Classification of circuit elements

Classification of Network elements 

All the circuit elements in the electrical circuits can be classified into various types based on the following five classifications:

Active and Passive elements

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In electrical networks the elements which deliver power to the circuit
such as voltage sources and current sources are called as active elements whereas the energy consuming elements such as resistors are called as passive elements.

Linear and Nonlinear elements

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The elements with obey the super position principle i.e. homogeneity and additive, whose characteristics pass through origin are called Linear elements. All the elements which don’t satisfy the above principle are called as Non-linear elements.

Lumped and distributed elements
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If the physical size of the elements is comparable with the wave length of electromagnetic wave propagation then these are called as distributed elements. If the physical size is negligibly small in comparison with the wave length these are called as lumped elements.

Unilateral and Bilateral elements
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Bilateral elements offer same impedance for either direction of the current flow whereas unilateral elements offer high impedance for one direction of current flow and low impedance for the other direction of current flow.

Time variant and time invariant elements
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The elements whose parameters vary with time are called time variant elements and the elements whose parameters doesn't vary with time are called time invariant elements.