"Active"with"Passive"These two terms are commonly used in the field of electronic and electrical engineering to describe the properties of electronic components or circuits.
Active
Active components are those that provide energy or enhance the signal. They are capable of controlling current or voltage and can provide gain (i.e., signal amplification). Active components require an external power source to operate. Common active components include transistors, operational amplifiers (OP-amps), integrated circuits (ICS), and more.
Features of Active Components:
1.Ability to amplify signals.
2.An external power supply is required to operate.
3.It can control the flow direction of the current.
Passive
Passive components are those that do not provide energy gain and do not require an external power source to operate. They are mainly used to regulate and limit current and voltage, but not to amplify signals. Common passive components include resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers, etc.
Features of passive components:
1.The signal cannot be amplified.
2.No external power supply is required to operate.
3.It is used for filtering, energy storage, or limiting current and voltage.
Overall, the terms active and passive help us distinguish whether an electronic component or circuit is capable of providing energy gain or requires an external power source to operate. This distinction is important when designing circuits and understanding how electronic systems work.