Electrical devices and electronic devices - what's the difference?

In the engineering and technical community, the terms "electrical" and "electronic" are often intertwined but also used interchangeably. Usually due to a poor understanding of the subtle but significant differences between the two departments. Understanding the difference between the two is important not only because the two terms have different meanings, but also because of the tendency towards abstract or abbreviated and very specific language during a technical interview. Misunderstanding or incorrect communication with an engineer can mean the difference between building an electric toaster and an electronic toaster.

In 1893, Alan MacMaster of Edinburgh, Scotland, invented the first electric toaster. The heating elements in the toaster convert electricity into heat, so you can bake your own bread. This is the difference between electrical and electronic devices - the manipulation of energy in technology.

Electrical devices take energy in the form of electric current - the flow of electrons in a conductor - and then simply convert it into another form of energy - most often light, heat or motion. An electrical device is one that uses electricity directly to perform a task.

Electronic devices, on the other hand, do much more. Rather than simply converting electrical energy into light, heat, or motion, electronic devices are designed to manipulate electrical current in such a way that the flow of electrical current carries some information in addition to energy.

Let's go back to the previous example of an electronic toaster. It uses the same heating elements, springs, and bread racks as an electric toaster, but may contain many more complex components, such as an electronic display that shows for example the toasting progress, or an electronic thermostat that tries to keep the interior of the appliance at the correct, constant temperature. temperature. Electronics refers to technology that works by more advanced control of the movement of electrons - in ways that go beyond simple electrodynamic properties such as voltage and current.

Usually, if something uses electricity only as energy, it is an electrical device. If it uses electricity as a medium to manipulate information, it is almost certainly an electronic device. Electrical and electronic devices consist of different but very often overlapping groups of elements. Additionally, remember that all electronic devices are also electrical devices, but not the other way around.

Source: https://www.electronicproducts.com/Misc/Elect...lectronic_Devices_What_s_the_difference.aspx#