Comparator(21)

A comparator is an electronic device or circuit that compares two input voltage levels and produces a digital output indicating which input is higher. Unlike an operational amplifier (op-amp), which is designed for analog signal processing and can amplify small voltage differences, a comparator is designed specifically to switch its output state when the difference between its two input voltages changes sign, effectively converting an analog signal into a digital signal. Comparators are widely used in circuits that require threshold detection, level comparison, or signal conversion from analog to digital.