Physics Electronics PMDC Conceptual Practice
PMDC Verified Question 18 of 494
What is the form factor of an unfiltered half-wave rectified waveform?
A
\(1.11\)
B
\(1.57\)
C
\(0.707\)
D
\(2.00\)
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option B: \(1.57\)
Concept:

The form factor of a half-wave rectified sine wave is the ratio of its RMS value (which is \(I_0 / 2\)) to its average DC value (which is \(I_0 / \pi\)).

Formula:

$$k_f = \frac{I_{\text{rms}}}{I_{\text{dc}}} = \frac{I_0 / 2}{I_0 / \pi} = \frac{\pi}{2}$$

Solution:

  • $$\frac{\pi}{2} = \frac{3.14159}{2} \approx 1.57$$


  • Therefore, the form factor of a half-wave rectifier is \(1.57\).


Why other options are incorrect:

  • Option A: \(1.11\) is the form factor of a full-wave rectifier.
  • Option C: \(0.707\) (\(1/\sqrt{2}\)) is the RMS-to-peak ratio for a pure, unrectified sine wave.
  • Option D: \(2.00\) is the ratio of peak-to-peak to peak amplitude, not the form factor.

Quality & Fidelity Assurance: Every question on BeambePrep is rigorously curated against the official PMDC syllabus with zero filler, zero out-of-syllabus content, and zero typos. When an authentic past paper originally contained a historical mistake or ambiguity from the examining board (such as UHS or NUMS), BeambePrep faithfully reflects the original paper while detailing the nuance and scientific consensus in the autopsy above.

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