What is a transistor? How does a transistor work? Part 1
Why Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange recommends it
Electronics Stack Exchange answerers point people to it when a newcomer wants to use transistors in circuits without first wading through silicon physics and alphabet-soup terminology.
Recommended by 2 people across 2 different months, 2012 to 2015.
What it is
A 2010 beginner video from the Steel Wheels Down channel that explains what a transistor is and how it is used, treating it as a 'transforming resistor' whose resistance is controlled by the base. It focuses on practical use rather than semiconductor physics, and is the first in a series.
What people said
Strong rec Trevor · 2012-07 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “I don't care how a transistor works, how do I get one to work?”
Those answers and comments that say, "I know you don't like it but you have to learn the alphabet soup," are wrong. I was lucky enough to come across EXACTLY the video(s) you want some time ago. It teaches you how to USE transistors without the ubiquitous lesson of how they are made in silicon. Despite what others say, you will learn BETTER if you leave out the abc soup until you have practical knowledge. I never really understood transistors before; I'd been taught to think of them as little switches (which is very misleading, at best). Now I know enough to comfortably put them into use. Here are the videos: What is a transistor? How does a transistor work? Part 1 [this video] What is a transist
Recommends sptrks · 2012-02 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “Applets illustrating the operation of diodes and transistors”
Here is a really good series of videos on transistors: one [this video] and two [LINK] . This [LINK] next video is on diodes and rectification but you you should definitely check how his whole electronics series.
Cites Basj · 2015-02 · Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange · on “Resistance as a function of base voltage in a transistor”
In this very interesting introductive video [this video] , I learned that a transistor is basically nothing more than a resistor whose value changes accordingly to what's applied at the Base. So it should be possible to draw a characteristic curve of a NPN transistor with: x-axis = voltage applied to Base y-axis = value of the resistance between Collector and Emitter Here is what I imagined ( Am I totally wrong, only a little bit wrong, or nearly correct? ) with my current understanding of a NPN transistor : I haven't found such a curve, even in the datasheet of the transistor I have (2N3904) [LINK] Is it relevant to draw such a curve? Where can I find one for 2N3094?