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Half-wave rectifier

Electronic Devices Lab · free online experiment, runs in your browser with no install or sign-up.

Open this experiment in the circuit simulator

Objective

Rectify a 10 V peak, 50 Hz sine with one diode and measure the DC (average) output.

Procedure

Run and compare input and output in the Waveforms tab.
Place a 100 µF capacitor across the load to see the filtered DC.

Theory

Only the positive half-cycles pass: V_peak(out) = Vm − Vd ≈ 9.3 V and V_dc ≈ Vm/π ≈ 3.0 V (a bit less because of the diode drop). Ripple frequency = 50 Hz.

Questions to answer

What is the peak inverse voltage across the diode?

Components used

Diode 1N4007, Function generator (sine), Oscilloscope (2-channel), Resistor 220 ohm 1/4W

About the model

Ideal wires; component models as listed in the catalogue (no parasitics, no temperature drift). Built without a breadboard so the schematic stays readable.