Active Elements
The elements which are capable of delivering energy are called active elements. These elements should contain at least one source of energy. It may be either voltage or current source. Examples of active elements are batteries, transistors, voltage, and current sources. Voltage and current sources will deliver the energy from one point to another.
Passive Elements
The elements which are not capable of delivering energy are called passive elements. Here, these elements will not contain an energy source. Examples of passive elements are resistors, inductors, and capacitors. A passive element is one that cannot supply average power greater than zero over an infinite time interval.
Active and Passive Network Elements
The following media explains the active and passive network elements.
Bilateral and Unilateral Network
Bilateral Network: A bilateral network is a network in which the characteristics and the behaviour are similar and does not depend on the direction of the current flows through different elements. A resistive network is an example of a bilateral network.
Unilateral Network: A unilateral network is a network in which the characteristics and the behaviour are dependent on the direction of the current through different elements is called a unilateral network. The flow of current in diodes will be in one direction which will be an example of a unilateral element.
Linear Network & Non-Linear Network
Linear Network: A network is said to be linear if the elements like resistances, inductances, and capacitances are always constant without any change in time, voltage, temperature, etc.
Non-Linear Network: A network is said to be nonlinear if the elements like resistances, inductances, and capacitances will change their values with change(s) in time, temperature, voltage, etc.
Lumped Network & Distributed Network
Lumped Networks: A network in which all the elements of a network are physically separable is known as a lumped network. Lumped networks consist of R, L, C, voltage source, etc.
Distributed Networks: A network in which all the network elements are not physically separable is known as distributed networks. An example of a distributed network is a transmission line where resistances, inductances, and capacitances are distributed along its length.
