What components are found in overcurrent protection devices?

Overcurrent protection devices are designed to protect electrical circuits from excessive current that could potentially cause damage to equipment or create safety hazards. Fuses and circuit breakers are the primary components utilized for this purpose.

Fuses operate by having a metal wire or strip that melts when the current exceeds a specified level, thereby interrupting the circuit and preventing further current flow. This is a simple and effective way to provide overcurrent protection.

Circuit breakers, on the other hand, use mechanical mechanisms to open the circuit when an overcurrent condition is detected. They can be reset after tripping, making them more convenient than fuses which need to be replaced once they operate.

The other options do not serve the purpose of overcurrent protection. Diodes and capacitors are used for rectifying or filtering applications, switches and relays facilitate the control of circuits but do not provide overcurrent protection, while transformers and inductors are typically utilized in voltage transformation and energy storage, respectively. Hence, fuses and circuit breakers are the two crucial components directly associated with overcurrent protection.