Full-wave Rectifier

Question

A full-wave rectifier is fed from a 50 Hz alternating mains supply through a centre-tapped transformer, and an examiner asks for the ripple frequency of its output.

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

NCERT explains that a full-wave rectifier delivers output during both halves of every input cycle, either by using a centre-tapped transformer with two diodes or a bridge of four diodes. Because each input cycle now produces two output pulses instead of one, the fundamental ripple frequency of the rectified output is twice the input frequency. With a 50 Hz supply, the ripple frequency is therefore $2 	imes 50 = 100$ Hz. The value 50 Hz is wrong because that is the ripple frequency of a half-wave rectifier, which produces only one pulse per cycle. The value 25 Hz is wrong because it halves rather than doubles the input frequency, which never happens in rectification. The value 200 Hz is wrong because it quadruples the input, whereas full-wave rectification only doubles it. As stated in NCERT Class 12, Chapter 14, a full-wave rectifier output has twice the input frequency, making it easier to filter than half-wave output. A consistency check confirms that doubling the pulse rate reduces the time between pulses, which is why full-wave output smooths to a steadier direct voltage more effectively.

Full-wave Rectifier

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