Modern Electronics

l. Many scientists believe at present that mankind has entered the era of new technological revolution which was brought about by the advent of cybernetics whose ideas and methods found their way into virtually all branches of science and engineering all the way from biology and medicine to economy and industrial management,

2. Electronics is one of the main sciences which form the technological basis for using these new methods. Electronics studies the problems connected with the з появою of instruments and devices, the action of which is based on the utilization of various phenomena that result from the movement of electrons through vacuum, gases and solid bodies.

3. Electronics surrounds us everywhere. Television, tape recording, radio-receiving-electronics is at the heart of them all. But that is only a small part of electronics and not the most important at that. Extremely complicated electronic systems control the work of huge plants, enterprises and power stations. Electronic appliances are indispensable for planning and controlling our nation economy. Electronic computers are widely used in scientific research and industrial designing. Huge radio-telescopes, equipped with sensitive instruments and powerful amplifiers enable man to gain an insight into the remotest corners of space, discover new and puzzling phenomena of nature.

4. It was in 1957 that the first man made satellite was launched in our country, and now man has already set his foot on the Moon, sends probes to distant planets and orbits the earth in space vehicles. All this could not have been done but for electronics.

5. Electronic computers calculate the trajectories of spaceships, help prepare, launch and monitor the rockets that carry the most complicated and sophisticated equipment. Radio-electronics systems ensure reliable communication with space probes at distance amounting to scores of millions of kilometers, relay telephotos of distant planets. Hundreds of electronic devices perform various tasks on board every satellite and spaceships. It may be said that in the near future electronics will surely make great strides and help the humanity gain new victories in science and engineering.

6. In 1904 D. A. Fleming suggested a two-element tube (two-electrode tube), and in 1907 De Frost invented a three-electrode tube one. For a long time afterwards electronics was used only for the purpose of communication and for ensuring amplification and transformation of various signals in applied sciences.

7. Intensive development of radio location began in the early fortieth. All these years the vacuum tube was the heart of electronics and the hence, the field of electronics was usually defined as the study of motion of electronic in vacuum tubes. However it was found that small, controlled quantities of gas introduced into a "vacuum tube" could make it perform switching, rectifying and other jobs. To include the category of gas-filled tubes, "vacuum tubes" became converted to "electron tubes" and the science of electronics was expanded to include the study of electron motion in gases.

8. The first semiconductor triode was invented in 1948. It meant another important advance in the development of electronics. Semiconductors possess a number of valuable advantages over electron motion in solids. The realm of electronics widened still more. This opened up other application for electronics.

9. The rapid growth of computer technology gave birth to numerous types and models of electronic devices and computers, capable of performing highly complex mathematical calculations in a fraction of a second.

10. The last decades opened another stage in the development of electronics. Integrated circuits came into being. Their application allowed engineers to reduce the dimensions of electronic devices and increase their reliability.

Ill After-text Exercise.

1. Give equivalents of the following words and expressions:

надзвичайно складні електронні системи; необхідний; наукове дослідження; промислові розробки; запуск та моніторинг ракет; перетворювати; напівпровідниковий тріод; галузь електроніки; інтегральні схеми.

2. Say whether the following statements are true or false:

a) Electronics studies the problems connected with the application of instruments and devices, the action of which is based on the utilization of various phenomena that result from the movement of electrons through vacuum, gases and solid bodies.

b) Electronic computers are not widely used in scientific research and industrial designing.

c) In 1904 D. A. Fleming suggested a three-element tube.

d) To include the category of gas-filled tubes "vacuum tubes" became converted to "electron tubes".

e) Semiconductors do not possess a number of valuable advantages over electron motion in solids.

3. Answer the following questions on paragraph 7:

a) When did the intensive development of radio-location begin?

b) How was the field of electronics usually defined?

c) What jobs could small, controlled quantities of gas introduced into a "vacuum tube" make?

d) What did "vacuum tubes" become converted to?

e) What did the science of electronics expand to?