for signal processing, which includes amplification, filtering, and modulation. For example, in an audio system, the microphone picks up sound and converts it into an electrical signal. This weak signal is then amplified by an electronic circuit and then sent to a speaker, which is an electrical circuit, to be converted back into sound.
Feedback: Feedback is a significant concept in electronic circuits but less so in electrical ones. Feedback occurs when a portion of the output of a circuit is 'fed back' into the input. This feedback can be used to control the behaviour of the circuit. Positive feedback can lead to oscillation (useful in radio transmitters and musical instruments), while negative feedback can stabilise a system (used in thermostats and automatic gain control circuits).
Safety: Electrical circuits, due to their high voltages and currents, pose more severe safety risks than electronic circuits. Proper insulation, grounding, and overcurrent protection are paramount in electrical circuit design.
Semiconductors: Electronic circuits rely heavily on semiconductor devices like transistors, diodes, and ICs. These devices rely on the properties of semiconductor materials to control the flow of current. Electrical circuits, in contrast, mostly use simpler devices like switches and relays, which operate mechanically.
Analog and Digital: While both electrical and electronic circuits can be either analog or digital, electronic circuits are typically more associated with digital systems. Digital systems represent information as discrete values (often 0s and 1s) and have advantages in processing, storage, and noise resistance. Electronic computers, smartphones, and digital signal processing systems are examples.

Now to sum up, while electrical circuits deal with raw electric power, electronic circuits manipulate this power to provide a vast array of functions that underpin modern technology.

Both types of circuits are governed by the same basic laws of physics, but they differ significantly in their components, design considerations, and applications. As we become increasingly reliant on electronic devices in our daily lives, the importance of understanding these differences only grows.

as per my knowledge an electronic circuit can also contain passive elements such as a resistors.

the major difference between an electronic and an electrical circuit is the source voltage that is being used. When we talk about an electrical circuit, it can work for very high voltages(inn the range of few volts to thousands of volts). On the other hand an electronic circuit is the one that operates at very low voltages(from 0.5V to 15V).

the other notable difference is that while we focus on current distributions in electrical circuits, the voltage distribution is something that is studied in an electronic circuits..
for this reason you would see that we do not focus much on the specifications of components in an electronic circuit but when it comes to an electrical circuit the specifications(such value of capacitance, resistors) are of prime importance.

that means the operation of an electronic circuits is not significantly affected if the values of capacitances etc. are varied provided these variations are not much large. This further implies that we more often than not deal with certain assumptions(such as response of an amplifier in different frequency range) while studying the concerned circuit. However, such assumptions are not possible during the study of an electrical circuit.

Also as far as transformers are concerned, they are there in various micro-lab kits that we across during the study of digital electronics. This implies that a transformer can also be incorporated in an electronic circuit as well. The exact circuit design is application dependent

hope this helps you.....