Question

With the help of a circuit diagram, explain the working of a full wave rectifier.

Hint:

In a full wave rectifier, both halves of the AC input signal are used, resulting in higher average output voltage compared to a half-wave rectifier.

Answer 1

Step 1: A full wave rectifier is a circuit that converts both the positive and negative halves of an AC signal into a pulsating DC signal. It uses two diodes, which conduct during alternate half cycles of the input AC signal.
Step 2: Circuit diagram for a full wave rectifier:

Step 3: Working of the Full Wave Rectifier:
During the positive half cycle of the input AC, diode \( D_1 \) is forward biased and conducts, allowing current to flow through the load resistor in one direction.
During the negative half cycle of the AC input, diode \( D_2 \) becomes forward biased and conducts, reversing the direction of current through the load resistor but still allowing current to flow in the same direction as in the positive half cycle.
The result is a pulsating DC output with both halves of the input AC waveform contributing to the output.
Step 4: The output of the full wave rectifier is a unidirectional pulsating signal that can be smoothed using a filter (typically a capacitor) to obtain a steady DC signal.