ACTIVE AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS

In electrical and electronics engineering, the closed path followed by the electric
current is known as electric circuit. Every electric circuit is composed of
many circuit components such as sources of
power, resistors, capacitors, inductors, diode, etc.
Therefore, the circuit components are the basic building blocks of an electrical
or electronic circuit.

Depending upon the power delivering or absorbing ability, the circuit

components can be classified in following two types −

• Active components
• Passive components

The most significant difference between active components and passive

components is that an active component can supply power to an electric circuit,
whereas a passive component cannot deliver power, it can only absorb the
power in the circuit.
What is an Active Component?
In electronic components, Active components are electronic devices that
need an external power source to operate actively. They mainly
manipulate, amplify, switch, or control the flow of electric current or
voltage in a circuit. Active components, like diodes, transistors, integrated
circuits (ICs), and sensors require power to do their job. A circuit is an
interconnection of components. These components are capable of
performing active functions like amplification, rectification, and switching
they are called active components.

OR

Active components are electronic devices that need an external

power source to work. They actively control and manipulate the flow
of electric current in a circuit. These components can amplify, switch,
or generate electrical signals.

OR

An electric circuit element which can supply electric power to the

circuit or power gain in the circuit, is known as an active
element or active component.

Some common examples of active circuit elements are energy

sources (voltage sources or current sources), generators or
alternators, semiconductor devices such as transistors,
photodiodes, etc.

The active elements are the circuit component which are entirely
responsible for the flow of electric current in the circuit.

Characteristics of Active Components

• Active Components require an external power supply to operate.
• Active Components produce energy in form of current or
voltage.
• Active components can power gain in the electric circuit.
 • Active components can control the flow of current.
• Active components receive energy in the forms of thermal
energy, chemical energy, hydraulic energy, and delivers in the
circuit in the form of electrical energy.

Working of Active Components

An active component works as an alternating-current circuit in a device,
which works to increase the active power, voltage or current. An active
component is able to do this because it is powered by a source of electricity
that is separate from the electrical signal.
Working of Active components includes, Active components receive
energy in the forms of thermal energy, chemical energy, hydraulic energy,
and delivers in the circuit in the form of electrical energy. Therefore, a
active components provide electric power or power amplification in an
electric circuit. Some common examples of active circuit components are
diodes, transistors, Integrated Circuits, etc.

Types of Active Components

Active components are mainly divided into three basic active electronic
components which include:
• Diodes
• Transistors
• Integrated Circuits.

Diodes
Diode is a one-way valve for electricity. Diodes allow the current to
pass through one way if it is forward biased (the anode with the positive
terminal and the cathode with the negative one), and it prevents it from
passing when it is reverse biased.
• Diodes consist of semiconductor materials, either silicon or
germanium.
• It is a two terminal semiconductor device, these two terminals
are called the anode and cathode.
• It lets the electricity to flow only in one direction.
 • Most diodes have painted line on one end showing the
direction or flow. The negative side is normally white
• Current flow through diode only when positive voltage is
applied to anode and negative voltage is connected to
cathode
• If these voltages are reversed, then the current will not flow.

Diode

Applications of Diodes
• They act as shields for solar panels.
• They are used to protect loads from voltage spikes.
• They are used in voltage and converting it from AC to DC.
• They are used to allow an unidirectional flow of current in
circuit.
• They differ by its power, and how much current it can handle.
• They act as an electronic check valve and convert alternating
current into direct current (DC).

Transistors
Transistor is the most important invention of the last century, its
invention led to the advancement of electronics in a large and amazing
way. Transistors amplify and switch electronic signals. The transistor
amplifies, connects and disconnects electrical signals (acts as an
electronic switch).
• Transistors are able to amplify the power of a signal
• Bipolar Junction Transistors in which include NPN and PNP
transistors are further classified based on their applications
and characteristics:
 • NPN Transistor: The NPN transistor is commonly used for the
amplification and switching in electronic circuits. It is named
after the arrangement of its layers: N-type collector, P-type
base, and N-type emitter.
• PNP Transistor: The PNP transistor is also used for the
amplification and switching but with the opposite current flow
compared to NPN.
The terminals of the BJT bipolar transistor are:
• B: Base
• C: Collector
• E: Emitter

