Basic DC Theory
DC SOURCES
DC SOURCES
When most people think of DC, they usually think of batteries. In addition to
batteries, however, there are other devices that produce DC which are frequently
used in modern technology.
1.1
LIST the four ways to produce a DC voltage.
1.2
STATE the purpose of a rectifier.
1.3
DESCRIBE the outputs of the following circuits:
a.
Half-wave bridge rectifier
b.
Full-wave bridge rectifier
Batteries
A battery consists of two or more chemical cells connected in series. The combination of
materials within a battery is used for the purpose of converting chemical energy into electrical
energy. To understand how a battery works, we must first discuss the chemical cell.
The chemical cell is composed of two electrodes made of different types of metal or metallic
compounds which are immersed in an electrolyte solution. The chemical actions which result
are complicated, and they vary with the type of material used in cell construction. Some
knowledge of the basic action of a simple cell will be helpful in understanding the operation of
a chemical cell in general.
In the cell, electrolyte ionizes to produce positive and negative ions (Figure 1, Part A).
Simultaneously, chemical action causes the atoms within one of the electrodes to ionize.
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