It is hard to imagine what our lives would be like without electronics. Odds are everything would be more expensive, we would be bored, and a lot colder and dirtier to boot. Even products which don't require electrical components to work, were likely made with the assistance of electronics in the factories where they were produced. Not to mention, their proper function is also likely aided by advanced electronics as well.
So what are some of the most important steps in the evolutionary history of electronics? Obviously, harnessing the power of electrons was the first step down the road to the electronics world that we see around us today. Believe it or not, this process did not start with Benjamin Franklin. In fact, the famous scientist did not even actually discover electricity, as is popularly believed. He did, however, figure out a way to harness it.
That harnessing was further expanded upon in the early 20th century, when scientists began to use controlled movements of electrons to transmit signals over radio and other devices. The device which made this possible was known as the triode, and it is still being used in many electronic applications today.
A more popular way to move electrons along a focused path for in our devices today is through the semiconductor. Semiconductors power almost all of the electronic components in homes and businesses and all over the world. They include several different parts, such as the diode, the solar cells, and different kinds of transistor.
Semiconductors are considered the basis for most of our modern electronics, and are becoming ever more efficient. For example, the quick access to an efficient supply of hot water through a tankless water heater like those sold by Marathon International is made possible by a very efficient semiconductor, which heats the water on demand, and quickly. The efficiency of a semiconductor is dependent on the materials the components are constructed from as well as the quality of the components themselves.
Of course, the means of transfer alone is not what has changed our modern electronics into the efficient machines we see all around us today. Homes equipped with iPods, computers, and smart technology are also aided by the inclusion of other inventions of the past couple decades.
Chief among these inventions are laser and digital technology. Both advances have helped create more compact and efficient electronics.
All electronics also depend on systems which can dissipate heat generated during the transfer. Advancements in cooling systems have thus also been very important in the evolution of modern electronics.
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