NOT AND Nand OR NOR Ex-Or Ex-Nor: True False
NOT AND Nand OR NOR Ex-Or Ex-Nor: True False
Logic gates process signals which represent true or false. Normally the positive supply voltage +Vs represents true and 0V represents false. Other terms which are used for the true and false states are shown in the table on the right. It is best to be familiar with them all.
On Off Gates are identified by their function: NOT, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, EX-OR and EX-NOR. Capital letters are normally used to make it clear that the term refers to a logic gate. Note that logic gates are not always required because simple logic functions can be performed with switches or diodes:
Switches in series (AND function) Switches in parallel (OR function) Combining IC outputs with diodes (OR function)
The traditional symbols have distinctive shapes making them easy to recognise so they are widely used in industry and education.
The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) symbols are rectangles with a symbol inside to show the gate function. They are rarely used despite their official status, but you may need to know them for an examination.
Inputs and outputs Gates have two or more inputs, except a NOT gate which has only one input. All gates have only one output. Usually the letters A, B, C and so on are used to label inputs, and Q is used to label the output. On this page the inputs are shown on the left and the output on the right. The inverting circle (o) Some gate symbols have a circle on their output which means that their function includes inverting of the output. It is equivalent to feeding the output through a NOT gate. For example the NAND (Not AND) gate symbol shown on the right is the same as an AND gate symbol but with the addition of an inverting circle on the output.
Truth tables
A truth table is a good way to show the function of a logic gate. It shows the output states for every possible combination of input states. The symbols 0 (false) and 1 (true) are usually used in truth tables. The example truth table on the right shows the inputs and output of an AND gate.
There are summary truth tables below showing the output states for all types of 2-input and 3-input gates. These can be helpful if you are trying to select a suitable gate.
Logic ICs
Logic gates are available on special ICs (chips) which usually contain several gates of the same type, for example the 4001 IC contains four 2input NOR gates. There are several families of logic ICs and they can be split into two groups:
The 4000 and 74HC families are the best for battery powered projects because they will work with a good range of supply voltages and they use very little power. However, if you are using them to design circuits and investigate logic gates please remember that all unused inputs MUST be connected to the power supply (either +Vs or 0V), this applies even if that part of the IC is not being used in the circuit!
AND gate
The output Q is true if input A AND input B are both true: Q = A AND B An AND gate can have two or more inputs, its output is true if all inputs are true. Input A Input B Output Q 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 Traditional symbol IEC symbol Truth Table
OR gate
The output Q is true if input A OR input B is true (or both of them are true): Q = A OR B An OR gate can have two or more inputs, its output is true if at least one input is true. Input A Input B Output Q 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 Traditional symbol IEC symbol Truth Table
Traditional symbol
IEC symbol
Truth Table
Q = A AND NOT B Working out the function of a combination of gates Truth tables can be used to work out the function of a combination of gates.
For example the truth table on the right show the intermediate outputs D and E as well as the final output Q for the system shown below. Inputs Outputs A B C D E Q 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1
Invert (NOT) each input. Change the gate type (OR to AND, or AND to OR) Invert (NOT) the output.
For example an OR gate can be built from NOTed inputs fed into a NAND (AND + NOT) gate.
AND
OR
NOR
Substituting gates in an example logic system The original system has 3 different gates: NOR, AND and OR. This requires three ICs (one for each type of gate). To re-design this system using NAND gates only begin by replacing each gate with its NAND gate equivalent, as shown in the diagram below.
Then simplify the system by deleting adjacent pairs of NOT gates (marked X above). This can be done because the second NOT gate cancels the action of the first. The final system is shown on the right. It has five NAND gates and requires two ICs (with four gates on each IC). This is better than the original system which required three ICs (one for each type of gate). Substituting NAND (or NOR) gates does not always increase the number of gates, but when it does (as in this example) the increase is usually only one or two gates. The real benefit is reducing the number of ICs required by using just one type of gate.