Definition of active and passive components :
Active component: The active component is a device which can amplify the output signal of an electronic circuit with more power in it than the input signal.
Passive component: The passive component is a device which stores or maintains energy in the form of voltage or current are known as passive components.
The main key difference between Active and passive components is that active component is those who deliver or produce energy or power in the form of voltage or current while passive components are those who utilize or store energy in the form of voltage or current.
Difference between active and passive components :
- Active components are energy donor and passive components are energy acceptor.
- The active components act as generators, on the other hand, passive components acts as attenuators.
- The active device injects power to the circuit, whereas passive devices are incapable of supplying any energy.
- The active device is capable of providing gain while passive devices are incapable of providing power gain.
- The active component requires an external source for the operations, Passive components does not require any external source for the operations.
- Active device can control the current flow within the circuit whereas passive device can not control it.
- Active components have unidirectional function while passive components have a bidirectional function.
- Active components are widely used in personal computers while passive components are widely used in MP3 player, washing machine, etc.
- Active components normally non-linear whereas passive components fall under linear category mostly.
- Active components include components like diodes, transistor, IC, battery, etc while passive component includes a resistor, capacitors, inductors, transformers, conductors, etc.
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