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'''Electrical engineering''' (sometimes referred to as '''electrical and electronics engineering''') is a professional ] discipline that deals with the study and application of ], ] and ]. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century with the commercialization of the electric ] and electrical power supply and now encompasses a range of sub-disciplines including ], ], ] and ].


]
Whilst these terms are often used to mean the same, electrical engineering is sometimes distinguished from ]. Where this distinction is made, electrical engineering is considered to deal with the problems associated with large-scale electrical systems such as ] and ] whereas electronics engineering deals with the study of small-scale electronic systems including ] and the design of ].{{ref|ieeefaq}} For the purposes of this article, electronics engineering is considered to be a sub-discipline of electrical engineering (see <span id="usage_back">]</span>).
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<font size="-3">HARD FUCKINGS TO: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]</font>
After the discovery of electricity in the 17th century, scientists began studying its potential applications, and by the 19th century, innovators like ] and ] began using electricity for ]s and ]. Advances in ] technologies soon followed, and by the middle of the 20th century, early ]s and integrated circuits had been invented. Meanwhile, universities were developing formal programs of study, and today, the field's practitioners, called '''electrical engineers''' (or sometimes electronics engineers), generally hold an ] in their discipline and may be certified by a professional body. Examples of the projects modern electrical engineers may work on include the design of ], the operation of ]s and the design of ].


P.S.: Try one more time and see what happens
== History ==
=== Early developments in electricity ===
] has been a subject of scientific interest since at least the 17th century, but it was not until the 19th century that research into the subject started to intensify. Notable developments in this century include the work of ], who in 1827 quantified the relationship between the ] and ] in a conductor, ], the discoverer of ] in 1831, and ], who in 1873 published a unified ] of electricity and ] in his treatise on ''Electricity and Magnetism''.{{ref|1911BritA}}

] built the world's first large-scale electrical supply network]]
During these years the study of electricity was largely considered to be a subfield of ]. It was not until the late 19th century that ] started to offer ] in electrical engineering. The ] founded the first chair and the first faculty of electrical engineering worldwide in 1882. In 1883 ] and ] introduced the world's first courses of study in electrical engineering and in 1885 the ] founded the first chair of electrical engineering in the ].{{ref|cornell}} The ] subsequently established the first department of electrical engineering in the United States in 1886.{{ref|ryder}}

During this period work in the area increased dramatically. In 1882 ] switched on the world's first large-scale electrical supply network that provided 110 volts ] to fifty-nine customers in lower Manhattan. In 1887 ] filed a number of patents related to a competing form of power distribution known as ]. In the following years a bitter rivalry between Tesla and Edison, known as the "]", took place over the preferred method of distribution.

The efforts of the two did much to further electrical engineering&mdash;Tesla's work on ]s and ]s influenced the field for years to come, while Edison's work on telegraphy and his development of the ] proved lucrative for his company, which ultimately became ]. However, by the end of the 19th century, other key figures in the progress of electrical engineering were beginning to emerge.{{ref|tesla-edison}}

===Emergence of radio and electronics ===
In 1888 ] was the first scientist to transmit and detect radio waves using electrical equipment (the ]), and in 1895 ] made the first wireless radio transmission across 60 m followed by ] who made a transmission across 2.4 km. ] invented the first radio tube, the ], in 1904. Two years later, ] and ] independently developed the amplifier tube, called the ].{{ref|radio}} ] then introduced the ], a crucial enabling technology for ], in 1931.{{ref|television}}

In 1920 ] developed the ] which would eventually lead to the development of the ] in 1946 by ].{{ref|magnetron1}}{{ref|magnetron2}} In 1934 the British military begun to make strides towards ] under the direction of Dr Wimperis culminating in the operation of the first radar station at ] in August 1936.{{ref|radar}}

In 1941 ] presented the ], the world's first fully functional and programmable computer.{{ref|z3}} In 1946 the ] (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) of ] and ] followed, beginning the computing era. The arithmetic performance of these machines allowed engineers to develop completely new technologies and achieve new objectives, including the ] and the ].{{ref|ENIAC}}

The invention of the transistor in 1947 by ], ] and ] opened the door for more compact devices and led to the development of the ] in 1958 by ] and independently in 1959 by ].{{ref|transistor}} In 1968 ] invented the first ] at ] and thus ignited the development of the ]. The first realization of the microprocessor was the ], a 4-bit processor developed in 1971, but only in 1973 did the ], an 8-bit processor, make the building of the first personal computer, the ], possible.{{ref|hoff}}

== Education ==
Electrical engineers typically possess an ] with a major in electrical engineering. The length of study for such a degree is usually three or four years and the completed degree may be designated as a ], ] or ] depending upon the university. The degree generally includes units covering ], ], ] and ]. Initially such topics cover most, if not all, of the sub-disciplines of electrical engineering. Students then choose to specialize in one or more sub-disciplines towards the end of the degree.

