question Why does static electricity cause damage?

[Lord Vile]

6 minutes ago, Mojo-Jojo said:

A "normal" transistor operates on base current, although I'll agree that the base-emitter voltage needs to be at least ~0.7 V before they start working. Of course, if you give them too many volts, they'll break down just as easily. But because there's conductivity from the base to the emitter path, this voltage is reached less easily.

 

Yep, I did.

 

With unitless amplifications and gains and a singular unit like Voltage, then usually I would agree with this statement. If you're working with multiple units, like actual resistances and currents, it's really good form to write them out explicitly. No unit implies a gain or factor.

I get his point saying V = 2V looks a bit wrong at the end of an equation of you think about it that way but in general that’s not the way you’re looking at it.
 

Generally with multiple resistances and currents I break it down as far as I can before launching them into an equation or if I can get away with it just put them all

into standard form and be happy with that. To be fair it’s electronics not Quantum theory or even thermodynamics gets messy when you’re at degree level.

[Mojo-Jojo]

1 hour ago, Lord Vile said:

I get his point saying V = 2V looks a bit wrong at the end of an equation of you think about it that way but in general that’s not the way you’re looking at it.
 

Generally with multiple resistances and currents I break it down as far as I can before launching them into an equation or if I can get away with it just put them all

into standard form and be happy with that. To be fair it’s electronics not Quantum theory or even thermodynamics gets messy when you’re at degree level.

Ah, I see. In that sense I usually do the same, first write down all the parameters and their units, but in the equations I leave the units out. The values are enough to look back and recognize what the units are.

[bigmug]

U is the shorthand for the quantity "voltage", which has the unit V (volt), just like R is the shorthand for the quantity "resistance", which has the unit Ω (ohm). It's practical to have different symbols for the quantity and the unit.

 

[mr moose]

34 minutes ago, bigmug said:

U is the shorthand for the quantity "voltage", which has the unit V (volt), just like R is the shorthand for the quantity "resistance", which has the unit Ω (ohm). It's practical to have different symbols for the quantity and the unit.

 

I've never heard of U being used as the symbol for voltage.  And now it is explained it makes perfect sense.  I am surprised this isn't used more universally. I have attained several qualifications in EE (1992) in Australia and this was never taught.

 

I guess as it's really the only unit that gets it's parameter name from its unit of measure then it really is the only confusing one. 

 

EDIT: the reason I was never taught it is because V is the SI symbol, and in Australia we only teach strictly to standards (even when convention is more logical).