electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...

, a norator is a theoretical

linear Linearity is the property of a mathematical relationship (''function'') that can be graphically represented as a straight line. Linearity is closely related to '' proportionality''. Examples in physics include rectilinear motion, the linear r ...

time-invariant In control theory, a time-invariant (TIV) system has a time-dependent system function that is not a direct function of time. Such systems are regarded as a class of systems in the field of system analysis. The time-dependent system function is ...

one-port In electrical circuit theory, a port is a pair of terminals connecting an electrical network or circuit to an external circuit, as a point of entry or exit for electrical energy. A port consists of two nodes (terminals) connected to an outside ...

which can have an arbitrary

current Currents, Current or The Current may refer to: Science and technology * Current (fluid), the flow of a liquid or a gas ** Air current, a flow of air ** Ocean current, a current in the ocean *** Rip current, a kind of water current ** Current (stre ...

and

voltage Voltage, also known as electric pressure, electric tension, or (electric) potential difference, is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a static electric field, it corresponds to the work needed per unit of charge to m ...

between its terminals. A norator represents a controlled voltage or

current source A current source is an electronic circuit that delivers or absorbs an electric current which is independent of the voltage across it. A current source is the dual of a voltage source. The term ''current sink'' is sometimes used for sources f ...

with infinite gain. {{cite book , author=Verhoeven C J M van Staveren A Monna G L E Kouwenhoven M H L & Yildiz E , title=Structured electronic design: negative feedback amplifiers , year= 2003 , publisher=Kluwer Academic , location=Boston/Dordrecht/London , isbn=1-4020-7590-1 , pages=§2.2.1.1 pp. 30–32 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p8wDptzCMrUC&pg=PA24 Inserting a norator in a circuit schematic provides whatever current and voltage the outside circuit demands, in particular, the demands of

Kirchhoff's circuit laws Kirchhoff's circuit laws are two equalities that deal with the current and potential difference (commonly known as voltage) in the lumped element model of electrical circuits. They were first described in 1845 by German physicist Gustav Kirchhof ...

. For example, the output of an ideal

opamp An operational amplifier (often op amp or opamp) is a DC-coupled high- gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output. In this configuration, an op amp produces an output potential (relative to ...

behaves as a norator, producing nonzero output voltage and current that meet circuit requirements despite a zero input. A norator is often paired with a nullator to form a

nullor A nullor is a theoretical two-port network consisting of a nullator at its input and a norator at its output.The name "nullor" was introduced in Carlin. H. J . "Singular network elements", Tech. Doc. Rept. RADC-TDR-63-511, Polytechnic Inst. of ...

. Two trivial cases are worth noting: A nullator in parallel with a norator is equivalent to a short (zero voltage any current) and a nullator in series with a norator is an open circuit (zero current, any voltage).

References

External links

Norator article from Analog Insydes reference
Electrical components Control theory Signal processing Analog circuits Electronic design