Get a basic tutorial on binary Electronics

Binary numbers means an essential part of electronics. It is the flow of information in form of zeroes and ones which are used by digital computers and systems. In binary numbers digital circuits process signals, which contain just two voltage levels or states, are labelled as Logic “0” and Logic “1”. Logic “1” represents a higher voltage like 5 volts and logic “0” represents low voltage like 0 volt or ground. These voltage levels are known as Binary digits, or binary BITS.





1. Binary Bits of Zeros and Ones: 

There are only two valid Boolean values for representing either a logic “1” or a logic “0”. The binary number system is a Base-2 numbering system which follows the same set of rules in mathematics as the commonly used decimal or base-10 number system. The voltages used to represent a digital circuit can be of any value. But in digital and computer systems they are kept well below 10 volts. These voltages in digital systems are called “logic levels”.

Digital waveforms or signals consist of discrete or distinctive voltage levels which keep changing between “HIGH” and “LOW” states. Electronic circuits and systems can be divided into two main categories: analogue circuits and digital circuits.

2. Analogue Voltage Output: 

The following is an example to show the difference between an analogue (or analog) circuit and a digital circuit:

This is an analogue circuit. The output voltage can vary either slowly or rapidly from one value to the next.

3. Digital Voltage Output:

In this digital circuit example, the potentiometer wiper has been replaced by a single rotary switch which is connected in turn to each junction of the series resistor chain, forming a basic potential divider network. The major difference between an analogue signal or quantity and a digital quantity is that an “Analogue” quantity is continuously changing over time while a “Digital” quantity has discrete (step by step) values. Some circuits combine both analogue and digital signals.

4. Digital Logic Levels: 

In all electronic and computer circuits, only two logic levels are allowed to represent a single state, known as a logic 1 or a logic 0, HIGH or LOW, True or False.

Usually switching from one voltage level is made as quickly as possible to prevent miss switching of the logic circuit. In standard TTL (transistor-transistor-logic) IC’s A pre-defined range of input and output voltage limits is there for defining logic “1” value and logic “0” value.

Using a +5 volt supply for any voltage input between 2.0v and 5v is recognised as a logic “1” value and any voltage input of below 0.8v is recognised as a logic “0” value. Binary numbers are commonly used in digital and computer circuits and are represented by either a logic “0” or a logic “1”. Binary numbering systems are mostly compatible with digital signal coding of binary, as it uses only two digits, one and zero, to form different figures.