Concept of AC voltage – Learn in simple language

In this article, don't forget to read the reference notes.

Power supply is the basic requirement of any working circuit or device. We know that the electronic circuit uses semiconductors and so the circuit requires only DC power supply for its smooth working and good performance.

So in this chapter, we shall study the conversion of AC voltage into proportional DC voltage, using the technique of rectification process.

Since AC mains voltage source is cheap and convenient rather than the DC source of batteries, we shall use AC mains voltage like 230V, 50Hz source used particularly in India. There varieties of mains voltage source on global level[i]. But the explanation of the circuits given here is equally applicable on global level.

Concept of AC voltage

AC voltage is generated on the principle of Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. Consider a simple model of generator as shown in following figure. Suppose a rectangular coil is rotating, in anticlockwise direction, on a fixed axis within the strong magnetic field of two permanent magnets (left figure). Then AC voltage is produced across its two end points A-B. The voltage thus, produced at each position is given in the graph (right figure).