Definition

1. Noun:
   • A physical platform for electronic components: A circuit board is a flat, rigid piece of insulating material (like fiberglass) on which a pattern of conductive pathways (circuits) is printed or etched. Electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, and integrated circuits are mounted and soldered onto it to create a functional electronic assembly.
   • The main electronic foundation in a device: It serves as the primary structure for interconnecting electronic components in devices like computers, televisions, and appliances.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The technician carefully inspected the circuit board for any damaged traces.
  • A modern smartphone contains several densely packed circuit boards.
  • The computer's capabilities were expanded by adding a new graphics circuit board.

Advanced Usage

• "Printed circuit board (PCB)": This is the full technical term for a circuit board, emphasizing the method of creating the conductive pathways.
  • The design software is used to layout the printed circuit board before manufacturing.

Variants and Related Words

• Motherboard / Mainboard (n): The primary circuit board in a computer, which houses the central processing unit (CPU) and provides connectors for other boards.
  • The CPU and RAM modules are installed directly onto the motherboard.
• Expansion card / Add-in card (n): A smaller circuit board designed to be inserted into a slot on a motherboard to add specific functionality.
  • He installed a new sound card, which is a type of expansion card, to improve audio quality.

Synonyms

• Board: A common informal shortening (e.g., "the main board").
• PCB: An acronym for Printed Circuit Board.
• Card: Often used for smaller, removable circuit boards (e.g., a graphics card).

Related Phrases

• Populate a board: The process of soldering all the electronic components onto a circuit board.
  • The factory robots can populate a board in a few minutes.
• Bare board: A circuit board that has the conductive pathways but no components attached yet.
  • The bare boards are shipped to the assembly plant.

Noun

1. a printed circuit that can be inserted into expansion slots in a computer to increase the computer's capabilities