Electronic Devices and Circuits Questions and Answers – Zener

Diode
This set of Electronic Devices and Circuits Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs)
focuses on “Zener Diode”.

1. Zener diodes are also known as

a) Voltage regulators
b) Forward bias diode
c) Breakdown diode
d) None of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: Zener diodes are used as voltage regulators but they aren’t called voltage regulators.
They are called breakdown diodes since they operate in breakdown region.
2. Which of the following is true about the resistance of a Zener diode?
a) It has an incremental resistance
b) It has dynamic resistance
c) The value of the resistance is the inverse of the slope of the i-v characteristics of the
Zener diode
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: All of the statements are true for the resistance of the zener diode.
3. Which of the following is true about the temperature coefficient or TC of the Zener diode?
a) For Zener voltage less than 5V, TC is negative
b) For Zener voltage around 5V, TC can be made zero
c) For higher values of Zener voltage, TC is positive
d) All of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: All of the mentioned are true for the TC of a zener diode.
4. Which of the following can be used in series with a Zener diode so that combination has
almost zero temperature coefficient?
a) Diode
b) Resistor
c) Transistor
d) MOSFET
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: If a Zener diode of TC of about -2mV is connected with a forward diode (which has a
TC of about +2mV) in series, the combination can be used to obtain a very low (close to zero) TC.
5. In Zener diode, for currents greater than the knee current, the v-i curve is almost
a) Almost a straight line parallel to y-axis
b) Almost a straight line parallel to x-axis
c) Equally inclined to both the axes with a positive slope
d) Equally inclined to both the axes with a negative slope
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: Note that the curve is v-I curve and not an i-v curve.
6. Zener diodes can be effectively used in voltage regulator. However, they are these days
being replaced by more efficient
a) Operational Amplifier
b) MOSFET
c) Integrated Circuits
d) None of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: ICs have been widely adapted by the industries over conventional zener diodes as their
better replacements for a voltage regulators.
7. A 9.1-V zener diode exhibits its nominal voltage at a test current of 28 mA. At this current
the incremental resistance is specified as 5 Ω. Find VZ0 of the Zener model.
a) 8.96V
b) 9.03V
c) 9.17V
d) 9.24V
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: VZ = VZo + MZ IZT
9.1 = VZo + 5 * 28 * 10-3
VZo = 8.96v
VZ = VZo + 5IZ = 8.96 * 5IZ.
8. A shunt regulator utilizing a zener diode with an incremental resistance of 5 Ω is fed
through an 82-Ω resistor. If the raw supply changes by 1.0 V, what is the corresponding
change in the regulated output voltage?
a) 72.7 mV
b) 73.7 mV
c) 74.7 mV
d) 75.7 mV
View Answer
Answer: c

Explanation:
9. A designer requires a shunt regulator of approximately 20 V. Two kinds of Zener diodes
are available: 6.8-V devices with r  of 10 Ω and 5.1-V devices with r  of 30 Ω. For the two
z z

major choices possible, find the load regulation. In this calculation neglect the effect of the
regulator resistance R.
a) -30mV/mA and 120mV/mA respectively
b) 30mV/mA and 60mV/mA respectively
c) -60mV/mA and +60mV/mA respectively
d) -30mV/mA and -120mV/mA respectively
View Answer
Answer: d
Explanation: Three 6.8v zeners provide 3*6.8 = 20.4v with 3 * 10 =30Ω Resistance, neglecting R, we
have
load Regulation = -30mV/mA.
For 5.1 Zeners we need 4 diodes to provide 20.4v with 4 * 30 =120Ω Resistance.
load Regulation = -120mV/mA .
10. Partial specifications of a Zener diode is provided. V  = 10.0 V, V  = 9.6 V, and I  = 50
Z ZK ZT

mA. Assuming that the power rating of a breakdown diode is established at about twice the
specified Zener current (I ), what is the power rating of each of the diodes described
ZT

above?
a) 1.04 W
b) 0.104 W
c) 10.4 mW
d) 1.04 mW
View Answer
Answer: a

Explanation:
This set of Power Electronics Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Thyristors-
1”.

