| Bit | - | An electroplated copper tip which melts the solder and forms the joint. |
| De-soldering | - | Removal of solder from the joint, to break the electrical connection, or to replace a faulty component. Also known as rework. |
| Flux | - | An aggressive chemical, usually contained in the solder wire, which will clean the areas about to be jointed. |
| Pad | - | A conductive area on a PCB onto which a component leg is soldered. |
| PCB | - | Printed Circuit Board. A fibre glass board coated with copper onto which an electronic circuit is chemically etched. |
| Solder | - | An alloy of tin which is used as a filler metal in soldering. Other components include, lead, copper and silver |
| Soldering | - | The jointing of two metal surfaces below their melting point, using a filler metal. Used extensively for making electrical connections. |
| Static Safe | - | Manufactured from materials which will not create or hold a charge of static electricity. Vital when dealing with electronic components which can be damaged by such a charge. |
| Surface Mount | - | A connection method where the component legs lay flat onto a PCB pad for soldering. |
| Through Hole | - | A connection method where the component leg is placed into a hole in the PCB for soldering. |
| Tinning | - | To cover the surfaces to be jointed with solder before jointing, to maximise the strength of the completed joint |
| Wattage | - | The amount of heat energy provided by the soldering iron. Physically larger components need higher wattages. |
| Wet | - | The uniform flow of solder across a surface. |