Some electrical engineers also choose to pursue a postgraduate degree such as a ]/], a ] in Engineering or an ]. The Master and Engineer's degree may consist of either ], ] or a mixture of the two. The ] consists of a significant research component and is often viewed as the entry point to ]. In the United Kingdom and various other European countries, the ] is often considered an undergraduate degree of slightly longer duration than the ].{{ref|education}}

== Practicing engineers ==
In most countries, a Bachelor's degree in engineering represents the first step towards ] and the degree program itself is certified by a ]. After completing a certified degree program the engineer must satisfy a range of requirements (including work experience requirements) before being certified. Once certified the engineer is designated the title of ] (in the United States and Canada), ] (in the ], ], ], ] and ]), ] (in ]) or ] (in much of the ]).

The advantages of certification vary depending upon location. For example, in the United States and Canada "only a licensed engineer may&hellip; seal engineering work for public and private clients".{{ref|nspe}} This requirement is enforced by state and provincial legislation such as ] Engineers Act.{{ref|qea}} In other countries, such as Australia, no such legislation exists. Practically all certifying bodies maintain a ] that they expect all members to abide by or risk expulsion.{{ref|ethics}} In this way these organizations play an important role in maintaining ethical standards for the profession. Even in jurisdictions where certification has little or no legal bearing on work, engineers are subject to ]. In cases where an engineer's work fails he or she may be subject to the ] and, in extreme cases, the charge of ].{{ref|shuman}} An engineer's work must also comply with numerous other rules and regulations such as ] and legislation pertaining to ].

Professional bodies of note for electrical engineers include the ] (IEEE) and the ] (IEE). The IEEE claims to produce 30 percent of the world's literature in electrical engineering, has over 360,000 members worldwide and holds over 300 conferences anually. {{ref|IEEE}} The IEE publishes 14 journals, has a worldwide membership of 120,000, certifies Chartered Engineers in the United Kingdom and claims to be the largest professional engineering society in Europe. {{ref|IEE1}} {{ref|IEE2}} Obsolescence of technical skills is a serious concern for electrical engineers. Membership and participation in technical societies, regular reviews of periodicals in the field and a habit of continued learning are therefore essential to maintaining proficiency. {{ref|DoL2}}

In countries such as ], ] and the ] electrical engineers make up around 0.25% of the labour force (see <span id="demographics_back">]</span>). Outside of these countries, it is difficult to gauge the demographics of the profession due to less meticulous reporting on labour statistics. However, in terms of electrical engineering graduates per-capita, electrical engineering graduates would probably be most numerous in countries such as ] and ].{{ref|NSF-foreign}}

== Tools and work ==
From the ] to ], electrical engineers are responsible for a wide range of technologies. They design, develop, test and supervise the deployment of electrical systems and electronic devices. For example, they may work on the design of ], the operation of ]s, the ] and ] of ]s, the design of ] or the electrical ] of industrial machinery.{{ref|DoL1}}
] is one of many projects an electrical engineer might work on]]

Fundamental to the discipline are the sciences of ] and ] as these help to obtain both a ] and ] description of how such systems will work. Today most ] work involves the use of ] and it is commonplace to use ] programs when designing electrical systems. Nevertheless, the ability to sketch ideas is still invaluable for quickly communicating with others.

Although most electrical engineers will understand basic ] (that is the interactions of elements such as ], ], ], ] and ] in a circuit), the theories employed by engineers generally depend upon the work they do. For example, ] and ] might be relevant to an engineer working on ] (the design of integrated circuits), but are largely irrelevant to engineers working with macroscopic electrical systems. Even ] may not be relevant to a person designing telecommunication systems that use ] components. Perhaps the most important technical skills for electrical engineers are reflected in university programs, which emphasize ], ] and the ability to understand the ] that relate to electrical engineering.

For most engineers technical work accounts for only a fraction of the work they do. A lot of time is also spent on tasks such as discussing proposals with clients, preparing ]s and determining ].{{ref|trevelyan}} Many senior engineers manage a team of ]s or other engineers and for this reason ] skills are important. Most engineering projects involve some form of documentation and ] skills are therefore very important.

The ]s of electrical engineers are just as varied as the types of work they do. Electrical engineers may be found in the pristine lab environment of a ], the offices of a ] or on site at a ]. During their working life, electrical engineers may find themselves supervising a wide range of individuals including ]s, ]s, ] and other engineers.

