Circuits and Electronics 2: Amplification, Speed, and Delay from edX

Want to learn how to construct an amplifier for mobile phones? Wondering how energy storage elements like capacitors and inductors work, or how to make microchips run faster? This free circuits course taught by edX CEO and MIT Professor Anant Agarwal and colleagues is for you.

This is the second of three online Circuits and Electronics courses and is taken by all MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) majors.

Topics covered include: MOSFET large signal and small signal analysis; amplifiers; energy storage elements like capacitors and inductors; and dynamics of first-order networks and circuit speed. Design and lab exercises are also significant components of the course.

Weekly coursework includes interactive video sequences, readings from the textbook, homework, online laboratories, and optional tutorials. The course will also have a final exam.

This is a self-paced course, so there are no weekly deadlines. However, all assignments are due when the course ends.

What you'll learn

How to build amplifiers using MOSFETs
How to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of first-order circuits containing energy storage elements like capacitors and inductors
The relationship between the mathematical representation of first-order circuit behavior and corresponding real-life effects
How to improve the speed of digital circuits
Measurement of circuit variables using tools such as virtual oscilloscopes, virtual multimeters, and virtual signal generators
How to compare the measurements with the behavior predicted by mathematical models and explain the discrepancies

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to build amplifiers using mosfets
How to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of first-order circuits containing energy storage elements like capacitors and inductors
The relationship between the mathematical representation of first-order circuit behavior and corresponding real-life effects

How to improve the speed of digital circuits
Measurement of circuit variables using tools such as virtual oscilloscopes, virtual multimeters, and virtual signal generators
How to compare the measurements with the behavior predicted by mathematical models and explain the discrepancies

How to build amplifiers using mosfets
How to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of first-order circuits containing energy storage elements like capacitors and inductors
The relationship between the mathematical representation of first-order circuit behavior and corresponding real-life effects
How to improve the speed of digital circuits
Measurement of circuit variables using tools such as virtual oscilloscopes, virtual multimeters, and virtual signal generators
How to compare the measurements with the behavior predicted by mathematical models and explain the discrepancies

Syllabus

Week 1: Amplifiers, MOSFET large signal analysis, MOSFET small signal analysis

Week 2: Capacitors, first-order RC circuits

Week 3: Inductors, first-order step response, first-order circuit analysis, impulses, digital circuit speed

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides a strong foundation for beginners in circuit analysis and electronics concepts

Develops intuition for understanding the behavior of circuits containing capacitors and inductors

Taught by renowned MIT professors with expertise in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Covers key topics for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science majors at MIT

Emphasizes practical applications through design and lab exercises

Requires students to have a basic understanding of circuit analysis and mathematics

Reviews summary

Deep dive into electronics amplification and speed

According to students, this is a highly rigorous and foundational course for understanding advanced circuit concepts. Learners praise its incredibly well-structured content and the crystal-clear explanations from Professor Agarwal. The course provides profound understanding, particularly in MOSFET analysis, amplifier design, and digital circuit speed. While online laboratories are effective for visualizing theory and practical application, some students note that the course is very theoretical and can feel overwhelmingly academic, desiring more hands-on physical experience. The self-paced format is ideal for flexibility but demands strong self-discipline.

Offers flexibility but requires significant self-discipline.

"I found the self-paced nature ideal for balancing with my work schedule."

"The pace can be challenging, especially without regular deadlines, so self-discipline is key."

"The 'self-paced' aspect meant I sometimes procrastinated, and then the sheer volume of material felt rushed at the end."

"The self-paced format also meant there was less interaction or structured support when I got stuck."

Strong theoretical grounding, but some desire more hands-on application.

"This course is very theoretical, sometimes overwhelmingly so. I struggled to connect them to practical applications beyond the virtual labs."

"While the virtual labs are good for simulation, they don't quite replace hands-on physical experience, which I missed."

"I expected more practical, real-world applications from an MIT course. This felt very academic and theoretical..."

"The online labs, while virtual, are very effective in visualizing concepts and allow for practical application of the theory."

Well-designed homework and virtual labs aid understanding.

"The homework assignments really pushed my understanding and were well-designed."

"The weekly coursework, especially the online laboratories, were crucial for hands-on application."

