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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 as active components
In this article, we will learn about the role of active components in Electrical
Circuits, their properties, types, working, advantages, disadvantages, and
applications of active components.
Table of Content
 Active Components in Electrical Circuits
 Properties of Active Components
 Working of Active Components
 Types of Active Components
 Comparison between Active and Passive Electronic Components
 Applications of Active Components
 Advantages and Disadvantages of Active Components

Active Components in Electrical Circuits

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.
Active components require an external source of power to operate in a circuit. An
active component is an electronic component that supplies energy to a circuit.
These components supply electrical energy to the circuit or provide power gain in
the circuit. Active components, can amplify, can carry energy in one way or
another, e.g. Integrated Circuit, battery, Diode etc. Active components make use
of an external power source to add power to a system. They use one electrical
signal to control another and are required for the circuit to be considered
“electronic” Technically, we don’t define circuits without active components as
“electronics”. Active components are useful because they often enable a small
amount of electricity to control a larger quantity.

Properties 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.

Comparison between Active and Passive Electronic

Components
 Active Components Passive Components

Active Components require an external Passive Components do not require

power supply to operate. external power supply to operate

Active Components produce energy in Passive Components store energy in

form of current or voltage. form of current or voltage

Active components receive energy in Active components receive energy in

the forms of thermal energy, chemical the forms of thermal energy, chemical
energy, hydraulic energy, and delivers energy, hydraulic energy, and delivers
in the circuit in the form of electrical in the circuit in the form of electrical
energy. energy.

Examples of Active Components are Examples of Passive Components are

diodes, transistors and integrated resistor, inductor, capacitor and
circuits . transformers.

Applications of Active Components

Active electronic components are vital for various applications:
 They are used in consumer electronics
 They are used in military
 They are used in space technologies
 They are used in mobile devices
 They are used in smart cities
 They are used in automobiles

Advantages and Disadvantages of Active

Components
There are some list of Advantages and Disadvantages of Active Components
given below :

Advantages of Active Components

 Active components actively control the flow of electric current in a circuit.

 Active components manipulate the flow of electric current in a circuit.
 Active components can communicate over longer distance.
 Active components can amplify the signal in the circuit
 Active components provide more functionality.
 We have more control on active components.

Disadvantages of Active Components

 They need extra power supply needed from outside.

 They are available at high cost.
 They are Large and Heavy
 They offer limited Lifetime
 These components are complex in design.
 Sometimes they have response issues.

Conclusion
In this article we have learnt about Active components, these can easily handle
electric current in the electrical circuit. They can receive energy in the forms of
thermal energy, chemical energy, hydraulic energy, and delivers in the circuit in
the form of electrical energy. We have seen the properties of active components
and different types of active components and we have the applications and
advantages and disadvantages of passive components. In Electrical circuits,
active components play an important role in controlling and amplifying the power
in the electrical circuits.

FAQs on Active Components

1. What are the classification of active components?

The components which can control the flow of current in any

circuit are called active components. Diodes, Transistors,
Integrated Circuits, batteries etc. are classified into active
components.

2. What are the types of electronic components ?

Electronic components are mainly classified into two types:

 Passive components
 Active components

3. What are the characteristics of active components ?

The characteristics of active components include:

 They can control the electric current flowing through them.
 They depend on the external voltage or current to work.
 They amplify the power of an electrical signal

4. What are the different types of diodes?

There are various types of diodes some of the important ones are,
 P-N Junction Diode
 Zener Diode
 Light Emitting Diode (LED)
 Photodiode, etc.

5. Define the elements that are present in ICs?

Diodes, resistors, transistors, capacitors, and conducting pathways

are all parts of an IC. They are also connected by conducting
pathways.