== Sub-disciplines ==
Electrical engineering has many sub-disciplines, the most popular of which are listed below. Although there are electrical engineers who focus exclusively on one of these sub-disciplines, many deal with a combination of them. Sometimes certain fields, such as electronics engineering and computer engineering, are considered separate disciplines in their own right.

===Power===
''Main article ]''
]
] deals with the ], ] and ] of ] as well as the design of a range of related devices. These include ]s, ]s, ]s and ]. In many regions of the world, governments maintain an electrical network called a ] that connects a variety of generators together with users of their energy. Users purchase electrical energy from the grid, avoiding the costly exercise of having to generate their own. Power engineers may work on the design and maintenance of the power grid as well as the power systems that connect to it. Such systems are called ''on-grid'' power systems and may supply the grid with additional power, draw power from the grid or do both. Power engineers may also work on systems that do not connect to the grid, called ''off-grid'' power systems, which in some cases are preferable to on-grid systems.

===Control===
''Main article ]''
]
] focuses on the ] of a diverse range of ] and the design of ] that will cause these systems to behave in the desired manner. To implement such controllers electrical engineers may use ], ] and ]. ] has a wide range of applications from the flight and propulsion systems of ] to the ] present in many modern ]. It also plays an important role in ].

Control engineers often utilize ] when designing ]. For example, in an ] with ] the vehicle's ] is continuously monitored and fed back to the system which adjusts the ] ] accordingly. Where there is regular feedback, ] can be used to determine how the system responds to such feedback.

===Electronics===
''Main article ]''
]
] involves the design and testing of ] that use the properties of ] such as ]s, ]s, ]s, ]s and ]s to achieve a particular functionality. The ], which allows the user of a ] to ] out all but a single station, is just one example of such a circuit. Another example (of a pneumatic signal conditioner) is shown in the adjacent photograph.

Prior to the second world war, the subject was commonly known as ''radio engineering'' and basically was restricted to aspects of communications and ], ] and ]. Later, in post war years, as consumer devices began to be developed, the field grew to include modern television, audio systems, ]s and ]. In the mid to late 1950s, the term ''radio engineering'' gradually gave way to the name ''electronics engineering''.

Before the invention of the ] in 1959, electronic circuits were constructed from discrete components that could be manipulated by humans. These discrete circuits consumed much space and ] and were limited in speed although they are still common in some applications. By contrast, ]s packed a large number&mdash;often millions&mdash;of tiny electrical components, mainly ]s, into a small chip around the size of a ]. This allowed for the powerful ]s and other electronic devices we see today.

===Microelectronics===
''Main article ]''
]
] engineering deals with the design of very small electronic components for use in an ] or sometimes for use on their own as a general electronic component. The most common microelectronic components are ] ], although all main electronic components (], ], ]) can be created at a microscopic level. Most components are designed by determining processes to mix silicon with other ] to create a desired ] effect. For this reason microelectronics involves a significant amount of ] and ].

===Signal processing===
''Main article ]''
]
] deals with the analysis and manipulation of ]. Signals can be either ], in which case the signal varies continuously according to the information, or ], in which case the signal varies according to a series of discrete values representing the information. For analog signals, signal processing may involve the ] and ] of audio signals for audio equipment or the ] and ] of signals for ]s. For digital signals, signal processing may involve the ], ] and ] of digital signals.

===Telecommunications===
''Main article ]''
]
] focuses on the ] of ] across a ] such as a ], ] or ]. Transmissions across free space require information to be encoded in a ] in order to shift the information to a ] suitable for transmission, this is known as ]. Popular analog modulation techniques include ] and ]. The choice of modulation affects the cost and performance of a system and these two factors must be balanced carefully by the engineer.

Once the transmission characteristics of a system are determined, telecommunication engineers design the ] and ] needed for such systems. These two are sometimes combined to form a two-way communication device known as a ]. A key consideration in the design of transmitters is their ] as this is closely related to their ]. If the signal strength of a transmitter is insufficient the signal's information will be corrupted by ].

===Instrumentation engineering===
''Main article ]''
]
] deals with the design of devices to measure physical quantities such as ], ] and ]. The design of such instrumentation requires a good understanding of ] that often extends beyond ]. For example, ]s use the ] to measure the speed of oncoming vehicles. Similarly, ]s use the ] to measure the temperature difference between two points.

Often instrumentation is not used by itself, but instead as the ]s of larger electrical systems. For example, a thermocouple might be used to help ensure a furnace's temperature remains constant. For this reason, instrumentation engineering is often viewed as the counterpart of control engineering.

