I am attaching the following image of a flip-flop circuit.
I find myself constantly trying to visualise what is occurring at the exact moment the circuit is closed, and the current starts (electron flow: negative to positive)
I really don't want a super complicated explanation at this stage of my learning, I'm just trying to understand how the current is moving.
I visualise current flow as like a 'conveyor belt', in the sense that electrons at every point in the circuit start moving at the same time.
My question is, what occurs at the BJT's? Where do the electrons go first?
From emitter to base like here? ->
Or does it somehow move from emitter to collector ->
Although I don't really see how this circuit gets started, since the NPN transistors would prohibit current from flowing from emitter to collector (with seemingly no voltage applied to the base)
I just keep getting stuck on how electrons start to move through circuits when first 'fired up' (closed).
Any help for this noob would be appreciated.
Best Answer
Just because watching electron flow is generally more difficult doesn't mean you can't do it that way. I started that way, but switched over after I found out it was accepted practice and it did not cause us to make errors.
Since you specifically want see it this way, let's take a look.
Not only does an excess of electrons flow from battery - into the emitters, but another excess of electrons at the collectors flow out through the resistors and LED's into the electron-deficient + end of the battery. The result is a 9V potential across the transistors. Electrons also flow out of the bases through their resistors toward the battery. Now there is a potential across the Emitter Base junctions, as well. You can probably figure out what happens next.