Question

Diode is used as a/an:
 A. modulator
 B. rectifier
 C. oscillator
 D. amplifier

Answer 1

Hint:Diodes are electronic devices that allow the flow of current when a forward bias is given to them in the circuit, and it doesn’t allow the flow of current when a reverse bias is given to them. Hence, we can infer that a diode can conduct current only via one way.

Complete step by step answer:
Diodes are widely used semiconductor devices that are used in many day to day appliances as they can be developed in different ways at an application level. Since the current can conduct only in one way, there will be no current when the input signal becomes negative. In other words, it is capable of rectifying AC voltage into a DC power supply. Hence we can say that a diode acts as a rectifier.
A half wave rectifier allows only one half cycle of the AC voltage to pass and the other half cycle is blocked. Only one diode can be used to construct the same.
A full wave rectifier can make both halves of the waves to positive, and both the half cycles are allowed to pass. When two diodes are forward biased, the other two are reverse biased and they are effectively excluded. The construction is done using four diodes.
Therefore, option B is the correct choice among the four.

Note:Apart from diodes, the application spectrum of diodes is extended to communication systems as gates, clippers, limiters etc. It is used as inverters in electronics and logic gates in computer applications. It is also found in RADAR circuits.