What role do thermistors play in electronic circuits?

Thermistors are temperature-sensitive resistors that exhibit a change in resistance with a change in temperature. Their primary function in electronic circuits is to measure and control temperature. By monitoring the resistance in response to temperature variations, thermistors can provide accurate temperature readings. This allows them to be used in various applications, such as temperature sensing in appliances, automotive systems, and environmental monitoring.

In addition to measuring temperature, thermistors are often used in control systems where maintaining a specific temperature is crucial. For instance, they may be part of a feedback loop that adjusts heating or cooling systems to ensure optimal functioning and efficiency.

While other choices touch on various functions in electronics, they do not accurately reflect the primary role of thermistors. Conductive materials are typically passive elements like wires or traces, sound conversion pertains to components like speakers or buzzers, and noise filtering is usually accomplished by capacitors, resistors, or dedicated filtering circuits. Thus, the role of thermistors is singularly focused on temperature measurement and control.