Classification of Electronic Components
– Passive components cannot supply energy themselves and include resistors, capacitors, inductors, and transformers.
– Active components rely on a source of energy and include transistors, vacuum tubes, and tunnel diodes.
– Electromechanical components use moving parts or electrical connections to carry out electrical operations.
– Most passive components with more than two terminals can be described in terms of two-port parameters.
– Active components with more than two terminals generally lack the principle of reciprocity.
Active Components – Semiconductors
– Transistors are semiconductor devices used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power.
– Diodes, such as rectifiers and diode bridges, conduct electricity easily in one direction.
– Schottky diodes have a lower forward voltage drop and are super fast.
– Zener diodes allow current to flow backwards when a specific voltage is reached.
– Photodiodes pass current in proportion to incident light.
Active Components – Integrated Circuits
– Integrated circuits serve various purposes, including timing, digital to analog conversion, amplification, and logical operations.
– Vacuum tubes are based on current conduction through a vacuum.
– Batteries and fuel cells are power supply sources.
– Photovoltaic devices generate electricity from light.
– Thermoelectric generators generate electricity from temperature gradients.
Passive Components
– Resistors, capacitors, inductors, and transformers are considered passive devices.
– Resistors pass current in proportion to voltage and oppose current flow.
– Variable resistors include rheostats and potentiometers.
– Thermistors exhibit a change in electrical resistance with temperature.
– Varistors pass current when excessive voltage is present.
Passive Components – Capacitors
– Capacitors store and release electrical charge.
– They are used for filtering power supply lines, tuning resonant circuits, and blocking DC voltages while passing AC signals.
– Integrated passive devices are passive components integrated within one package.
– Different types of capacitors are used for specific applications.
– Capacitors have various capacitance values and voltage ratings.
Note: The subtopic “Memristor” and the additional resources section do not fit into any of the comprehensive groups. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_component
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An electronic component is any basic discrete electronic device or physical entity part of an electronic system used to affect electrons or their associated fields. Electronic components are mostly industrial products, available in a singular form and are not to be confused with electrical elements, which are conceptual abstractions representing idealized electronic components and elements. A datasheet for an electronic component is a technical document that provides detailed information about the component's specifications, characteristics, and performance.
Electronic components have a number of electrical terminals or leads. These leads connect to other electrical components, often over wire, to create an electronic circuit with a particular function (for example an amplifier, radio receiver, or oscillator). Basic electronic components may be packaged discretely, as arrays or networks of like components, or integrated inside of packages such as semiconductor integrated circuits, hybrid integrated circuits, or thick film devices. The following list of electronic components focuses on the discrete version of these components, treating such packages as components in their own right.
