How were symbols for resistors,capacitors,inductors created?

[Kazzam]

doubts

how were the basic symbols for resistors,capacitors and inductors... or any other element in general used in electrical connections were formulated or found out????

 

[neils_arm_strong]

doubts

It was not that they were formulated or so.It was a convention that was blindly followed.
The symbols appear similar to the primitive devices that were first built/or used in labs.
Ex: Resistor symbol represents a long wire laid out in Zig-Zag manner (I may be wrong here)
The Capacitor is nothing but a parallel plate capacitor(the two lines representing the two plates)

the inductor is a coil and so is the symbol for it.

 

[subharpe]

Re: doubts

Hi,
A resistor is defined as something that resists current or charges to flow through a conductig path. Therefore the zig-zag notation is used to represent the property of resisting.

An inductor is of course an element that creates magnetic field in the direcction parallel to the flow of charged in the path. This can be done only by wiending the conductor so that the centrally directed magnetic field can be in parallel to the direction to the propagation of teh charges. That is why the notation of inductor is like a coil with the central axis alng the diection of the wire.

A capacitor is basically thought of as a pair of parallel plates with insulator in between so that in steady state it does not allow any flow of charge through. So the notation is like, two lines perpendicular to the wire (the two plates where the ends of the conductor are connected) separated by a space (to show the discontinuity of the charges).

 

[flatulent]

Re: doubts

In the early days the capacitor symbol was a stylized Leyden jar.

 

[subharpe]

Re: doubts

Can you tell me how did it look, that "stylized leyden jar"? I am not aware of this.

 

[flatulent]

Re: doubts

Think of a U shape with square corners and another wire going in from the open end to form the other contact.

 

[subharpe]

Re: doubts

Thanx, probably this was to represent storage of charge. Is it?

 

[flatulent]

Re: doubts

Leyden jars were capacitors with high voltage rating.