• A simple circuit has an energy source, an energy receptor and a means of transmission between the two.CIRCUIT IMPRIME CARTE MERE image by sandycrea from Fotolia.com
  
  A simple circuit is a closed path through which electricity flows. It consists of three components: an active component, a passive component and a means of transmission. Electricity can only flow through a simple circuit if the means of transmission remains unbroken and connected to an active component. In a simple circuit with three defined parts, the current flows in one direction, making it a direct current circuit, known by the abbreviation DC.
  
  

Active Components or Energy Source

• An active component in a simple electrical circuit is the power source. This source of voltage may be a battery or an electrical outlet. In the closed loop of a functioning simple circuit, the charge sent from the active component, through the means of transmission, eventually returns to the active component. By the time it reaches the active component, however, it has lost the energy supplied by the battery.
  
  

Passive Component or Load

• The passive component of a simple electrical circuit is also known as a load or a resistor, and is any object that needs a supply of electricity to operate. Examples of this are numerous, but include light bulbs, heaters, motors, etc. The passive component is the recipient of the energy stored within the charge sent by the active component, with the energy being expended here as the charge works its way through the load.
  
  

Transmission Lines

• The transmission lines are the means by which the active component delivers its charge to the passive component. Materials that are effective transmitters easily allow a flow of electricity to travel through them, and are known as conductors. Materials that are ineffective at allowing electrical flow are known as insulators. Metal wires are the most common form of transmitter in a simple circuit, particularly copper, which excels at transmitting charges from active components. Ideally, a charge should not experience a loss in energy level as it passes through a transmitter.