Comparing Active vs. Passive Electronic Components：What's the difference?

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As long as you are building an electronic device, appliance, or product, it is important to have the fundamental knowledge of the electronic components to be used and how they are categorized. There are two main types of electronic components. These are active and passive components. Both are widely used in modern electronic applications. What are they and what is the difference between them? Well, this is the primary purpose of this article, we are going to have an in-depth discussion on the differences between passive vs active electronic components.  We will compare various areas in which these two types of electronic components differ.   The knowledge of the differences between the two will come in handy when you are designing and building an electronic product. You will be able to choose the right type of component that you think will be perfect for your device. Wondering where to buy either passive or active electronic components? We will also give you insights on the suppliers and distributors that you should choose.

Defining active electronic components

An active electronic component supplies energy to an electric circuit. It has the full power and capability of defining the behavior of electric energy in a circuit. All the active components rely on external power sources to execute the tasks that they are mandated to do. Once they acquire this power, they can then control and manipulate the flow of electrons in the circuit.

There are different types of results that you can get from the manipulation of electrons in active components.  It all depends on the application area. The manipulation can lead to amplification, switching, and even oscillation of electric circuits. These components determine the output signals that are obtained from electric circuits.

An example of an active component is a diode. A typical diode has to be connected to an external power source so that it can operate efficiently in the circuit. Also, we know that diodes tend to manipulate signals so that you get the desired output signal.

Other examples of active components include transistors, SCR, integrated circuits, DC generators, and other types of power sources.

Defining passive electronic components

What are passive electronic components? Well, unlike active components, passive components don’t need to be connected to an external power source to operate. They can just function efficiently within an electric circuit. Passive components are more responsive. They respond according to the electric signal in the circuit. They do so without affecting the existing electric circuit in any way. However, passive components can store and even dissipate the energy that is passed through them. Some components have the filtering capability such that they can filter the signals so that you end up with a quality and clean signal. The impact of the passive component is mainly within the circuit and not beyond.

Examples of passive components include capacitors, resistors, inductors, motors, and transformers, among others.

 From the two definitions above, we can conclude that active components are energy donors while passive components are energy receptors.

Differences between active and passive components

Let’s compare different key areas that separate active vs passive electronic components.

Connection to a power source

This is the main difference between active and passive electronic components. Active components are directly connected to an external power source.  The source may be an energy storage device or a power system that is continuously generating the energy. This direct connection means that active components directly influence the nature of the electric current that is getting to the circuit.

On the other hand, passive electronic components are not connected to external power sources. The only thing that they do is react or respond to electric signals that are introduced into the circuit. The reaction of passive components will depend on the application area or what the device is designed to do.

Dependency on power

 Active components will be relevant in electronic devices only when they are connected to power. Otherwise, they will not be able to function or execute the tasks that they are designed to do.

On the other hand, passive electronic components have minimal dependence on the external electric power source. They can still function smoothly as expected when there is minimal electric power that is connected to the device.

Output

 Since active electronic components are connected to external power sources, they tend to produce electric energy which is always in the form of current and voltage.  This energy is used to perform different tasks depending on the device and application area.

Passive components, don’t produce any output energy. Instead, they usually store this energy in voltage and current forms. This energy will then be drawn from the components and used for different tasks.

Power gain

Active components have a power gain that is always more than 1.  This gain is the main reason why active components are used for amplifying the input current so that you end up with a high power gain.

Passive electronic components have a very minimal power gain. It is less than one. Because of this, passive components cannot be used as amplifiers in various electronic applications.

Relation to Energy

While both passive and active components are used in energy applications, they need to react differently Active components are designed to serve as energy donors while passive electronic components are designed to function as energy recipients. Passive components are positioned within the circuits in readiness to tap the energy that is being supplied.

Impact on electric signals

Active components have a direct impact on the signals. They directly manipulate the signals to achieve a specific purpose. The most common form of manipulation is amplification. These components can raise or lower the frequency of the signals. Switching is another form of manipulation where the components can change the state of the signals from On to Off and vice versa.

Passive electronic components do not manipulate electric signals. Instead, they respond to the signals. Let’s use an example of a capacitor. It does not increase nor reduce the power of the signals. Instead, it only responds by storing the signals.

