Introductory Circuits [Paperback]

Robert Spence (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470779713 | ISBN-13: 978-0470779712 | Publication Date: November 4, 2008 | Edition: 1

Compact but comprehensive, this textbook presents the essential concepts of electronic circuit theory.  As well as covering classical linear theory involving resistance, capacitance and inductance it treats practical nonlinear circuits containing components such as operational amplifiers, Zener diodes and exponential diodes.  The book’s straightforward approach highlights the similarity between the equations describing direct current (DC), alternating current (AC) and small-signal nonlinear behaviour, thus making the analysis of these circuits easier to comprehend.

Introductory Circuits explains:

• the laws and analysis of DC circuits including those containing controlled sources;
• AC circuits, focusing on complex currents and voltages, and with extension to frequency domain performance;
• opamp circuits, including their use in amplifiers and switches;
• change behaviour within circuits, whether intentional (small-signal performance) or caused by unwanted changes in components.

In addition to worked examples within the text a number of problems for student solution are provided at the end of each chapter, ranging in difficulty from the simple to the more challenging.  Most solutions for these problems are provided in the book, while others can be found on the accompanying website.

Introductory Circuits is designed for first year undergraduate mechanical, biomedical, materials, chemical and civil engineering students who are taking short electrical engineering courses and find other texts on the subject too content-heavy for their needs.  With its clear structure and consistent treatment of resistive, reactive and small-signal operation, this volume is also a great supporting text for mainstream electrical engineering students.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This relatively short, exceptionally well-written book introduces non-electrical engineering students to the world of circuits." (Choice Reviews, June 2009)

From the Back Cover

Compact but comprehensive, this textbook presents the essential concepts of electronic circuit theory. As well as covering classical linear theory involving resistance, capacitance and inductance it treats practical nonlinear circuits containing components such as operational amplifiers, Zener diodes and exponential diodes. The book’s straightforward approach highlights the similarity between the equations describing direct current (DC), alternating current (AC) and small-signal nonlinear behaviour, thus making the analysis of these circuits easier to comprehend.

Introductory Circuits explains:

• the laws and analysis of DC circuits including those containing controlled sources;

• AC circuits, focusing on complex currents and voltages, and with extension to frequency domain performance;

• opamp circuits, including their use in amplifiers and switches;

• change behaviour within circuits, whether intentional (small-signal performance) or caused by unwanted changes in components.

In addition to worked examples within the text a number of problems for student solution are provided at the end of each chapter, ranging in difficulty from the simple to the more challenging. Most solutions for these problems are provided in the book, while others can be found on the accompanying website.

Introductory Circuits is designed for first year undergraduate mechanical, biomedical, materials, chemical and civil engineering students who are taking short electrical engineering courses and find other texts on the subject too content-heavy for their needs.  With its clear structure and consistent treatment of resistive, reactive and small-signal operation, this volume is also a great supporting text for mainstream electrical engineering students.

    

www.wiley.com/go/spence_circuits

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470779713
• ISBN-13: 978-0470779712
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,435,419 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to circuits, but publisher needs to live up to its promises, September 24, 2009

By 

Edward Durney (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introductory Circuits (Paperback)

To the uninitiated, electric circuits can intimidate. Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Laws, Thevenin equivalents. Mysterious symbols on schematic diagrams. Resistance, voltage, wattage, and inductance. Important concepts that many people outside of the traditional electric engineering field need to know.

Robert Spence provides a pretty good initiation to the mysteries of electric circuits. With plenty of depth for a beginner, the book starts out in the shallow end of the pool and takes the reader closer to the deep end. There's plenty of depth and breadth for a beginning text. Even, if you hunt for them, some hints of humor. (British humor, it must be said.)

It's not an easy book to study. In places, Spence did not provide enough guidance. I still have trouble, for example, figuring out the direction (plus or minus) of currents and voltages. Getting the sign right is crucial. A little more help there would have helped greatly.

The price tag on this book, like most of its type, is steep. So I was disappointed to find that you need to contact the publisher to get access to the supplemental website. The book has a lot of problems for each chapter (which is good), but answers in the back to only about a third of them. The supplemental website is supposed to have more. But I never received the promised email giving me the password, something that was supposed to happen "shortly."