Understanding biasing and ohms law

In summary, the conversation discusses biasing in a circuit with a collector current of 2.5mA and a collector resistor of 1K. The power supply is 5V and there is a 2.5V drop over the collector resistor. The speaker is confused about where the other 2.5V drop comes from to bring the VCC down to zero potential. The other person explains that the resistor should be on the emitter, not the collector, and the transistor operates at forward and reverse bias. They also mention setting up the operating current with an emitter resistor and calculating the collector current using the base current and \beta.
  • #1
fran1942
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Hello, I am trying to get my head around biasing.
I do understand the principles.
In the attached circuit the Collector current is 2.5mA and the collector resistor is 1K. Therefore my circuit here is biased at 2.5V. The power supply is 5V.
So that would give a 2.5V drop over the collector resistor. The bit I don't understand is where does the other 2.5V drop come from to bring the VCC down to zero potential ?

Thanks for any help. This is just elementary stuff but that is where I am at.
 

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  • #2
You got it up side down. You need to have the resistor on the emitter to 0V. You need to put the collector at above 3.2V, then you put 2.5V+0.7V=3.2V at the base to set up 2.5mA of emitter current which give approx 2.5mA at the collector.

Collector resistor like in your circuit does not effect current through the transistor in normal operating condition.

OK, the normal way of looking at NPN transistor circuit is that it operate at Forward Reverse bias. The base emitter is forward biased and the base collector is reverse biased. So.

1) For the transistor to turn on, you need to have about 0.7V from B to E and keep the C voltage above B.

2) Set up the operating current by an emitter resistor which in my example is 1K. If I put 3.2V at the base, the emitter voltage would be about 2.5V( remember 0.7V from B to E?). This will put 2.5V across the 1K resistor and therefore the emitter current is 2.5mA.

3) Collector is [itex] \beta\;[/itex] times base current. So collector current is emitter current minus base current.

To summerize:

[tex]I_E=\frac{V_B-0.7V}{R_E}[/tex][tex] I_E= \beta I_B \;\Rightarrow I_C= I_E-I_B[/tex].
 
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FAQ: Understanding biasing and ohms law

1. What is biasing in electronics?

Biasing in electronics refers to the process of setting up the operating conditions of a circuit to ensure proper functioning and stability. It involves applying a DC voltage or current to a circuit component to establish a specific operating point.

2. How does biasing affect the performance of a circuit?

Biasing directly affects the DC operating point of a circuit, which in turn affects the overall performance. It ensures that the circuit operates within the desired range and produces the expected output.

3. What is Ohm's law and how is it related to biasing?

Ohm's law is a fundamental law in electronics that states the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in a circuit. It can be used to calculate the biasing voltage or current needed for a specific circuit component.

4. How do you determine the appropriate biasing for a circuit?

The appropriate biasing for a circuit depends on the desired operating point, the components used, and the overall circuit design. It can be determined through calculations based on Ohm's law and by considering the specifications of the circuit components.

5. What is the purpose of biasing in transistor circuits?

In transistor circuits, biasing is crucial as it sets the proper operating point for the transistor to amplify signals accurately. It ensures that the transistor remains in its active region and does not enter saturation or cutoff, which would result in distorted output signals.

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