===Computers===
''Main article ]''
]
] deals with the design of ]s and ]s. This may involve the design of new ], the design of ] or the use of computers to control an ]. Computer engineers may also work on a system's ]. However, the design of complex software systems is often the domain of ], which is usually considered a separate discipline. ]s represent a tiny fraction of the devices a computer engineer might work on, as computer-like architectures are now found in a range of devices including ]s and ]s.

== Related disciplines ==
] is an engineering discipline which deals with the convergence of electrical and ] systems. Such combined systems are known as ] systems and have widespread adoption. Examples include ], ] and various subsystems of ]s and ]s.

The term ''mechatronics'' is typically used to refer to ] systems but ] have predicted the emergence of very small electromechanical devices. Already such small devices, known as ] (MEMS), are used in automobiles to tell ]s when to deploy, in ]s to create sharper images and in ]s to create ]s for high-definition printing. In the future it is hoped the devices will help build tiny implantable medical devices and improve ].{{ref|mems}}

] is another related discipline, concerned with the design of ]. This includes fixed equipment such as ]s, ] and ] as well as mobile equipment such as ]s, ]s and ]s.

== See also ==
*]
*] (alphabetical)
*] (thematic)
*]

== References ==
<div style="font-size: 85%">

'''Notes'''
:<cite id="usage">]</cite> - Whether or not electronics engineering is distinguished from electrical engineering must be interpreted from the context in which the term is used. Some have suggested that in places such as the United States the distinction is less common than in places such as the United Kingdom. However both usages can be found throughout the world. For example, the ] (which also includes electronics engineers) is a U.K. based organization but the ] is a U.S. based organization. Conversely the ] names its electrical and electronics engineering department as the "Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering" where as the ] refers to its deparment as the "Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering".

:<cite id="demographics">]</cite> - There are around 366,000 people working as electrical engineers in the ] constituting 0.25% of the labour force (]).{{ref|DoL3}} In ], there are around 24,000 constituting 0.23% of the labour force (]) and in ], there are around 34,600 constituting 0.21% of the labour force (]). Australia and Canada also report that 96% and 89% of their electrical engineers respectively are male.{{ref|AJS}}{{ref|JobFutures.ca}}

