Connecting the 4 batteries in series multiplies their voltage while keeping their current the same yielding a 36V 10A configuration. Connecting the 4 batteries in parallel multiplies their current while keeping their voltage the same yieleding a 9V 40A configuration. Using a series-parallel connection, 2 batteries can be connected in series and 2 can be connected in parallel resulting in a 18V 20A configuration.

Insulators have valence shells that are more than half full of electrons and, as such, are tightly bound to the nucleus and difficult to move from one atom to another.

Fuses are thin wires that melt when the current in a circuit exceeds a preset amount. They help prevent short circuits from damaging circuit components when an unusually large current is applied to the circuit, either through component failure or spikes in applied voltage.

A semiconductor is a material that has a limited ability to conduct electrical current with conductivity between that of an insulator and that of a conductor. Silicon, a cheap and abundant material, is the most used semiconductor material although other materials are used in the electronics components made from semiconductors. The primary advantages of a semiconductor over a conductor is that the conductivity of a semiconductor can be varied under an external electrical field giving engineers precise control over complex circuits and, unlike conductors like metals, a semiconductor's conductivity increases with increased temperatures.

A diode allows current to pass easily in one direction and blocks current in the other direction. Diodes are commonly used for rectification which is the conversion of alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). Because a diode only allows current flow in one direction, it will pass either the upper or lower half of AC waves (half-wave rectification) creating pulsating DC. Multiple diodes can be connected together to utilize both halves of the AC signal in full-wave rectification.