"The virtual oscilloscope and multimeter tools were surprisingly effective for measurement and analysis."

Professor Agarwal's explanations are clear and intuitive.

"Professor Agarwal's explanations are crystal clear, especially for complex topics like MOSFET small signal analysis and amplifier design."

"Professor Agarwal and the team deliver an exceptional learning experience. The intuitive approach to describing time and frequency behavior..."

Offers deep, academically rigorous understanding of advanced circuits.

"This course is incredibly well-structured and builds perfectly on the first part."

"Outstanding course! The depth provided on digital circuit speed and the relationship between mathematical models... was invaluable."

"As an MIT EECS alumnus, I can confirm this course... is fundamental. The online version maintains the rigor and quality."

"The understanding you gain is profound. It truly helped me solidify my understanding of these complex topics."

Demands strong prior background; not suitable for beginners.

"Found this course extremely difficult to follow without a strong background. Even with C&E1, the jump in complexity felt steep."

"It is definitely for those with a strong foundation in circuits, as it doesn't hold your hand."

"Might be better suited for those already well-versed in electronics, not for strengthening existing gaps."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Circuits and Electronics 2: Amplification, Speed, and Delay with these activities:

Review Soldering Techniques

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Ensures that students have the necessary skills to build and test circuits.

Browse courses on Soldering

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Watch a video tutorial on soldering.
Practice soldering on a scrap piece of wire.
Solder a simple circuit, such as an LED blinker.

Review Essential Math

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Refreshes essential math skills needed for this course.

Browse courses on Algebra

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Review basic algebra concepts, including variables, equations, and inequalities.
Go over the basics of differential calculus, including limits, derivatives, and integrals.
Review the basics of integral calculus, including indefinite and definite integrals.

Read 'Fundamentals of Electric Circuits' by Alexander and Sadiku

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Provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of electric circuits.

View ISE Fundamentals of Electric Circuits (ISE HED... on Amazon

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Read the assigned chapters in the textbook.
Take notes on the important concepts.
Solve the practice problems at the end of each chapter.

Nine other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all 12 activities

Compile a List of Useful Resources

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Provides a central location for students to access a variety of resources.

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Create a document or spreadsheet.
Include links to websites, tutorials, and other resources that are relevant to the course.
Share the document or spreadsheet with other students.

Form a Study Group

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Provides an opportunity to collaborate with other students and learn from each other.

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Find a group of students who are also taking the course.
Meet regularly to discuss the course material.
Work together on problem sets and projects.

Analyze circuit behavior with SPICE

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Use SPICE to analyze the behavior of circuits, helping you solidify your understanding of circuit concepts.

Browse courses on Circuit Analysis

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Learn the basics of SPICE syntax
Build circuit models in SPICE
Analyze circuit behavior using SPICE

Explore online tutorials on digital circuit optimization

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Search and follow online tutorials to deepen your understanding of digital circuit optimization techniques.

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Identify online tutorials on digital circuit optimization
Follow the tutorials to learn optimization techniques

Solve Circuit Analysis Problems

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Provides practice in solving circuit analysis problems.

Browse courses on Circuit Analysis

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Find practice problems online or in textbooks.
Solve the problems using the techniques learned in class.
Check your answers against the provided solutions.

Build a Simple Circuit

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Provides hands-on experience in building and testing circuits.

Browse courses on Circuit Building

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Gather the necessary materials, including resistors, capacitors, transistors, and a breadboard.
Follow a tutorial to build a simple circuit, such as an LED blinker.
Test the circuit to make sure it works as expected.

Design and build a simple MOSFET amplifier

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Design and build a simple MOSFET amplifier to demonstrate your understanding of amplifier circuits.

Browse courses on Circuit Design

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Research MOSFET amplifier design
Select suitable components
Build and test the amplifier
Evaluate the amplifier's performance

Design a Circuit for a Specific Application

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Allows students to apply their knowledge of circuit analysis and design to a real-world problem.

Browse courses on Circuit Design

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Identify a specific application for which you want to design a circuit.
Research the different types of circuits that can be used for this application.
Design the circuit and simulate it using a circuit simulator.
Build and test the circuit.

