science

IEC 62700

IEC 62700 is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IEC 62700 rather than just read about it. In short: IEC Technical Specification 62700: DC Power supply for notebook computer is an IEC specification of a common standard for external laptop computer AC adapters. Laptops and AC adapters following this standard will have interchangeable power supplies, which will enable easy reuse of used power supplies (thereby reducing electronic waste) and make buying a new compatible power supply for a laptop simpler.

Key takeaways

IEC 62700 belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IEC 62700 to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IEC 62700 from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

IEC Technical Specification 62700: DC Power supply for notebook computer is an IEC specification of a common standard for external laptop computer AC adapters. Laptops and AC adapters following this standard will have interchangeable power supplies, which will enable easy reuse of used power supplies (thereby reducing electronic waste) and make buying a new compatible power supply for a laptop simpler. The specification was published on 6 February 2014.

Alternatives Despite being an industry open organization with open participation, the standard has been criticized by some for not being openly available for review. Some alternatives include:

IEEE has a proposed standard Universal Power Adapter for Mobile Devices for laptops and other devices. The USB Promoters Group's USB Power Delivery ("PD") specification supports up to 240 W, and is intended to be able to power laptops. The EmPower adapter was intended for charging laptops on passenger aircraft.

See also Universal charger USB Power Delivery Rev. 3.1 - includes Standard Power Range (SPR) mode with up to 100 W of power (20 V @ 4 A) and Extended Power Range (EPR) mode with up to 240 W of power (48 V @ 5 A) Common external power supply - EN 62684 / IEC 62684, a widely adopted 2010 European specification standardizing smartphone power supplies on the USB Battery charging specification and USB connectors.

References

External links IEC/TS 62700 ed1.0 - DC power supply for notebook computers at the IEC Webstore IEC working groups for IEC 62700: Project Maintenance "IEC 62700" at International Electrotechnical Commission

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IEC 62700

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IEC 62700 claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IEC 62700 before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IEC 62700 ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IEC 62700

In research: IEC 62700 appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IEC 62700 in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IEC 62700 is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Electronics and the environment, IEC standards, Power supplies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IEC 62700 outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IEC 62700 in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IEC 62700 means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IEC 62700 out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IEC 62700 in simple terms?

Why does IEC 62700 matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IEC 62700?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IEC 62700.