| Term |
Definition |
| Autoranging |
A feature which automatically selects the capacitance range that will provide highest resolution. |
| Bipolar Transistor |
Commonly abbreviated as BJT, it is one of the major types of three-terminal semiconductor devices. It consists of two pn junctions that are connected in series, therefore having current be conducted by both electrons and holes. |
| Capacitance |
A measurement that often characterizes the amount of charge stored in capacitors. The standard equation for capacitance is C = Q/V, where C stands for capacitance, Q is the charge on the parallel plates, and V is the voltage across those plates. It's generally measured in the unit, Farad (F). |
| Capacitance Meter |
A test instrument used to measure capacitance of electronic components. |
| Capacitor |
A physical electronic component that consists of a pair of parallel plates used for storing energy inside an electric field that exists in between them. |
| Data Hold |
A feature which, upon pressing a button holds (or freezes) the instantaneous reading on the display at the time the button is pressed. |
| DC Bias |
A DC current required to achieve an intended amount of inductance. |
| Diode |
A common electronic component that has one direction of current flow. They are often used in power supplies and rectifiers for AC to DC voltage conversion. |
| Dissipation Factor |
The Dissipation Factor (or D) is considered equal to the power factor of a dielectric, which is the cosine of the phase angle by which the current leads the voltage. The Dissipation Factor is usually measured during the measuring of capacitors. It is also the reciprocal of Q. |
| ESR |
Stands for equivalent series resistance, which is a measurement primarily used to define the performance of an electrolytic capacitor. They are measured to be internal resistances that are in series with a desired capacitance at certain frequencies. |
| ESR Meter |
A test equipment tool to measure the equivalent series resistance. |
| FET |
Field Effect Transistor, consisting of three terminals: gate, drain, source. |
| Inductance |
A measurement that is defined in terms of emf, electromotive force, that is generated to oppose any change in current. The unit for measurement is in Henry (H). |
| Inductor |
A circuit element, usually made of a coil of wires, that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current passes through it. It is often used as a component in power supplies or as a pair to create a transformer. |
| LCR |
An abbreviation signifying inductance (L), capacitance (C), and resistance (R). |
| LCR Meter |
A multifunction instrument which measures inductance (L) of coils or inductors (and other inductive devices); capacitance (C) of capacitors or components and resistance (R) of carbon resistors or any non-inductive component. |
| LED |
Is the abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. It is an electronic component that produces a bright light and has a long lifetime. |
| Measurement Rate |
The number of times per second that the test or measurement is updated. |
| NPN |
NPN refers to a type of bi-polar junction transistors (BJT), which consists of three regions: n-type emitter, p-type base, n-type collector. The normal current flow of the emitter in a NPN transistor has a forward direction from base to emitter. |
| Parallel Measurement Mode |
Usually for Resistance and Capacitance measurements of Resistors and Capacitors |
| PNP |
In a way, PNP is another type of BJT and is opposite of NPN transistors. The emitter region is p-type, base region is n-type, and collector region is p-type. The normal current flow of the emitter in a PNP transistor has a forward direction from emitter to base, which is opposite of NPN transistors. |
| Quality Factor |
The Quality Factor (or Q). The Quality Factor is usually measured during the measuring of inductors. It is also the reciprocal of D. |
| Relative Mode |
A common measurement function in a component tester that allows you to make relative measurements in a specified range. |
| Resistance |
A measurement that indicates the amount of current given a potential difference. The standard formula to compute this measurement in electronic circuits is R = V/I, and the unit is ohm, often indicated by the Greek symbol omega. |
| Resistor |
Generally made of resistive wires, it is a circuit element that produces a voltage drop across its two terminals. |
| Resolution |
The smallest increment of change that can be indicated on a display. |
| SCR |
An abbreviation for silicon-controller rectifier, is a rectifier that consists of four layers. It can be simplified as two BJT transistors, one PNP and one NPN, connected between the base and collector regions of the PNP to the emitter and base junction of the NPN transistor respectively. A SCR often has a very high voltage rating. |
