Resistors, capacitors, fuses

[Paul Simons]

  In response to a question in Digest # 4170, for whatever it's worth, a
fuse is either good - conducting - or bad - open. When it's overloaded it
blows, thereby doing its job protecting other parts. A resistor can be
burned up and open or shorted but is normally of a certain value in ohms,
can be fixed or variable. Good capacitors can store DC and also pass a part
of an AC or pulsating DC voltage. A microprocessor is an incredibly complex
device combining the functions of resistance, capacitance, and
semiconductivity, built with layers of semiconducting elements. I'm not an
engineer, just a repairman, and I'm sure there are better descriptions, but
I hope this helps.