2007-02-05 21:34:40 · 9 answers · asked by mjn.geordie21 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Diode is a component that restricts the direction of movement of charge carriers. Essentially, it allows an electric current to flow in one direction, but blocks it in the opposite direction.
The main applications of diodes are:
Radio demodulation
Power conversion
Over-voltage protection
Logic gates
Ionising radiation detectors
Temperature measuring
Charge coupled devices
See details at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode#Applications
2007-02-06 00:15:16 · answer #1 · answered by oleg_arch 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
In electronics, a diode is a component that restricts the direction of movement of charge carriers. Essentially, it allows an electric current to flow in one direction, but blocks it in the opposite direction. Thus, the diode can be thought of as an electronic version of a check valve. Circuits that require current flow in only one direction will typically include one or more diodes in the circuit design.
Early diodes included "cat's whisker" crystals and vacuum tube devices (called thermionic valves in British English Dialect). Today the most common diodes are made from semiconductor materials such as silicon or germanium.
2007-02-05 21:37:16 · answer #2 · answered by Johny0555 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Diode is now a days made up of semiconductors like Silicon and Germanium.It has vast application in the field of electronics.When a diode is connected to a circuit,if current flows through it,it is said to be forward biased and said to be reverse biased if not.Diode conducts only in one direction.So it can use as a rectifier(eliminates one cycle of ac wave).
Diode has much more applications as signal detector,logic gates etc..
2007-02-06 02:29:31 · answer #3 · answered by sajini2jaasmine 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Basically a diode is an electrical one-way valve, however, there are variations to tnis such a the zener diode which will regulate the voltage up to the threshold value where if the voltage gets too large it will break down to allow the excess through and reform itself once the voltage drops below the breakdown voltage.
2007-02-05 22:59:55 · answer #4 · answered by tmac2 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Hmm....
I am knowing exactly what diodes do in a circuit, but am unsure what an aplication is.
Please clarify.
2007-02-06 06:21:44 · answer #5 · answered by Bob the Boat 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
a diode is used to block the flow of electricity in one direction when 4 are connected together it will change ac into dc known as a bridge rectifier
2007-02-05 22:53:18 · answer #6 · answered by welshelf 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
a diode only allows current flow in one direction, commonly used in power rectification see wikipedia
2007-02-08 09:05:51 · answer #7 · answered by Mark G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Diodes are used as rectifiers to turn ac into dc. They're also used as mixers in RF circuits to mix two signals and produce frequencies which are sums and differences of the two and as modulators. They can also be used in frequency multiplier circuits and can be used with transmission lines to make parametric amplifiers. They can also be used as voltage controlled capacitors in electronically tuned oscillators.
2007-02-05 23:07:01 · answer #8 · answered by Gene 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It is used to change ac to dc you use it every day when you charge your cellphone ac is run through a step down transformer to your phone voltage then through diodes to make pure dc.Also on computers.and even you car alternator produces ac before is is converted to 12 volt dc,
2007-02-06 01:11:19 · answer #9 · answered by Ernest B 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