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  • What is passive component ?

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    What is passive component ?

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    A passive component in electronics refers to an electronic component that does not require any form of electrical power to operate, other than the signal it is designed to manipulate. Unlike active components, such as transistors and integrated circuits that can amplify or generate electrical signals, passive components do not introduce any gain into a circuit.

    Here are a few key types of passive components:

    1. Resistors: These components oppose the flow of electric current, resulting in a drop in voltage across the component. They are used to control current and voltage levels in circuits.

    2. Capacitors: These store electrical energy temporarily and release it when needed. Capacitors are commonly used in filtering applications to smooth out voltage fluctuations and in timing applications to create delays.

    3. Inductors: Inductors store energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through them. They are often used in filtering and tuning circuits, where they help to block or filter out specific frequencies.

    4. Transformers: These are used to transform voltages from one level to another through electromagnetic induction. They can increase (step up) or decrease (step down) voltage levels without changing the frequency.

    5. Diodes (in a simple rectifying capacity): While technically considered semiconductor devices, when used purely for directing current flow in one direction, they can be regarded as passive.

    Passive components are foundational in both simple and complex electronic circuits, playing crucial roles in filtering, coupling, decoupling, and tuning applications, among many others.

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