10 MINUTE

SIMPLIFIED FOR BEGINNERS

DIGITAL COURSE

There are 5 basic elements Logic elements: And, Or, Not, Nand and Nor.

There is a short Summary and Test at the end
This is how they operate.... The lamp indicates the output.

Close both Sw1 and Sw2 to light lamp

And Explanatory cct An And element is called an AND Gate.
InputsAnd gateOutputs
Close Sw1 or Sw2 to light lamp Or explanatory cct An Or element is called an OR Gate.
InputsOr Gate Outputs
Closing Sw1 does NOT light the lamp
IE: close Sw1 to turn the lamp off
Not Explantory cct A Not function is called an INVERTER.

Not Gatecall the small circle a Knot to remember it. 

How And, Or and Not Gates work
no voltage
at inputs
And gate no voltage
at outputs

AND Gate

voltage at
either input
And gate no voltage
out

voltage at
both inputs
And gate voltage
out

voltage at lower input Or Gate voltage
out

OR Gate

voltage at upper input Or Gate voltage
out

voltage at both gates Or Gate voltage
out

no voltage
here
Not Gate voltage
out

INVERTER

voltage
here
Not Gate no voltage
out

The 2 logic numbers
  • 0 = no voltage
  • 1 = voltage

The function of the three gates can be expressed in logic numbers

0
0
And gate 0
0
1
And gate 0
1
0
And gate 0
1
1
And gate 1
0
0
Or Gate 0
1
0
Or Gate 1
0
1
Or Gate 1
1
1
Or Gate 1
0 Not Gate 1
1 Not Gate 0

The numbers 0 and 1 are called logic values. Each gate can have 2 possible values. TRUE for logic level 1 and FALSE for logic level 0. THUS we can make a TRUTH table for each of the gates.
 

Truth Table

Translates to

Truth Table

Translates to

AND Gate

Inputs

Output

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

0

1

1

1

Inputs

Outputs

1

1

1

any other
input

0

OR Gate

Inputs

Output

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

1

Inputs

Outputs

0

0

0

any other
input

1

 

Truth Table

Translates to

NOT Gate

Input

Output

0

1

1

0

Cannot be simplified further!

Two further gates are:

no voltage
at inputs
And gate voltage
at outputs

NAND Gate

voltage at
either input
And gate voltage
out

voltage at
both inputs
And gate no voltage
out

no voltage
at inputs
Or Gate voltage
out

NOR Gate

voltage at either input Or Gate no voltage
out

voltage at both gates Or Gate no voltage
out

0
0

And gate

1

0
1

And gate

1

1
0

And gate

1

1
1

And gate

0

0
0

Or Gate

1

0
1

Or Gate

1

1
0

Or Gate

1

1
1

Or Gate

0

 

Truth Table

Translates to

Truth Table

Translates to

Nand Gate

Inputs

Output

0

0

1

0

1

1

1

0

1

1

1

0

Inputs

Outputs

1

1

0

any other
input

1

Nor Gate

Inputs

Output

0

0

1

0

1

0

1

0

0

1

1

0

Inputs

Outputs

0

0

1

any other
input

0

SUMMARY

For an AND gate:

A voltage at one input will have no effect but a voltage at both inputs will change the state of the output.

For an OR gate:

A voltage at one input will change the output and the other input will have no effect.

For an INVERTER:

The output is of opposite logic level to the input.

For A NAND gate:

A voltage on one input will have no effect but a voltage at both inputs will change the state of the output.

For a NOR gate;

A voltage at either input will change the output.


TEST

Answer these questions:

  1. Name the 4 commonly used types of gates:

  2. What is the common name for a NOT gate?

  3. What are the two TRUTH values?

  4. Look at the four TRUTH tables to answer these...

    A: With one gate of an AND GATE at logic 1 will the other gate alter the output?
    B: With one gate of an OR GATE at logic 1 will the other gate alter the output?
    C: With one gate or a NAND GATE at logic level 1 will the other gate alter the output?
    D: With one gate of a NOR GATE at logic level 1 will the other gate alter the output?


Basic Theory

Kits & Projects

Main Menu