Editing Terminal (electronics) (section)

{{short description|Connection point in electronic circuits}}
{{Other uses|Terminal (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect|Pole (electrical circuits)|the poles of switches|Switch#Contact terminology}}
[[File:Electrical Terminal Symbol.svg|thumb|left|upright=0.3|Terminal symbol]]
[[File:Terminal strip.jpg|thumb|A [[terminal strip]], to which wires can be soldered]]
A '''terminal''' is the point at which a [[electrical conductor|conductor]] from a [[electrical component|component]], device or [[electrical network|network]] comes to an end.<ref name="interfacebus">{{cite web |url=http://www.interfacebus.com/Glossary-of-Terms_T.html |title=Definitions of Technical Terms - 'T' to 'Ter' |website=Electronic Engineering Dictionary |last1=Davis |first1=Larry |date=4 January 2012 |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref> ''Terminal'' may also refer to an [[electrical connector]] at this endpoint, acting as the reusable interface to a conductor and creating a point where external [[electronic circuit|circuits]] can be connected.<ref name="zvei">{{cite book |url=https://www.zvei.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Presse_und_Medien/Publikationen/2016/November/Connectors_Technologies-and-Trends_engl/2016-11_Imagebroschuere_Steckverbinder_engl.pdf |title=Connectors - Technologies and Trends |date=August 2016 |publisher=ZVEI - German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association |page=51}}</ref><ref name="eng-dict">{{cite web |title=Terminal definition by Babylon’s free dictionary |url=https://dictionary.babylon-software.com/terminal/ |website=Babylon NG |at=terminal n 2 |last1=Barach |first1=John |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701022059/https://dictionary.babylon-software.com/terminal/ |archive-date=1 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> A terminal may simply be the end of a wire or it may be fitted with a [[Electrical connector|connector]] or [[fastener]].{{citation needed|reason=Does the bare end of a wire really count as a terminal?|date=July 2019}}

In [[network analysis (electrical circuits)|network analysis]], ''terminal'' means a point at which connections can be made to a network in theory and does not necessarily refer to any physical object. In this context, especially in older documents, it is sometimes called a '''pole'''. On circuit diagrams, terminals for external connections are denoted by empty circles.<ref name="symbols">{{cite web |url=https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/analogue_circuits/circuits-symbols-diagrams/wires-switches-connectors.php |title=Circuit Symbols for Wires, Cables, Switches, Connectors
 |website=Electronics Notes |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref> They are distinguished from [[node (circuits)|node]]s or [[Electrical junctions|junctions]] which are entirely internal to the circuit and are denoted by solid circles.<ref name="symbols-handbook">{{cite book |title=Electronics Symbols Handbook |publisher=Cleveland Institute of Electronics |url=https://www.cie-wc.edu/Electronics_Symbols_Handbook_CIE.pdf |access-date=1 July 2019 |page=6}}</ref>

All [[electrochemical cell]]s have two terminals ([[electrode]]s) which are referred to as the [[anode]] and [[cathode]] or positive (+) and negative (–). On many [[dry battery|dry batteries]], the positive terminal (cathode) is a protruding metal cap, and the negative terminal (anode) is a flat metal disc {{crossreference|selfref=no|text=(see [[Battery terminal]])}}. In a [[galvanic cell]] such as a common [[AA battery]], electrons flow from the negative terminal to the positive terminal, while the [[conventional current]] is opposite to this.<ref>{{cite web |title=An introduction to redox equilibria |url=http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/redoxeqia/introduction.html#top |publisher=Chemguide |accessdate=4 July 2019}}</ref>