This book focuses on electricity and electronics as they are used in the modern world of measurement and control. The author explains and provides procedures to make safe and successful measurements of electrical quantities. The book gives definitions for measurement vocabulary, along with an understanding of digital and analog meters, ridges, power supplies, solid state circuitry, oscilloscopes, and analog to digital conversions. This book is about behavior, not design, and thus lends itself to an easy-to-understand format. Where possible, applications are used to illustrate the topics being explained.
The student-centered text uses a minimum of mathematics and where algebraic concepts are utilized there is sufficient explanation of the operation, so the solution may be seen without actually performing the mathematical operations. This text has been developed from course materials successfully used by the author in both a college setting and when presented as short course study classes by ISA. These materials have been successful because of the insistence on practicality and solicitation of student suggestions for improvements.
Thompson has an extensive background as a technician, technical trainer, and course developer in electronics, measurement/control and computer networking. A 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, his military specialty included instruction in electronic encryption equipment. His industrial experience includes positions as technician, test engineer, and test engineering supervisor for numerous companies. He recently retired as Department Chair for Software Engineering Technology at Texas State Technical College, and now runs his own consulting business. He has served as an adjunct instructor for ISA for more than 20 years. He has a B.A.A.S. from Tarleton State University and is the author of several books including ISA's Industrial Data Communications.
For more information about the book, visit www.isa.org/basicelectricity or call (919) 549-8411. Editorial review copies are also available by contacting ISA directly.
