What is an ADC and how does it work?

An ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) converts continuous analog voltage to discrete digital values. Key parameters: Resolution (number of bits, e.g., 10-bit = 1024 levels), Sampling rate (conversions per second), Reference voltage (defines input range), and INL/DNL (linearity errors). Types include: Successive Approximation (SAR, balanced speed/accuracy), Flash (fastest, parallel comparators), Sigma-Delta (high resolution, slow), and Pipeline (high-speed applications). ADCs enable microcontrollers to interface with analog sensors like temperature, pressure, and light sensors.