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Question 36 of 54

Q.Explain with a neat diagram, how a p-n junction diode is used as a half wave rectifier.

Maharashtra MsbshseMaharashtra HSC (MSBSHSE) Board 2017Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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Figure — Stem says 'Explain with a neat diagram, how a p-n junction diode is used as a half wave rectifier'; catalog fi
Figure — Stem says 'Explain with a neat diagram, how a p-n junction diode is used as a half wave rectifier'; catalog fi

A single p-n junction diode conducts only during one half-cycle of the AC input, so it passes only that half — this is half-wave rectification.

Circuit: The AC input (from a step-down transformer secondary) is connected in series with a p-n junction diode and a load resistor RLR_L; the output is taken across RLR_L.

Working:

  • During the positive half-cycle of the input AC (p-side of the junction at higher potential), the diode is forward biased, offers low resistance, and conducts — current flows through RLR_L, reproducing (a rectified version of) that half-cycle across the load.
  • During the negative half-cycle, the diode becomes reverse biased, offers very high resistance, and does not conduct — no current flows through RLR_L, so the output is (ideally) zero during this half. …
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