Participate in a Circuit Design Competition

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Provides an opportunity for students to showcase their skills and knowledge in a competitive environment.

Browse courses on Circuit Design

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Find a circuit design competition that is open to students.
Form a team and brainstorm ideas for a circuit design.
Design and build the circuit.
Submit the circuit to the competition.

Career center

Learners who complete Circuits and Electronics 2: Amplification, Speed, and Delay will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Electronics Engineer

Electronics Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of electronic equipment. This course may be particularly helpful as it teaches the basics of working with electronic circuits, including amplifiers, energy storage elements, and circuit speed. These are all essential concepts for anyone working in the field of Electronics Engineering.

See salaries and explore the career path for Electronics Engineer

Computer Hardware Engineer

Computer Hardware Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of computer hardware. This course will be helpful as it teaches how to build amplifiers using MOSFETs and improve the speed of digital circuits, which are both essential skills for Computer Hardware Engineers. Additionally, the section on circuit dynamics can help engineers understand how computers process information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Hardware Engineer

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technician

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technicians help engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of electrical and electronic equipment. This course will be useful as it teaches the basics of how electrical and electronic circuits work, including amplifiers, energy storage elements, and circuit speed. These are all essential concepts for anyone working as an Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technician.

See salaries and explore the career path for Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technician

Audio Engineer

Audio Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of audio equipment. This course may be particularly helpful as it teaches how to build amplifiers using MOSFETs and improve the speed of digital circuits, which are both essential skills for Audio Engineers. Additionally, the section on circuit dynamics can help engineers understand how audio systems process information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Audio Engineer

Robotics Engineer

Robotics Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of robots. This course may be useful as it teaches how to improve the speed of digital circuits and how to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of circuits, which are both essential skills for Robotics Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Robotics Engineer

Mechatronics Engineer

Mechatronics Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of mechatronic systems. This course may be useful as it teaches how to improve the speed of digital circuits and how to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of circuits, which are both essential skills for Mechatronics Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mechatronics Engineer

Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of biomedical equipment. This course may be particularly helpful as it teaches how to build amplifiers using MOSFETs, which is an essential skill for Biomedical Engineers. Additionally, the section on circuit dynamics can help engineers understand how biomedical systems process information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Biomedical Engineer

Nuclear Engineer

Nuclear Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of nuclear equipment. This course may be particularly helpful as it teaches how to improve the speed of digital circuits and how to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of circuits, which are both essential skills for Nuclear Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nuclear Engineer

Telecommunications Engineer

Telecommunications Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of telecommunications equipment. This course may be useful as it teaches how to build amplifiers using MOSFETs and improve the speed of digital circuits, which are both essential skills for Telecommunications Engineers. Additionally, the section on circuit dynamics can help engineers understand how telecommunication systems process information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Telecommunications Engineer

Broadcast Engineer

Broadcast Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of broadcast equipment. This course may be particularly helpful as it teaches how to build amplifiers using MOSFETs and improve the speed of digital circuits, which are both essential skills for Broadcast Engineers. Additionally, the section on circuit dynamics can help engineers understand how broadcast systems process information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Broadcast Engineer

Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of aerospace equipment. This course may be particularly helpful as it teaches how to improve the speed of digital circuits and how to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of circuits, which are both essential skills for Aerospace Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Aerospace Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Electrical Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of electrical equipment. This course may be useful as it teaches the fundamentals of how electrical circuits work, which is essential knowledge for any Electrical Engineer. In particular, the section on circuit dynamics is directly relevant to the work of an Electrical Engineer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Electrical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of mechanical equipment. This course may be particularly helpful as it teaches how to improve the speed of digital circuits and how to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of circuits, which are both essential skills for Mechanical Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mechanical Engineer

Chemical Engineer

Chemical Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of chemical equipment. This course may be useful as it teaches how to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of circuits, which is an essential skill for Chemical Engineers. Additionally, the section on circuit dynamics can help engineers understand how chemical systems process information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chemical Engineer

Civil Engineer

Civil Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the installation of civil infrastructure. This course may be useful as it teaches how to use intuition to describe the approximate time and frequency behavior of circuits, which is an essential skill for Civil Engineers. Additionally, the section on circuit dynamics can help engineers understand how civil infrastructure systems process information.

See salaries and explore the career path for Civil Engineer