Choose the correct statements among the following about a full-wave rectifier.
(A) The output is unidirectional, pulsating and intermittent.
(B) The output is voltage across the centre tap of the transformer and the common terminals of the two diodes.
(C) In filtering process, the rate of fall of the voltage across the capacitor depends inversely on time constant \( R_{L}C \), where \( R_{L} \) is the load and \( C \) is the capacitance.
(D) Full wave rectifier is more efficient circuit for getting rectified voltage than the half wave rectifier.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → (B), (C) and (D) only
In a full-wave rectifier the two diodes conduct in alternate half cycles, so the load gets current in the same direction in both half cycles.
(A) The output is unidirectional, pulsating and intermittent. — Incorrect. The output is unidirectional and pulsating, but not intermittent; a gap every other half cycle belongs to a half-wave rectifier.
(B) The output is voltage across the centre tap of the transformer and the common terminals of the two diodes. — Correct. The load sits between the joined diode outputs and the centre tap of the secondary.
(C) In filtering process, the rate of fall of the voltage across the capacitor depends inversely on time constant \( R_{L}C \), where \( R_{L} \) is the load and \( C \) is the capacitance. — Correct. A larger \( R_{L}C \) means a slower fall and a smoother output.
(D) Full wave rectifier is more efficient circuit for getting rectified voltage than the half wave rectifier. — Correct. It uses both half cycles of the input.
NCERT (2026-27):
Application of Junction Diode as a Rectifier – “… Thus, the output between their common terminals and the centre-tap of the transformer becomes a full-wave rectifier output.”
Application of Junction Diode as a Rectifier – “… Obviously, this is a more efficient circuit for getting rectified voltage or current than the half-wave rectifier. The rectified voltage is in the form of pulses of the shape of half sinusoids.”
Application of Junction Diode as a Rectifier – “… The rate of fall of the voltage across the capacitor depends inversely upon the product of capacitance C and the effective resistance RL used in the circuit and is called the time constant.”