Transistor

Applications of Transistors
• They are used in amplifiers.
• They are used in digital logic circuits.
• They are used in voltage regulators.
• They are used in Logic Circuits
 • They are used in Temperature Control Systems
• It is used in converters.
• They are used in automatic switches

Integrated Circuits (ICs)

ICs integrate multiple electronic components into a single

package, performing complex functions like microprocessors,
memory storage, and specialized circuitry. An integrated
circuit (IC) is a small semiconductor chip on which millions of
electronic components such as resistors, capacitors and
transistors are fabricated.
• The integrated circuit function is mainly to offer high-

level functions and tasks like amplification, complex

digital calculations i.e. microprocessors, and signal
processing.
• The sole purpose of ICs is to increase the efficiency of

the electronic devices, while reducing their size and

manufacturing cost.
• An IC can function as an amplifier, oscillator, timer,

counter, logic gate, microcontroller, or microprocessor.

An integrated circuit (IC) can consist of thousands or even
millions of:
• Transistors

• Resistors

• Capacitors

• Diodes
 Integrated Circuits

Applications of Integrated Circuits (ICs)

• IC’s are used to that combine multiple electronic components
such as transistors, resistors, capacitors, into a single chip.
• IC’s are used to combines multiple electronic components.
• IC’s are used to reduce component size.
• IC’s are used to reduce power consumption.
Other Active components include voltage sources like batteries ,current
sources, generators, sensors and many other common components.
These components are available as through-hole and components, and
many are available in common packages with standard land patterns

What is a Passive Component?

The circuit element which can only absorb electrical energy and dissipates it in
the form of heat or stores in either magnetic field or electric field is known
as passive circuit component or simply passive component.

Therefore, a passive component cannot provide electric power or power

amplification in an electric circuit. Some common examples of passive circuit
components are resistor, inductor, capacitor and transformer, etc.

Difference between Active and Passive Components

Both active and passive elements are the main parts of an electrical or
electronic circuit. However, they are different from each other in many aspects.
All the noticeable differences between active and passive circuit elements are
enlisted in the following table.

Basis of
Active Component Passive Component
Difference

A circuit component A circuit element which

which can deliver only absorbs the power
power or power gain in and convert it in heat or
Definition an electric circuit for stores
infinite duration of time in electric field or magnetic
is known as active field is known as passive
component. component.

The common examples

of active components
The examples of passive
are energy sources
components are resistor,
Examples (voltage or current
inductor, capacitor and
source), generators,
transformer, etc.
semiconductor devices
like transistors, solar
cells, SCR, etc.

Active components
Role in the The passive components
circuit behave as source of
act as load in the circuit.
power in the circuit.
 Basis of
Active Component Passive Component
Difference

Active components can

Passive components cannot
Power gain provide power gain in
provide power gain.
the electric circuit.

Active components
receive energy in the Passive components
forms such as thermal receive electrical energy
energy, chemical and either convert it in the
Function energy, hydraulic other forms such as heat,
energy, etc. and light, rotation, etc. or store
delivers in the circuit in in the magnetic field or
the form of electrical electric field.
energy.

Active components
The passive components
Control of cause current flow in
current flow cannot control the current
the circuit and control
flow in the circuit.
the flow of current.

The slope of VI The slope of VI

characteristics curve characteristics curve (i.e.
Slope of VI (i.e. ratio of voltage to the ratio of voltage to
graph the current) of an current) of a passive
active element is component is positive at all
negative. the points.

For an active element, The VI curve of the passive

Quadrant of
graph the VI curve lies in the elements lies in the 1st and
2nd and 4th quadrant. 3rd quadrant.

Active components can

deliver as well as
absorb the electrical A passive element can only
Power
power. For example, a absorb electrical power. It
deliver or
absorb battery, during is not capable for deliver
charging absorbs power.
electrical energy and
during discharging
 Basis of
Active Component Passive Component
Difference

delivers electrical
energy.

Some active Passive components do not

components require an require any external power
external power source source to function. The
to function. For passive components such
Need of example, the active as resistor, inductor,
external
power source components like capacitor, etc. do not
to function transistors and SCR require any source of
use electrical energy to electricity to function, they
function, i.e., to control use some other property to
the power in the control the power in the
circuit. circuit.

Active components For passive components,

Amplification
have power gain more the power gain is less than
than unity, so they can unity, hence they cannot
amplify a signal. amplify a signal.