{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-08-29T22:57:22+00:00","modifiedTime":"2016-08-29T22:57:22+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:15:35+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Technology","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33512"},"slug":"technology","categoryId":33512},{"name":"Electronics","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33543"},"slug":"electronics","categoryId":33543},{"name":"General Electronics","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33571"},"slug":"general-electronics","categoryId":33571}],"title":"Meet the 1N4148 (or 1N914) Diode","strippedTitle":"meet the 1n4148 (or 1n914) diode","slug":"meet-1n4148-1n914-diode","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"Diodes do a simple but important job: They allow current to flow in just one direction. A special kind of diode — a light-emitting diode, or LED — is often used","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Diodes do a simple but important job: They allow current to flow in just one direction. A special kind of diode — a light-emitting diode, or LED — is often used for the purpose of, well, lighting up. You have to be careful to orient the LED the correct way, or current won't flow at all.\r\n\r\nAnother kind of diode performs the important task of preventing current from flowing the wrong way in your circuit. This type of diode — a 1N4148 (or 1N914) diode — doesn't light up. It just does its job as a one-way valve for current without calling attention to itself.\r\n\r\nPictured here, the 1N4148 diode is a signal diode. A <em>signal diode</em> is designed to handle relatively small currents and voltages. Diodes that can handle large current and voltages are known as <em>power diodes</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_223709\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"514\"]<a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/Signal-Diode.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-223709 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/Signal-Diode.jpg\" alt=\"Signal-Diode\" width=\"514\" height=\"400\" /></a> The 1N4148 diode.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">The black band at one end of the 1N4148 diode indicates the cathode (negative side). Current flows from the anode (positive side) to the cathode, but not the other way. (Some types of diodes have a silver band instead of a black band to indicate the cathode.)</p>\r\nThe 1N914 diode is considered equivalent to the 1N4148 diode.","description":"Diodes do a simple but important job: They allow current to flow in just one direction. A special kind of diode — a light-emitting diode, or LED — is often used for the purpose of, well, lighting up. You have to be careful to orient the LED the correct way, or current won't flow at all.\r\n\r\nAnother kind of diode performs the important task of preventing current from flowing the wrong way in your circuit. This type of diode — a 1N4148 (or 1N914) diode — doesn't light up. It just does its job as a one-way valve for current without calling attention to itself.\r\n\r\nPictured here, the 1N4148 diode is a signal diode. A <em>signal diode</em> is designed to handle relatively small currents and voltages. Diodes that can handle large current and voltages are known as <em>power diodes</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_223709\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"514\"]<a href=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/Signal-Diode.jpg\"><img class=\"wp-image-223709 size-full\" src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/Signal-Diode.jpg\" alt=\"Signal-Diode\" width=\"514\" height=\"400\" /></a> The 1N4148 diode.[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"article-tips remember\">The black band at one end of the 1N4148 diode indicates the cathode (negative side). Current flows from the anode (positive side) to the cathode, but not the other way. (Some types of diodes have a silver band instead of a black band to indicate the cathode.)</p>\r\nThe 1N914 diode is considered equivalent to the 1N4148 diode.","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9082,"name":"Cathleen Shamieh","slug":"cathleen-shamieh","description":" <p><b>Cathleen Shamieh</b> is an electrical engineer and a writer with extensive engineering and consulting experience in the fields of medical electronics, speech processing, and telecommunications. 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Meet the 1N4148 (or 1N914) Diode

By: Cathleen Shamieh and

Updated: 08-29-2016

From The Book: Electronics For Kids For Dummies

Electronics For Kids For Dummies

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Diodes do a simple but important job: They allow current to flow in just one direction. A special kind of diode — a light-emitting diode, or LED — is often used for the purpose of, well, lighting up. You have to be careful to orient the LED the correct way, or current won't flow at all.

Another kind of diode performs the important task of preventing current from flowing the wrong way in your circuit. This type of diode — a 1N4148 (or 1N914) diode — doesn't light up. It just does its job as a one-way valve for current without calling attention to itself.

Pictured here, the 1N4148 diode is a signal diode. A signal diode is designed to handle relatively small currents and voltages. Diodes that can handle large current and voltages are known as power diodes.

Signal-Diode

The 1N4148 diode.

The black band at one end of the 1N4148 diode indicates the cathode (negative side). Current flows from the anode (positive side) to the cathode, but not the other way. (Some types of diodes have a silver band instead of a black band to indicate the cathode.)

The 1N914 diode is considered equivalent to the 1N4148 diode.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

Electronics For Kids For Dummies ,

About the book author:

Cathleen Shamieh is an electrical engineer and a high-tech writer with extensive engineering and consulting experience in the fields of medical electronics, speech processing, and telecommunications.

This article can be found in the category:

General Electronics ,