Physics department

Level M Chapter 5

1. Answer by true or false:

a) Semiconductors are used to build electronic devices because they are very good conductors
b) In a forward biased p-n junction the holes and the electrons are attracted by the armatures of a
generator
c) An ideal diode acts as an open switch in forward biased and a short circuit
d) If the voltage is low across the P-N no current will pass
e) If one side of the p junction is connected to the other side of an n junction no current will pass
f) Semiconductors are used to build electronic devices because they are very intermediate conductors
g) A p-n junction diode allows current to pass in both ways
h) A p-n junction is a resultant of joining two layers of P and N junctions
i) In order to be forward biased the diode should be connected across a voltage of value less than 0.6V
j) An ideal diode has a resistance zero in forward biased and resistance infinity in reversed biased.
k) In forward biased p-n junction the potential at p should be less than the potential at n
l) In a bridge rectifier a minimum voltage of 0.6 V is required in order to have a current passing
through R
m) In an LDR transistor the intensity of light is directly proportional to the resistance
n) The Thermistor can be used for the street lights
o) The transistor cannot play the role of an open switch if the voltage across the base is sufficiently high
p) The transistor plays the role of a current amplifier when it is fully on
q) The base current is always larger than the collector current
r) The four diode rectifier is also called wave rectifier

2. With the aid of a diagram, describe the principle of the four-diode bridge rectifier

3. Draw the characteristics of each of the following cases:

a) I-V for an p-n junction

b) Resistance – intensity of light in a LDR

c) Resistance-intensity of heat in a thermistor

 4. In the circuit below, R1 = 200 kΩ, R2 = 2 kΩ, Vbe = 0.6 V, VPN = 8 V and the current gain is 100.

R2
R1

c
b

e
N

Calculate:

a) The potential difference across the terminals of R1

b) The current Ib and the collector current Ic

c) The potential difference across R2

d) Vce

5. The circuit below contains a 12V battery connected in series with a resistor R = 10 Ω and a silicon diode
with a potential drop of 0.7 V.
Calculate the current passing through the circuit.
6. A. What is meant by rectification?

B.

The secondary of a transformer is connected to a half-wave rectifier as shown in the figure above.
Explain the action of the component X in causing rectification.

C. Redraw the circuit after the following changes take place:

The half wave rectifier is replaced by a full wave rectifier.
7. Refer to the diagram. When VBE is changed from 0.62 V to 0.64 V, IC changes from 2.0 mA to 4.0 mA .

A. What is the change in the p.d. VR across the resistor?

B. What is the change in the p.d. VXY between the output terminals X and Y?

C. ⎛ ΔV ⎞
Calculate the voltage gain ⎜ XY ⎟ .
⎝ ΔVBE ⎠
8.
The transistor in the circuit below is turned ON and has a current gain equal to 500. If the current
flowing through the lamp is 50 mA,

A. Calculate the minimum base current in mA.

B. Calculate the maximum value of the resistor R in kΩ.

C. Calculate the resistance R2 in the circuit below which would cause the voltage at point Z to reach 0.8
V when the thermistor is at a temperature of 40 °C and the power supply is 20 V, knowing that the
resistance of the thermistor is 4000 Ω at this temperature.
 a. Name component B.

o
b. At 20 C the resistance of B is 800 Ohm.
At 100 oC the resistance of B is 35 Ohm.

In terms of potential difference of B, explain what happens to the circuit as the

temperature varies from 20oC to 100 oC.

c. Suggest a practical use of this circuit.

 10. The diagram above shows a circuit for an alarm system that is triggered when a
light beam is crossed and the ambient light intensity falls.

a. On the diagram, label

i. The component A, that detects the change in the light intensity.
ii. The buzzer B
iii. The component C, that switches the buzzer on and off.

b. Describe the system works as the external light decreases and the buzzer turns on.

c. Explain whether the supply used in this circuit is AC or DC.

 in A……… in B……...

b) There is a marked fall in temperature

in A……. in B……..
12. The circuit above is to illuminate a warning light (light-emitting diode) when the
temperature falls below a certain value.

Assume that the diode and transistor are made of silicon, at what resistance value of the
thermistor will the warning light illuminate?
C) The value of R1