Talk:Active component
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[edit] Military usage of term
What is an "active component" of the military?, as in "African Americans continue to boost their representation among Active Components enlisted members" [1]
[edit] Diodes
Are these active or passive devices?--Light current 12:49, 6 March 2006 (UTC)
- You can find references classifying them either way. IMO, they are more accurately described as Active because their impedance varies with respects to an input. Regarding the current definition in this article, they would have to be Active (direction of current). They are sometimes classified as Passives because the "input" terminals are the same as the "output".Megamemnon 13:59, 6 March 2006 (UTC)
- Not sure what definition the page gave when the above comment was posted last March, but most (all?) diodes clearly do not fit the definition currently given, "can be used to provide gain in an electronic circuit". Quoting from Ian Hickman's Analog Electronics (2nd edition), "If passive components are the cogs and pinions of a circuit, an active component is the mainspring. The analogy is not quite exact perhaps, for the mainspring stores and releases the energy to drive the clockwork, whereas an active component drives a circuit by controlling the release of energy from a battery or power supply in a particular manner. ... It is arguable that diodes in general are not really active devices at all, but simply non-linear passive devices. However, they are usually considered along with other active devices such as transistors and triacs, and the same plan is followed here." Clearly, the definition of "active component" needs refining to include diodes, or the article should make clear that diodes are not truly active components, but due to their makeup and use in circuits, are often presented alongside gain-providing components. I like the latter choice, but am open to having my mind changed. Robert K S 10:35, 2 January 2007 (UTC)
