Electrical vs. Electronic Instruments

Despite the fact that both electrical and electronic instruments measure electrical quantities like voltage and current, they differ from each other in terms of the built-in features; for example, purely electrical instruments don’t possess any in-built amplifying device to increase the amplitude of the quantity being measured whereas electronic instruments typically incorporate an amplifier. DC voltmeter that is based on moving-coil meter movement is a good example of an electrical instrument.

Electronic instruments often include in their structure some active electron device such as a semiconductor diode or an integrated circuit (IC), etc. This is not true for electrical instruments.

Also read: Digital vs. Analog Instruments

Even though the key distinguishing factor between the two types of instruments is the presence of an electron device in the electronic instruments, both are characterized by movement of electrons, the main difference being that the control of electron movement is more effective in electronic instruments than in electrical instruments.

While electronic instruments are typically more expensive than their electrical counterparts, they offer the following advantages for measurement purposes:

• Given that electronic instruments can amplify the input signal, they possess very high sensitivity, that is, they are capable of measuring extremely small (low-amplitude) signals.
• Because of the high sensitivity of electronic instruments, their input impedance is increased which means less loading effect when performing measurements.
• Electronic instruments can monitor remote signals.
• Electronic instruments have greater speed, that is, faster response and flexibility.

Also read: Null vs. Deflection Type Instruments