SRDAV Public School

Class-XII
Physics Project Report
Topic Full Wave Bridge Rectifier
Submitted to: Mrs. P. Tiwari
Submitted by: Vaibhav Pal

Acknowledgement
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my
physics teacher (Mrs. P. Tiwari) who gave me the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project on the topic (Full wave
bridge rectifier), which also helped me in doing a lot of
Research and i came to know about so many new things I am
really thankful to them.
Secondly I would also like to thank my parents and friends who
helped me a lot in finalizing this project within the limited time
frame.

Certificate
This is to certify that Vaibhav Pal (Roll No:
) student of
class XII , SRDAV Public School has completed the project
titled Full Wave Bridge Rectifier during the academic year
2014 -15 towards partial fulfillment of credit for the Physics
Project evaluation of AISSCE 2015, and submitted working
model and satisfactory report , as compiled in the following
pages, under my supervision.

Mrs. P. Tiwari
(Teachers signature)

Contents

Aim
Theory
Materials required
Circuit diagram
Working
Graph
Applications
Merits and Demerits
Bibliography

Aim
To construct a full wave bridge rectifier and show that that
Alternating Current is rectified into a Direct Current.

Theory
The process of converting AC (which periodically reverses direction)
current into DC (which flows only in one direction) current is known
as Rectification.
The electrical device used to so is known as Rectifier.
Rectifiers have many uses, but are often found serving as
components of DC power supplies and high-voltage direct current
power transmission systems. Rectification may serve in roles other
than to generate direct current for use as a source of power.
The simple process of rectification produces a type of DC
characterized by pulsating voltages and currents (although still
unidirectional). Depending upon the type of end-use, this type of
DC current may then be further modified into the type of relatively
constant voltage DC characteristically produced by such sources as
batteries and solar cells.
A diode bridge is an arrangement of four (or more) diodes in a bridge
circuit configuration that provides the same polarity of output for
either polarity of input. When used in its most common application,
for conversion of an alternating current (AC) input into a direct
current (DC) output, it is known as a bridge rectifier. A bridge rectifier
provides full-wave rectification from a two-wire AC input, resulting in
lower cost and weight as compared to a rectifier with a 3-wire input
from a transformer with a center-tapped secondary winding.

Materials Required
Connecting wires
Step-down transformer
Diodes (4)
Capacitor (1)
LED (1)

Circuit Diagram

Working
Initially when the A.C. is supplied to the transformer, it steps down
the 220V main supply to 6 volts. It has a capability of delivering a
current of 500mA. The 6 volts A.C. appearing across the secondary
coil is the RMS value and the peak value is 8.4 volts. During the Ist
half cycle of the A.C. input Diode D1 is forward biased and a current
I flows in the circuit in the direction ABCDEFGHIJKLM. During this
time diodes D2 and D3 are reverse biased. So they do not conduct
any electric current.
During the next half cycle the diode D2 is forward and D1 is
reversed. Hence D2 conducts current in the direction
MLKJCDEFGHIA and D1 does not conduct any current.
In subsequent half cycles of the A.C current the above processes are
repeated. In both the half cycles it is clear that current flows through
LED in only one direction.
Even though the voltage across LED is unidirectional it will still
contain a few A.C components. This is filtered and made smooth
using a capacitor, which filters 99% of the A.C current.

Capacitor nearly filters all A.C components from the supply. But
there will be slight factor of A.C. current still left in the output but it is
negligible. The output Direct Current and voltage light up the LED.

Graph

Applications
Because of their low cost compared to center tapped
they are widely used in power supply circuit.
This can be used to detect the amplitude of modulated
radio signal.
Bridge rectifiers can be used to supply polarized voltage
in welding.
In daily life, rectifier find use in mobile chargers.

Merits and Demerits

Merits: The rectification efficiency of full-wave rectifier is double
of that of a half-wave rectifier.
The ripple voltage is low and of higher frequency in case
of a full-wave rectifier so simple filtering circuit is
required.
Higher output voltage higher output power and higher
TUF in case of a full-wave rectifier.
In a full-wave rectifier, there is no problem due to DC
saturation of the core because the DC currents in the
two halves of the transformer secondary flow in opposite
directions.

Demerits: Full-wave rectifier needs more circuit elements and is

costlier.

Bibliography
Physics Textbook for class XII (NCERT)
Laboratory Manual of Physics
Encyclopedias
Websites: www.google.in
www.wikipedia.org
www.youtube.com