Final answer:
An optocoupler is a component that combines an LED and photodiode to provide electrical isolation between two circuits, utilizing the photoelectric effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
An optocoupler combines a LED (as a sensor) and a photodiode. The advantage of using an optocoupler is the electrical isolation of the two circuits. This means that optocouplers are used to transmit signals between two parts of a circuit while keeping those parts electrically isolated from each other, a principle which relies on the photoelectric effect where light can carry energy to produce a current.