Which device switches alternating current to direct current?

Which device switches alternating current to direct current?

• A. Converter
• B. Inverter
• C. Rectifier
• D. Amplifier

Answer: (C)

Rectifiers perform the conversion of alternating current to direct current. AC alternates direction each half-cycle, and a rectifier uses diodes (or controlled rectifiers) to conduct in only one direction, producing current that flows in a single direction. This pulsating DC can be smoothed into steadier DC with capacitors and filtering. Inverters do the opposite: they turn DC into AC. Amplifiers, meanwhile, boost a signal’s amplitude without changing its AC/DC nature. The term converter is broad, but when the goal is AC to DC, the specific device is called a rectifier.

Rectifiers perform the conversion of alternating current to direct current. AC alternates direction each half-cycle, and a rectifier uses diodes (or controlled rectifiers) to conduct in only one direction, producing current that flows in a single direction. This pulsating DC can be smoothed into steadier DC with capacitors and filtering. Inverters do the opposite: they turn DC into AC. Amplifiers, meanwhile, boost a signal’s amplitude without changing its AC/DC nature. The term converter is broad, but when the goal is AC to DC, the specific device is called a rectifier.