Electronics: Diodes and Applications

1. What is a varistor?
A.a voltage-dependent resistor
B. a voltage-dependent diode
C. a current-dependent resistor
D.a current-dependent diode Answer: Option A

2. Which type of transformer is required to create a 180 degree input to a rectifier?

A.center-tapped secondary
B. step-down secondary
C. stepped-up secondary
D.split winding primary Answer: Option A

3. What circuit activity may shift a characteristic curve so that diode operating points are
different?
A.higher power (heat)
B. higher resistance
C. lower voltage
D.lower current Answer: Option A

4. What is wrong with this diode?

A. open

B. short

C. nothing

D.not enough data Answer: Option C

5. The dc current through each diode in a bridge rectifier equals:
A. the load current

B. half the dc load current

C. twice the dc load current

D.one-fourth the dc load current Answer: Option A
6. When matching polarity connections have been made and the potential difference (PD) is
above 0.7 V, the diode is considered to be:
A. not working

B. forward biased

C. reverse biased

D.an open switch Answer: Option B

7. In a power supply diagram, which block indicates a smooth dc output?
A.transformer B. filter

C. rectifier D.Regulator Answer: Option D

8. If a 169.7 V half-wave peak has an average voltage of 54 V, what is the average of two
full-wave peaks?
A. 119.9 V

B. 108.0 V

C. 115.7 V

D.339.4 V Answer: Option B

9. What is the current through the LED?

A. 0 mA

B. 23 mA

C. 18 mA

D.13 mA

Answer: Option D
 10. The characteristic curve for the complex model of a silicon diode shows that
A. the barrier potential is 0 V

B. the barrier potential stays fixed at 0.7 V

C. the barrier potential increases slightly with an increase in current

D.the barrier potential decreases slightly with an increase in current

Answer: Option C

11. Since diodes are destroyed by excessive current, circuits must have:
A. higher voltage sources

B. current limiting resistors

C. more dopants

D.higher current sources Answer: Option B

12. A diode for which you can change the reverse bias, and thus vary the capacitance is
called
A. varactor diode

B. tunnel diode

C. zener diode

D. switching diode Answer: Option A

13. A filtered full-wave rectifier voltage has a smaller ripple than does a half-wave rectifier
voltage for the same load resistance and capacitor values because:
A. there is a shorter time between peaks

B. there is a longer time between peaks

C. the larger the ripple, the better the filtering action

D.none of the above Answer: Option A

14. Testing a good diode with an ohmmeter should indicate
A. high resistance when forward or reverse biased

B. low resistance when forward or reverse biased

C. high resistance when reverse biased and low resistance when forward biased

D.high resistance when forward biased and low resistance when reverse biased

Answer: Option C
15. The peak inverse voltage (PIV) across a non conducting diode in a bridge rectifier equals
approximately:

A. half the peak secondary voltage

B. twice the peak secondary voltage

C. the peak value of the secondary voltage

D.four times the peak value of the secondary voltage Answer: Option C

16. What is the current through the diode?

A. 1 mA

B. 0.975 mA

C. 0.942 mA

D. 0.0 mA Answer: Option A

17. Electrons in the outermost orbit or shell of an atom are called

A. free electrons

B. negative ions

C. valence electrons

D. conduction band electrons Answer: Option C

18. Shunting the ac component away from the load is the task of a:

A.transformer B. filter

C. regulator D.Rectifier Answer: Option B

19. A pn junction allows current flow when

A. the p-type material is more positive than the n-type material

B. the n-type material is more positive than the p-type material

C. both the n-type and p-type materials have the same potential

D.there is no potential on the n-type or p-type materials Answer: Option A

20. What is the current through the zener diode?

A. 0 mA

B. 7 mA

C. 8.3 mA

D.13 mA Answer: Option B

21. When a diode is forward biased, the voltage across it

A. is directly proportional to the current

B. is inversely proportional to the current

C. is directly proportional to the source voltage

D. remains approximately the same Answer: Option D

22. Why is heat produced in a diode?

A. due to current passing through the diode

B. due to voltage across the diode

C. due to the power rating of the diode

D.due to the PN junction of the diode Answer: Option A

23. The arrow in the schematic symbol of a diode points to

A. the n-type material, which is called the anode

B. the n-type material, which is called the cathode

C. the p-type material, which is called the anode

D.the p-type material, which is called the cathode Answer: Option C

24. The diode schematic arrow points to the:

A. trivalent-doped material

B. positive axial lead

C. anode lead

D.cathode lead Answer: Option D

25. When checking a diode, low resistance readings both ways indicate the diode is:

A. open

B. satisfactory

C. faulty

D.not the problem Answer: Option C

26. In a diode schematic, the anode is represented by a(n):

A. triangle

B. vertical line

C. zig-zag line

D.element indicator Answer: Option A

27. An IC regulator receives an overload; it will:

A. shut down

B. compensate for heat

C. provide more voltage

D.sample and adjust Answer: Option A

28. With full-wave rectification, current through the load resistor must be:

A. in opposite directions

B. to the external load

C. from the reverse biased diode

D.in the same direction Answer: Option D

29. A characteristic curve is the result of a current versus voltage plot of diode activity, which
begins at the:

A. 3rd quadrant

B. current plot
C. graph origin

D. voltage plot Answer: Option C

30. Rectifier output polarity depends upon:

A. cycles of input

B. capacitor polarity

C. half or full wave

diode installation Answer: Option

D.
D

31. With a 12 V supply, a silicon diode, and a 370-ohm resistor in series, what voltage will be
dropped across the diode?

A. 0.3 V

B. 0.7 V

C. 0.9 V

D. 1.4 V Answer: Option B

32. If the frequency of the applied ac signal to a half-wave rectifier is 60 Hz, the frequency of the
pulsating dc output will be

A. 30 pps

B. 60 pps

C. 90 pps

D. 120 pps Answer: Option B

33. What is the peak output voltage for this half-wave rectifier?

A. 1 V

B. 7.8 V
 C. 10.9 V

15.6 V Answer: Option

D.
B

34. Thermal shutdown occurs in an IC regulator if:

A. power dissipation is too high

B. internal temperature is too high

C. current through the device is too high

load resistance increases Answer: Option

D.
B

35. The conduction band is closest to the valence band in

A. semiconductors

B. conductors

C. insulators

D. The distance is the same for all of the above. Answer: Option A

36. What is the percent of regulation if Vnl = 20 V and Vfl = 19.8 V?

A. 0% B. 1%

C. 1% D. 5% Answer: Option B

37. With a half-wave rectified voltage across the load resistor, load current flows for what part
of a cycle?
A. 0 degrees

B. 90 degrees

C. 180 degrees

D. 360 degrees Answer: Option C

38. Which of the following circuits would require the least amount of filtering?
A. A half-wave rectifier

B. A full-wave rectifier

C. A bridge rectifier

D.A full-wave rectifier and a bridge rectifier Answer: Option D

39. What is wrong with this circuit?

A. The zener is open.

B. The zener is shorted.

C. nothing

D. not enough data Answer: Option A

40. The voltage where current may start to flow in a reverse-biased pn junction is called the
A. breakdown voltage

B. barrier potential

C. forward voltage

D. biasing voltage Answer: Option A

41. Providing a constant output regardless of ac input or load resistance changes is the function
of a:
A. transformer B. filter

C. regulator D. Rectifier Answer: Option C

42. When a diode is destroyed it has infinite impedance. When damaged by heat it will
probably:
A. short

B. conduct more

C. conduct less

D. Open Answer: Option A

43. The area at the junction of p-type and n-type materials that has lost its majority carriers is
called the
A. barrier potential

B. depletion region
 C. n region

D. p region Answer: Option B

44. DC power should be connected to forward bias a diode as follows:

A. anode, + cathode

B. cathode, anode

C. + anode, cathode

D. + cathode, + anode Answer: Option C

45. At any given time in an intrinsic piece of semiconductor material at room temperature
A. electrons drift randomly

B. recombination occurs

C. holes are created

D. All of the above Answer: Option D

46. In a power supply diagram, which block indicates a pulsating dc output?

A. transformer B. filter

C. rectifier D. Regulator Answer: Option C

47. List three diode packages:

A. clip package, DIP, small current package

B. DIP, small current package, large current package

C. small current package, large current package, and SIP

D. small current package, large current package, clip package Answer: Option D

48. The mimicking of an open/closed switch by a diode allows alternating current to be:
A. rectified B. regulated

C. controlled D. Attenuated Answer: Option A