'''Citations'''
# {{note|ieeefaq}} {{cite web
| title = What is the difference between electrical and electronics engineering?
| work = FAQs - Studying Electrical Engineering
| url = http://www.ieee.org/organizations/eab/faqs1.htm
| accessdate = February 4
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|1911BritA}} {{Citeencyclopedia
| ency = The Encyclopedia Britannica
| edition = 11
| year = 1911
| article = "Ohm, Georg Simon", "Faraday, Michael" and "Maxwell, James Clerk"
}}
# {{note|cornell}} {{cite web
| title = Welcome to ECE!
| work = Cornell University - School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
| url = http://www.ieee.org/organizations/eab/faqs1.htm
| accessdate = December 29
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|ryder}} {{cite book
| author = Ryder, John and Fink, Donald;
| title = Engineers and Electrons
| publisher = IEEE Press
| year = 1984
| id = ISBN 087942172X
}}
# {{note|tesla-edison}} {{cite web
| title = History
| work = National Fire Protection Association
| url = http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=500&itemID=18020&URL=About%20Us/History
| accessdate = January 19
| accessyear = 2006
}} ''(published 1996 in the NFPA Journal)''
# {{note|radio}} {{cite web
| title = History of Amateur Radio
| work = What is Amateur Radio?
| url = http://www.amateurradio.uni-halle.de/hamradio.en.html
| accessdate = January 18
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|television}} {{cite web
| title = History of TV
| url = http://history.acusd.edu/gen/recording/television1.html
| accessdate = January 18
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|magnetron1}} {{cite web
| title = Albert W. Hull (1880 - 1966)
| work = IEEE History Center
| url = http://www.ieee.org/organizations/history_center/legacies/hull.html
| accessdate = January 22
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|magnetron2}} {{cite web
| title = Who Invented Microwaves?
| url = http://www.gallawa.com/microtech/history.html
| accessdate = January 22
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|radar}} {{cite web
| title = Early Radar History
| work = Peneley Radar Archives
| url = http://www.penleyradararchives.org.uk/history/introduction.htm
| accessdate = January 22
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|z3}} {{cite web
| title = The Z3
| url = http://irb.cs.tu-berlin.de/~zuse/Konrad_Zuse/en/Rechner_Z3.html
| accessdate = January 18
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|ENIAC}} {{cite web
| title = The ENIAC Museum Online
| url = http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~museum/guys.html
| accessdate = January 18
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|transistor}} {{cite web
| title = Electronics Timeline
| work = Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century
| url = http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3956
| accessdate = January 18
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|hoff}} {{cite web
| title = Computing History (1971 - 1975)
| url = http://mbinfo.mbdesign.net/1971-75.htm
| accessdate = January 18
| accessyear = 2006
}}
# {{note|education}} Various including graduate degree requirements at MIT , study guide at UWA , the curriculum at Queen's and Aberdeen's unit tables
# {{note|nspe}} {{cite web
| title = Why Should You Get Licensed?
| work = National Society of Professional Engineers
| url = http://www.nspe.org/lc1-why.asp
| accessdate = July 11
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|qea}} {{cite web
| title = Engineers Act
| work = Quebec Statutes and Regulations (CanLII)
| url = http://www.canlii.org/qc/laws/sta/i-9/20050616/whole.html
| accessdate = July 24
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|ethics}} {{cite web
| title = Codes of Ethics and Conduct
| work = Online Ethics Center
| url = http://onlineethics.org/codes/
| accessdate = July 24
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|shuman}} {{Citenewsauthor
| surname = Shuman
| given = Ellis
| title = Joy turns to tragedy in collapse of Versailles wedding hall
| date = May 27, 2001
| org = Israel Insider
| url = http://www.israelinsider.com/channels/politics/articles/pol_0022.htm
}}
# {{note|IEEE}} {{cite web
| title = About the IEEE
| work = IEEE
| url = http://www.ieee.org/about/
| accessdate = July 11
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|IEE1}} {{cite web
| title = About the IEE
| work = The IEE
| url = http://www.iee.org/TheIEE/about.cfm
| accessdate = July 11
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|IEE2}} {{cite web
| title = Journal and Magazines
| work = The IEE
| url = http://www.iee.org/Publish/Journals/
| accessdate = July 11
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|DoL2}} {{cite web
| title = Electrical and Electronics Engineers, except Computer
| work = Occupational Outlook Handbook
| url = http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos031.htm
| accessdate = July 16
| accessyear = 2005
}} (see ] regarding copyright)
# {{note|NSF-foreign}} {{cite web
| publisher = National Science Foundation
| date = 2004
| url = http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind04/append/c2/at02-33.pdf
| title = Science and Engineering Indicators 2004, Appendix 2-33
| format = PDF
}}
# {{note|DoL1}} {{cite web
| title = Electrical and Electronics Engineers, except Computer
| work = Occupational Outlook Handbook
| url = http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos031.htm
| accessdate = July 16
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|trevelyan}} Trevelyan, James; (2005). ''What Do Engineers Really Do?''. University of Western Australia. (seminar with )
# {{note|mems}} {{cite web
| title = MEMS the world!
| work = IntelliSense Software Corporation
| url = http://www.intellisensesoftware.com/Technology.html
| accessdate = July 17
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|DoL3}} {{cite web
| title = Electrical and Electronics Engineers, except Computer
| work = Occupational Outlook Handbook
| url = http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos031.htm
| accessdate = August 27
| accessyear = 2005
}} and {{cite web
| title = Computer Hardware Engineers
| work = Occupational Outlook Handbook
| url = http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos266.htm
| accessdate = August 27
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|AJS}} {{cite web
| title = Electrical and Electronics Engineers
| work = Australian Careers
| url = http://jobsearch.gov.au/joboutlook/default.aspx?PageId=AscoDesc&AscoCode=2125
| accessdate = August 27
| accessyear = 2005
}}
# {{note|JobFutures.ca}} {{cite web
| title = Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NOC 2133)
| work = Job Futures (National Edition)
| url = http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/2133p1.shtml
| accessdate = August 27
| accessyear = 2005
}}
</div>

== External links ==
{{Wikibooks}}
*
* Learn the nuts and bolts about building electrical circuits, and to build appliances based on electrical circuits
* A virtual museum that illustrates many of the basic electrical engineering and electricity concepts through examples, figures, and interviews.
* This is an excellent resource for anyone that is interested in electrical engineering as a career. Learn what electrical engineers do on a daily basis, where they work, how much they earn, and much more.

{{-}}
{{Technology}}

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Revision as of 01:18, 26 March 2006

THIS ARTICLE OWNED BY THE GNAA
(This page will be offline for the next few hours, sorry. --The management)

HARD FUCKINGS TO: User:Raul654, User:Quintillion, User:W.marsh, User:Fuhghettaboutit, User:pm_shef, User:Hetar, User:DakotaKahn, User:Bucketsofg, User:Golfcam, User:Egil, and YOU!

P.S.: Try one more time and see what happens