Concept:A bridge rectifier utilizes four diodes arranged in a closed-loop Wheatstone bridge configuration to achieve full-wave rectification without requiring a center-tapped transformer.
Formula:$$\text{Diode count (Bridge Rectifier)} = 4$$
Solution:- During the positive half-cycle, diodes \( D_1 \) and \( D_3 \) are forward-biased and conduct current through the load.
- During the negative half-cycle, diodes \( D_2 \) and \( D_4 \) are forward-biased and direct current through the load in the identical direction.
- Hence, exactly 4 diodes are required.
Why other options are incorrect:- Option B: 2 diodes are used in a center-tapped full-wave rectifier.
- Option C: 1 diode is used in a half-wave rectifier.
- Option D: 3 diodes do not form any standard single-phase rectifier topology.
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.