Components incapable of controlling current by means of another electrical signal are called
passive devices. Resistors, capacitors, inductors, and transformers are all considered passive devices.
Resistors Pass current in proportion to voltage (
Ohm's law) and oppose current. •
Resistor – fixed value • Power
resistor – larger to safely dissipate heat generated • SIP or
DIP resistor network – array of resistors in one package • Variable resistor •
Rheostat – two-terminal variable resistor (often for high power) •
Potentiometer – three-terminal variable resistor (variable voltage divider) •
Trim pot – small potentiometer, usually for internal adjustments •
Thermistor – thermally sensitive resistor whose prime function is to exhibit a large, predictable and precise change in electrical resistance when subjected to a corresponding change in body temperature. •
Humistor – humidity-varied resistor •
Photoresistor •
Varistor,
Voltage-dependent resistor,
MOV – Passes current when excessive voltage is present •
Resistance wire,
Nichrome wire – wire of high-resistance material, often used as a heating element •
Heater –
heating element Capacitors Capacitors store and release electrical charge. They are used for filtering power supply lines, tuning resonant circuits, and for blocking DC voltages while passing AC signals, among numerous other uses. •
Capacitor • Integrated capacitors •
MIS capacitor •
Trench capacitor • Fixed capacitors •
Ceramic capacitor •
Film capacitor •
Electrolytic capacitor •
Aluminum electrolytic capacitor •
Tantalum electrolytic capacitor •
Niobium electrolytic capacitor (
Columbium capacitor) •
Polymer capacitor,
OS-CON •
Supercapacitor (Electric double-layer capacitor) •
Nanoionic supercapacitor •
Lithium-ion capacitor •
Mica capacitor •
Vacuum capacitor •
Variable capacitor – adjustable capacitance •
Tuning capacitor – variable capacitor for tuning a radio, oscillator, or tuned circuit •
Trimmer capacitor – small variable capacitor for seldom or rare adjustments of LC-circuits •
Vacuum variable capacitor • Capacitors for special applications •
Power capacitor •
Safety capacitor •
Filter capacitor •
Light-emitting capacitor (LEC) •
Motor capacitor •
Photoflash capacitor •
Reservoir capacitor /
Bulk capacitor •
Coupling capacitor •
Decoupling capacitor /
Buffer capacitor •
Bypass capacitor •
Pull capacitor /
Padding capacitor •
Backup capacitor •
Switched capacitor •
Feedthrough capacitor • Capacitor network (array) •
Varicap diode – AC capacitance varies according to the DC voltage applied
Integrated passive devices Integrated passive devices are passive devices integrated within one distinct package. They take up less space than equivalent combinations of discrete components.
Magnetic (inductive) devices Electrical components that use magnetism in the storage and release of electrical charge through current: •
Inductor, coil, choke • Variable inductor •
Saturable inductor •
Transformer •
Magnetic amplifier (
toroid) •
ferrite impedances, beads •
Motor /
Generator •
Solenoid •
Loudspeaker and
microphone Memristor Electrical components that pass charge in proportion to magnetism or magnetic flux, and have the ability to retain a previous resistive state, hence the name of Memory plus Resistor. •
Memristor Networks Components that use more than one type of passive component: • RC network – forms an
RC circuit, used in
snubbers • LC Network – forms an
LC circuit, used in tunable transformers and RFI filters.
Transducers, sensors, detectors •
Transducers generate physical effects when driven by an electrical signal, or vice versa. •
Sensors (detectors) are transducers that react to environmental conditions by changing their electrical properties or generating an electrical signal. • The transducers listed here are single electronic components (as opposed to complete assemblies), and are
passive (see Semiconductors and Tubes for
active ones). Only the most common ones are listed here. • Audio •
Loudspeaker – Electromagnetic or
piezoelectric device to generate full audio •
Buzzer – Electromagnetic or piezoelectric sounder to generate tones • Position, motion •
Linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) – Magnetic – detects linear position •
Rotary encoder, Shaft Encoder – Optical, magnetic, resistive or switches – detects absolute or relative angle or rotational speed •
Inclinometer – Capacitive – detects angle with respect to gravity •
Motion sensor, Vibration sensor •
Flow meter – detects flow in liquid or gas • Force, torque •
Strain gauge – Piezoelectric or resistive – detects squeezing, stretching, twisting •
Accelerometer – Piezoelectric – detects acceleration, gravity • Thermal •
Thermocouple,
thermopile – Wires that generate a voltage proportional to delta temperature •
Thermistor – Resistor whose resistance changes with temperature, up
PTC or down
NTC •
Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) – Wire whose resistance changes with temperature •
Bolometer – Device for measuring the power of incident
electromagnetic radiation •
Thermal cutoff – Switch that is opened or closed when a set temperature is exceeded • Magnetic field (see also Hall Effect in semiconductors) •
Magnetometer, Gauss meter • Humidity •
Hygrometer • Electromagnetic, light •
Photo resistor – Light dependent resistor (LDR)
Antennas Antennas transmit or receive radio waves •
Elemental dipole •
Yagi •
Phased array •
Loop antenna •
Parabolic dish •
Log-periodic dipole array •
Biconical •
Feedhorn Assemblies, modules Multiple electronic components assembled in a device that is in itself used as a component •
Oscillator • Display devices •
Liquid crystal display (LCD) •
Digital voltmeters •
Filter Prototyping aids •
Wire-wrap •
Breadboard ==Electromechanical devices==