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NAND gate

technology Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Computers use tiny parts to make decisions. One special part is the NAND gate.

NAND ANSI Labelled
NAND ANSI Labelled

A NAND gate is a type of logic gate. Logic gates are small parts that control electricity. The name NAND means "NOT AND." This gate has two inputs. It stays on most of the time. It only turns off if all inputs are on. If even one input is off, the output stays on.

NAND IEC
NAND IEC

NAND gates are very important. They have a trait called functional completeness. This means you can use only NAND gates to make any other logic part. You could even build a whole computer processor using only NAND gates!

NAND from NOR
NAND from NOR

Engineers make these gates using transistors. Transistors are tiny electronic switches. In some systems, NAND gates are better than others. They are more efficient in CMOS circuits. CMOS is a way to build electronic parts. This is because of how fast the parts move charge. You can find NAND gates in many small chips. One common chip is the 4011. It has four NAND gates inside it.

4011 Pinout
4011 Pinout
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🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:NAND ANSI Labelled.svg
NAND ANSI Labelled.svg
File:NAND IEC.svg
NAND IEC.svg
File:NAND DIN.svg
NAND DIN.svg
File:4011 Pinout.svg
4011 Pinout.svg
File:NAND from NOR.svg
NAND from NOR.svg
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