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.

Capacitors store electricity and are used in circuits as temporary batteries. Capacitors are charged by DC current (AC current passes through a capacitor) and that stored charge can later be dissipated into the circuit as needed. Capacitors are often used to maintain power within a system when it is disconnected from its primary power source or to smooth out or filter voltage within a circuit.

Resistance is opposition to the flow of current and is measured in ohms (Ω). An ohmmeter is used to measure the amount of resistance at a certain point in a circuit.

Ohm's law specifies the relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R) in an electrical circuit: V = IR.

Connecting the 4 batteries in series multiplies their voltage while keeping their current the same yielding a 60V 10A configuration. Connecting the 4 batteries in parallel multiplies their current while keeping their voltage the same yieleding a 15V 40A configuration. Using a series-parallel connection, 2 batteries can be connected in series and 2 can be connected in parallel resulting in a 30V 20A configuration.