1. A thyristor (SCR) is a
a) P-N-P device
b) N-P-N device
c) P-N-P-N device
d) P-N device
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: An SCR (silicon controlled rectifier) is a four layer p-n-p-n type device.
2. Which terminal does not belong to the SCR?
a) Anode
b) Gate
c) Base
d) Cathode
View Answer
Answer: c
Explanation: The SCR is having three terminals viz. anode, cathode and the gate.
3. An SCR is a
a) four layer, four junction device
b) four layer, three junction device
c) four layer, two junction device
d) three layer, single junction device
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: SCR is a four layer p-n-p-n device which forms three p-n junctions.
4. Choose the false statement.
a) SCR is a bidirectional device
b) SCR is a controlled device
c) In SCR the gate is the controlling terminal
d) SCR are used for high-power applications
View Answer
Answer: a
Explanation: It is a unidirectional device, current only flows from anode to cathode.
5. In the SCR structure the gate terminal is located
a) near the anode terminal
b) near the cathode terminal
c) in between the anode & cathode terminal
d) none of the mentioned
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: The gate is located near the cathode, because it allows fast turning on of the device
when the gate signal is applied by forward basing the second junction.
6. The static V-I curve for the SCR is plotted for
a) Ia (anode current) vs Ig (gate current), Va (anode – cathode voltage) as a parameter
b) Ia vs Va with Ig as a parameter
c) Va vs Ig with Ia as a parameter
d) Ig vs Vg with Ia as a parameter
View Answer
Answer: b
Explanation: The curve is plotted for Ia vs Va for different values of gate current Ig.
Q1. A Triac has three terminals viz ………………
1. Drain, source, gate
2. Two main terminal and a gate terminal
3. Cathode, anode, gate
4. None of the above
Answer : 2
Q2. A triac is equivalent to two SCRs …………..
1. In parallel
2. In series
3. In inverse-parallel
 4. None of the above
Answer : 3
Q3. A triac is a …………. switch
1. Bidirectional
2. Unidirectional
3. Mechanical
4. None of the above
Answer : 1
Q4. The V-I characteristics for a triac in the first and third quadrants are essentially identical
to those of ………………. in its first quadrant
1. Transistor
2. SCR
3. UJT
4. none of the above
Answer : 2
Q5. A triac can pass a portion of …………… half-cycle through the load
1. Only positive
2. Only negative
3. Both positive and negative
4. None of the above
Answer : 3
Q6. A diac has  ………….. terminals
1. Two
2. Three
3. Four
4. None of the above
Answer : 1
Q7. A triac has …………….. semiconductor layers
1. Two
2. Three
3. Four
4. Five
Answer : 3
Q8. A diac has …………… pn junctions
1. Four
2. Two
3. Three
4. None of the above
Answer : 2
Q9. The device that does not have the gate terminal is ……………….
1. Triac
2. FET
3. SCR
4. Diac
Answer : 4
Q10. A diac has ……………… semiconductor layers
1. Three
2. Two
3. Four
4. None of the above
Answer : 1
Q11. A UJT has ……………….
1. Two pn junctions
 2. One pn junction
3. Three pn junctions
4. None of the above
Answer : 2
Q12. The normal way to turn on a diac is by ………………..
1. Gate current
2. Gate voltage
3. Breakover voltage
4. None of the above
Answer : 3
Q13. A diac is …………………. switch
1. An c.
2. A d.c.
3. A mechanical
4. None of the above
Answer : 1
Q14. In a UJT, the p-type emitter is ……………. doped
1. Lightly
2. Heavily
3. Moderately
4. None of the above
Answer : 2
Q15. Power electronics essentially deals with control of a.c. power at …………
1. Frequencies above 20 kHz
2. Frequencies above 1000 kHz
3. Frequencies less than 10 Hz
4. 50 Hz frequency
Answer : 4
Q16. When the emitter terminal of a UJT is open, the resistance between the base terminal is
generally ………………..
1. High
2. Low
3. Extremely low
4. None of the above
Answer : 1
Q17. When a UJT is turned ON, the resistance between emitter terminal and lower base
terminal …………….
1. Remains the same
2. Is decreased
3. Is increased
4. None of the above
Answer : 2
Q18. To turn on UJT, the forward bias on the emitter diode should be …………… the peak
point voltage
1. Less than
2. Equal to
3. More than
4. None of the above
Answer : 3
Q19. A UJT is sometimes called …………. diode
1. Low resistance
2. High resistance
3. Single-base
 4. Double-base
Answer : 4
Q20.  When the temperature increases, the inter-base resistance (RBB) of a UJT ………….
1. Increases
2. Decreases
3. Remains the same
4. None of the above
Answer : 1
Q21. This question will be available soon
 
Q22. When the temperature increases, the intrinsic stand off ratio ……….
1. Increases
2. Decreases
3. Essentially remains the same
4. None of the above
Answer : 3
Q23. Between the peak point and the valley point of UJT emitter characteristics we have
………….. region
1. Saturation
2. Negative resistance
3. Cut-off
4. None of the above
Answer : 2
Q24. A diac is turned on by …………………
1. A breakover voltage
2. Gate voltage
3. Gate current
4. None of the above
Answer : 1
Q25. The device that exhibits negative resistance region is ………………..
1. Diac
2. Triac
3. Transistor
4. UJT
Answer : 4
Q26. The UJT may be used as ……………….
1. Am amplifier
2. A sawtooth generator
3. A rectifier
4. None of the above
Answer : 2
Q27. A diac is simply ………………
1. A single junction device
2. A three junction device
3. A triac without gate terminal
4. None of the above
Answer : 3
Q28. After peak point, the UJT operates in the ……………. region
1. Cut-off
2. Saturation
3. Negative resistance
4. None of the above
Answer : 3
Q29. Which of the following is not a characteristic of UJT?
1. Intrinsic stand off ratio
2. Negative resistance
3. Peak-point voltage
4. Bilateral conduction
Answer : 4
Q30. The triac is …………….
1. Like a bidirectional SCR
2. A four-terminal device
3. Not a thyristor
4. Answers (1) and (2)
Answer : 1