In this article, we will discuss two main types of circuit components namely, active components and passive components, and the difference between active and passive components as well. In electrical and electronics engineering, the circuit components are classified into two major categories namely active and passive. This classification is done based on the power delivery or consumption properties of the component.
According to this property, if a circuit component can deliver power or do power gain in the circuit, it is called an active component or active element. Examples of active elements are batteries, generators, transistors, etc.
Whereas, a circuit component that only consumes electric power and converts to other forms like heat or light is called a passive component or passive element. Examples of passive components include resistors, capacitors, inductors, etc.
Let us get a detailed overview of both active and passive circuit components individually.
What is an Active component?
In electrical and electronics engineering, a circuit component or device that can produce excitation or deliver power to the circuit or produce power gain is called an active component or element.
Active components are essential components in any electrical or electronic circuit, as they provide the necessary excitation required for the working of the circuit.
Examples of active components are batteries, transistors, generators, and many other semiconductor devices.
Properties of Active Components
An active component exhibits the following major electronic properties:
- Active components can deliver power to the circuit in which they are connected.
- Active components can control and regulate the flow of current in the circuit.
- Active components can produce amplification of electric signals.
Applications of Active Components
Active components are considered the source of energy in an electric circuit. Hence, they are used in almost all electrical and electronic circuits. The common applications of active components are given below:
- Active components provide necessary excitation or energy to the circuit.
- Active components are used in amplifiers to amplify electric signals.
- Active elements are used in electronic circuits designed for signal-processing functions.
- Active components are also used in voltage regulators to stabilize the voltage output of a power supply unit.
This discussion highlights the importance of active components in various electrical and electronic circuits and systems. Let us now discuss the basics of passive components.
What is a Passive Component?
In electrical and electronics engineering, a circuit component or element that requires an external source of energy to operate is called a passive component. In other words, a passive component is a device that only consumes electrical energy.
Examples of passive components are resistors, inductors, capacitors, transformers, motors, etc.
The passive components are designed to receive electrical energy and convert it to another form of energy. For example, a resistor converts electrical energy into heat and an electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.
Properties of Passive Components
Passive components exhibit the following main electronic properties:
- Passive elements consume electric power or energy but do not deliver.
- Passive components require an external source of energy to operate.
- Passive components act as load in the electric circuits.
- Passive components usually convert electrical energy into other forms of energy.
Applications of Passive Components
Passive components are the basic building blocks of all electrical and electronic circuits and devices. Some common examples of applications of passive components are given below:
- The resistor is a passive component, and it is used for voltage division and current limiting purposes.
- The inductor is another commonly used passive component. It is used to store electrical energy in a magnetic field, design filter circuits, inductive load matching, etc.
- The capacitor is also a passive component used to store electrical energy, filter, coupling, and decoupling of AC and DC signals, etc.
- The transformer is also a passive component used for voltage regulation in electronic circuits and power systems.
This is all about passive circuit components and their applications in electronics.
Till this section of the article, we have studied about basic theory of active and passive circuit components. Let us now understand the important differences between them.
Difference between Active and Passive Components
The important differences between active and passive components are explained in the following comparison table:
| Parameter |
Active Components |
Passive Components |
| Definition | Active components are the circuit elements that can deliver power to the circuit or produce power gain. | Passive components are the circuit elements or devices that only consume power from the circuit in which they are connected. |
| Energy | Active components can generate energy. | Passive components consume energy. |
| Power gain | Active components can produce power gain in the circuit. | Passive components cannot produce power gain in the circuit. |
| External power | Active components do not require external power to operate. | An external power source is required for the operation of passive components. |
| Current control | Active components can control and regulate the flow of electric current in the circuit. | Passive components cannot regulate and control the flow of current in the circuit. |
| Amplification | Active components can perform signal amplification. | Passive components cannot perform amplification of signals. |
| Role | Active components act as energy donors in a circuit. | Passive components act as energy acceptors in the circuit. |
| Examples | Battery, cell, voltage sources, current sources, generators, transistors, and other semiconductor devices are examples of active components. | Resistors, inductors, capacitors, transformers, motors, speakers, etc. are examples of passive components. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, an active component is a circuit element or device that can supply electric power or do power gain in the circuit. Whereas, a passive component is a circuit element or device that only consumes electrical energy. In this detailed article on the “difference between active and passive components”, I have explained all the significant differences between active components and passive components. Where the most important difference between active and passive components is that the active component acts as the energy supplier, while the passive component acts as the energy consumer.