ACTIVE & PASSIVE

ELEMENTS

Submitted to: Submitted by:

 Electric circuit has many elements like resistor,
capacitor, inductor, battery etc. Circuit analysis is
the process by which voltage or current is
measured across the element. In a complete circuit
there are two types of elements found active
elements and passive elements.
 Circuit Elements

Active Elements
Independent power sources
Dependent power sources
Passive Elements
Resistors
Capacitors
Inductors
 Active Elements
Elements which control the flow of electric energy
are known as active elements.
Batteries, generators, operational amplifiers, etc are
active elements.
 An ideal voltage source is
that element which supply
voltage between two
terminals to maintain
current through the
circuit. Generators,
batteries are the ideal
voltage sources in circuits.
In figure two dc voltage
sources is shown. Figure 1
(a) shows the symbol of
time varying voltage
source and figure 1(b)
shows continuous dc
voltage source.
 An ideal independent
current source is also an
active element which
supply a specified
current to a circuit.
Figure 2 shows the
independent current
source symbol where
arrow sign indicates the
direction of flowing
current i.
 Dependent Power Sources
Voltage controlled voltage source
(VCVS)
Current controlled voltage source
(CCVS)

Voltage controlled current source

(VCCS)
Current controlled current source
(CCCS)
 Example :

In above figure a circuit diagram on the right hand

side a current controlled voltage source is shown.
Here the voltage is 5i depends on current i through
element C.
The value of dependent voltage source is in 5i Volt
not in 5i Ampere. Because it is a voltage source.
Voltage source has polarities (+ -) symbols. But
current source contains arrow indicating the direction
of current. An ideal dependent or independent
voltage source produces any current requires to
ensure that the terminal voltage is as stated. On the
other hand an ideal current source produces the
necessary voltage to ensure the stated current flow.
In this way an ideal source could in theory supply an
infinite amount of energy.
 Passive elements
Elements which dissipate or store the electric
energy are passive elements.
Resistance
 Resistors
Circuit symbol: Voltage-current
relation (Ohms Law):

v( t ) = R i( t )

R is the resistance
Units are ohms ()
 Capacitors
Capacitors store energy in the form of an electric field
Typically constructed of two conductive materials separated by a
non-conductive (dielectric) material
 Capacitors
Circuit symbol: Voltage-current
relation:

dv( t )
i( t ) = C
Capacitors can dtstore
energy
C is the capacitance
Units are Farads (F)

1 2
Wc = Cv
2
 Inductors

Inductors store
energy in the form
of a magnetic field
Often constructed
by coiling a
conductive wire
around a ferrite
core
 Inductors
Circuit symbol: Voltage-current
relation:

di( t )
v( t ) = L
Inductors can dt store
energy

L is the inductance 1 2
Units are Henries (H) WL = Li
2
 Summary
There are active power generating circuit
elements.
Two types of independent sources:
Voltage and current sources.
Four types of dependent sources:
VCVS, CCVS, VCCS, and CCCS.
There are passive power dissipating or power
storage circuit elements.
Three types of passive components that will be used
frequently in the course:
Resistors, Capacitors, and Inductors.