Intrinsic is an adjective that refers to something that is naturally a part or characteristic of something, an inherent quality. In different contexts, it can take on slightly different meanings.
In the context of industrial control systems and safety, you might be referring to “Intrinsic Safety,” which is a protection technique applied to electrical equipment and wiring that is used in hazardous locations. The main idea of intrinsic safety is to limit the electrical and thermal energy available for ignition so that it’s too low to cause ignition of a specific hazardous atmospheric mixture. It’s a preferred method of protection because it provides a safe and reliable solution while maintaining system integrity.
Intrinsic Safety (IS)
Intrinsic Safety (IS) achieves this by using zener barriers, galvanic isolators, and isolating transformers to ensure that the energy transferred to the hazardous area is always below the ignition energy.
In the context of electronics, “intrinsic” often refers to the properties of semiconductor materials in their pure form, without the addition of any impurities. For instance, in an intrinsic semiconductor, electron-hole pairs are generated by thermal excitation and not due to impurities.
In philosophy or psychology, “intrinsic” might refer to motivations or values that come from within a person, as opposed to “extrinsic” motivations that are driven by external rewards or punishments.