Term of the Moment
AppleTalk
Definition: logic gate
A collection of transistors and resistors that implement Boolean logic operations in a digital circuit. Logic gates have one or two 0 or 1 inputs but only one 0 or 1 output as in the following examples. Transistors make up gates, gates make up circuits, and circuits make up electronic systems. See Boolean logic.
Transistors to Gates to Circuits
This illustration of a half-adder circuit, which adds one bit to another, depicts logic gates as mechanical switches rather than semiconductor devices. However, a transistor is an on/off switch and the primary component in a digital circuit. Patterns of transistors make up gates, and patterns of gates make up circuits.