Sinking and Sourcing?

[ericmar]

Dear all,

I seem to get these 2 terms confuse all the time. I would appreciate if someone could explain this to me clearly or provide me further information for me to refer to so that I do not confuse them anymore.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Eric

 

[electronicdesigner]

Hi,
Take for example you have a Tank and you are filling the tank with water from a well, in this case the well is "sourcing" and the tank is "sinking" .
when you are taking the water from the tank, in that case the tank is now "sourcing and the recipient is "sinking"

 

[A.Anand Srinivasan]

sourcing is when it gives and sinking is when it takes....

 

[cadenceUK]

Sourcing is start .. Sinking is end!

 

[RDRyan]

sourcing is out, and sinking is in.

 

[mkiani]

sinking:give current from load
source:take current to load

 

[arunapai]

Something which I got from Web:

Sinking and sourcing current

Chip outputs are often said to 'sink' or 'source' current. The terms refer to the direction of the current at the chip's output.
If the chip is sinking current it is flowing into the output. This means that a device connected between the positive supply (+Vs) and the chip output will be switched on when the output is low (0V).

If the chip is sourcing current it is flowing out of the output. This means that a device connected between the chip output and the negative supply (0V) will be switched on when the output is high (+Vs).

 

[suru]

just like pushing and pulling..

sourcing means pushing.
sinking means pulling.