Question

In half wave rectification, if the input frequency is 60 Hz, then the output frequency would be:

• A. Zero
• B. 30 Hz
• C. 60 Hz
• D. 120 Hz

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

In a half wave rectification process, the rectifier allows only one half of the input AC signal to pass through (either the positive or negative half, depending on the configuration), effectively blocking the other half. This means that the waveform retains the same fundamental frequency as the input signal.

The input given in this problem has a frequency of 60 Hz. During half wave rectification, only one half of each cycle is used, but the frequency of the current that does pass through remains at 60 Hz because every cycle of the input AC signal, when rectified, becomes a pulse of the same frequency.

Therefore, the output frequency after half wave rectification will remain at 60 Hz. Thus, the correct answer is: 60 Hz

Answer 2

Concept: Rectification is the process of converting an alternating current (AC) signal into a unidirectional (DC-like) signal. In half-wave rectification, only one half (positive or negative) of the AC input is passed through, while the other half is blocked.

Key point: In half-wave rectification, the frequency of the output signal remains the same as the input AC frequency, but only one polarity of the waveform is present. That means the waveform is chopped off for one half of the cycle but still appears once per cycle.

So, if the input AC signal has a frequency of 60 Hz, the output waveform — although it only includes the positive (or negative) half — still has a frequency of 60 Hz, because it repeats 60 times per second.

Contrast this with full-wave rectification, where the output frequency becomes double the input frequency (i.e., 120 Hz for a 60 Hz input), because both halves of the AC signal are used.

Therefore:

Input frequency = 60 Hz
Half-wave rectified output frequency = 60 Hz