3.2 DIGITAL ELECTRONICS Analogue vs Digital Analogue and digital The two main fields of application of electronics are and . To understand the difference between the two, we can think of a thermometer: analogue digital electronics An analogue thermometer represents the temperature variation with the liquid in its glass tube moving along a graduated scale. So, we can say that the representation is "analogue," or similar to the phenomenon it measures. A digital thermometer shows the temperature in the form of numbers or that display the value of the measurement . digits 1 Other analogue devices have or hands that move around to show measurements. pointers dials DO Think of other common devices that can be both analogue and digital. 1 How they work In an , voltage or current continuously vary over time; in a signals vary in a way between two defined levels, 0 and 1, that represent, respectively, the absence of signal and its maximum level . analogue circuit digital circuit discrete 1 MORE See Section 3, Unit 1 for examples of analogue and digital electronic circuits. 1 What they are used for Analogue and digital circuits are both used to transmit and process information about physical quantities, such as sound, that are constantly variable over time . Analogue circuits deal with the signals directly, whereas digital circuits change the analogue signals, transforming them into pulses and the resulting values. A digital circuit has to transform the information back into an analogue signal so that the result can be understood by the user. 2 giving out DO Can you think of other measurable aspects like temperature that constantly vary over time? 2 Advantages of digital circuits : A digital signal can be transmitted more because errors can be easily corrected, thereby avoiding noise or . Higher precision faithfully degradation : Because of the absence of degradation, stored data can be undamaged. Easier information storage retrieved : It is easier to add new functions to a digital circuit than to an analogue one. Technological improvement : Analogue circuits generally flexibility; digital circuits are more flexible and easier to design because their design process is highly automated. Greater flexibility lack