Which component is represented by the symbol for emitting light in standard circuit diagrams?

Which component is represented by the symbol for emitting light in standard circuit diagrams?

• A. Resistor
• B. Capacitor
• C. Transformer
• D. Light Emitting Diode

Answer: (D)

In circuit diagrams, the symbol that includes small arrows pointing away from the device indicates light being emitted. This is the indicator for a light-emitting device, specifically a light-emitting diode. An LED is a diode that emits light when forward biased, so its symbol shows the diode shape plus those outward arrows to represent light. Resistors, capacitors, and transformers have distinct symbols that do not include emission arrows: a resistor is a zig-zag line (or a rectangle in some standards), a capacitor is two parallel plates, and a transformer shows two inductors with a core. None of these depict light emission, so they aren’t represented by the light-emitting symbol.

In circuit diagrams, the symbol that includes small arrows pointing away from the device indicates light being emitted. This is the indicator for a light-emitting device, specifically a light-emitting diode. An LED is a diode that emits light when forward biased, so its symbol shows the diode shape plus those outward arrows to represent light.

Resistors, capacitors, and transformers have distinct symbols that do not include emission arrows: a resistor is a zig-zag line (or a rectangle in some standards), a capacitor is two parallel plates, and a transformer shows two inductors with a core. None of these depict light emission, so they aren’t represented by the light-emitting symbol.