ELECTRONICS Flashcards
How is a semiconductor diode used in half-wave rectification
A semiconductor diode allows current to pass in only one direction. In half-wave rectification, it blocks the negative half of an AC signal, allowing only the positive half-cycles to pass, converting AC to a pulsating DC
How does direct current differ from rectified alternating current
DC from a battery: Flows in one constant direction; voltage remains steady over time.
Half-wave rectified AC: Flows in one direction, but in pulses; current only flows during the positive half of the AC cycle
What do the voltage-time (V–t) graphs look like for DC and rectified AC
DC (Battery): A straight horizontal line showing constant voltage.
Half-Wave Rectified AC: A series of positive pulses with zero voltage during the negative half-cycles (looks like “humps” above the time axis with gaps in between).
