Half-wave and Full-wave Outputs
Half-wave and Full-wave Outputs
- Many electronic circuits need current in one direction. Rectification changes an alternating input into a one-way output.
One half missing or both halves used
Definition
1 markWhat is meant by rectification?
Model answer: The conversion of alternating current to direct current.
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- Half-wave rectification removes the voltage in one direction. Alternate half-cycles become flat zero sections.
- Full-wave rectification reverses the negative halves. Both input half-cycles produce output in the same direction.
- A full-wave output has two humps for every input cycle, so its hump frequency is twice the input frequency.
Half-wave: one half is missing. Full-wave: both halves are used.
Your turngraph check
A 50 Hz sinusoidal voltage is full-wave rectified. State the direction of the output voltage and the frequency of its humps.
Show worked answer
The output voltage remains in one direction. Its humps repeat at 100 Hz because both half-cycles are used.