Physical structures

Generally, there are very minimal distinctions between passive and active components in terms of their physical structures and design. However, you can easily point out the fact that active components tend to be more complex than passive components. The fact that passive components need to be connected to power sources means that several factors have to be considered in terms of their designs and other physical elements.

On the other hand, passive components tend to be simpler than active components.  They have minimal parts and their designs are straightforward. Their simplicity makes them easier to handle.

Flow of current

Being connected to the power source, active components have the full capacity to control the flow of electric current. They can determine the direction that the electric current takes. A perfect example is the diode. Most diodes are used for determining the direction of electric current in circuits.

On the other hand, passive components cannot control the flow of electric current.  They can only respond to the current that is flowing through the electric circuit.

Application areas

The fact these two types of electronic components have different working mechanisms also means that they have different application areas. Common application areas of passive components include amplification, signal processing, signal controllers, digital circuits, oscillators, motors, and many others.

On the other hand, passive components are used in applications such as energy storage, signal filtering, timing, and frequency regulation among others.  

Response to frequency

Active components have the full capacity to be used in high-frequency devices.  This is possible because they are directly connected to the power sources. This enhances their capability to handle a wide range of frequencies. On the other hand, passive components are also capable of handling different frequencies. They can serve in both low-frequency and high-frequency applications. Passive components such as capacitors come in different capacitances to handle different frequencies. 

Demand and market for active and passive electronic components

We have just seen the importance of active and passive components in different application areas.  What is the state of their market? As long as there is a steady growth of technology, there will always be a high demand for electronic components. The market for passive and active components is quite competitive. Different manufacturers and vendors are striving to outdo each other in selling the best components.

The market for active and passive components comprises different players.  Here are major global manufacturers and as well we have small players.  Some other suppliers and distributors facilitate the distribution of electronic components.

As a buyer, it is your responsibility to choose the best brands, whether it is the manufacturer or supplier of electronic components. This way, you can be sure of getting the right passive and active electronic components that will meet the needs of your application.

Which are the largest markets of electronic components? In recent years, the Asia Pacific region has been at the forefront of the electronic component markets. This is mainly because of the high demand for technological products in the region. Massive industrialization in the region is another key factor that puts the region at the pinnacle of the electronic components market.  Countries like China, India, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea, are dominating the market.

North America is still a key player in the electronic components market. It has a vibrant industrial and consumer electronic ecosystem that pushes the demand for electronic components over the roof. The same applies to the European region.

Choosing passive and active electronic components

As we have seen, passive and active electronic components are different from each other.  While both are used in electronic applications, they perform different functions.  Also, both passive and active components are of different types and come in different specifications.

 When it comes to buying electronic components, there are several factors that you should consider.  First, you should define the purpose of the component. What would you like to achieve when you integrate a component into a circuit? Well, this will depend on the function of the device that you are building.

You should also focus on the technical specifications of the components. They should match the performance parameters that you would like to achieve from the electronic device that you are building. These specifications include operating voltage, temperature range, current capacity, and many others.

It will be prudent to consider the cost factor when buying electronic components. The price should match the quality of the components. Inquire from the distributors to find out the cost.

Conclusion

I hope that this guide has given you a deeper understanding of the differences between active and passive electronic components. After knowing the differences, what next? Well, you need to start planning on which component to purchase. Regardless of the type, both are used for power supply, control, and distribution in electric circuits.  From what we have deduced, the primary difference between passive and active electronic components is based on how they control the flow of electric current in a circuit.

Armed with enough information about passive and active electronic components, you can confidently proceed and buy the exact type that you want. But, where can I find such components? The most ideal place is from reputable electronic component distributors. These are business entities that stock both active and passive electronic components.

Take your time to gather all the relevant information about the distributor.  Establish whether they are fully capable of meeting your needs. From there, you can comfortably proceed to make that important purchase.

Rantle East Electronic is one of the most reliable electronic component distributors that you should consider working with. We have been distributing passive and active electronic components for the past 20 years. We consider ourselves the best in this industry.  We ensure that our customers get quality electronic components that meet their product needs.  The fact that we are a global distributor means that you can easily buy from us regardless of your location.