SWITCHES

A mechanical switch is a device that completes or breaks a circuit. The most familiar
use is that of applying power to turn a device on or off. A switch can also permit a
signal to pass from one place to another, prevent its passage, or route a signal to
one of several places.

There are two types of switches. The first is the simple on-off switch, also called a
single pole single throw switch. The second is the single pole double throw switch.

Keep in mind the following two important facts about switches:

■ A closed (or ON) switch has the total circuit current flowing through it. There is no
voltage drop across its terminals.

■ An open (or OFF) switch has no current flowing through it. The full circuit voltage
appears between its terminals.