Physics GCSE
diode
What diode means in Physics GCSE, as defined for AQA, OCR.
Definitions of diode
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Reference: AQA
One of the circuit elements whose I–V characteristics are investigated, and which needs a protective resistor in series so the forward current cannot damage it.
A component whose characteristic stays at zero one side and rises steeply the other, so it conducts one way only.
Conducts in forward bias and blocks in reverse, so its graph is not a straight line through the origin.
A component that conducts in one direction only.
Topics that use diode
- Resistors (AQA GCSE)
- Simple circuits (OCR GCSE)
Related terms
- constant resistance
- filament lamp
- non-ohmic components
- Standard circuit symbols
- Cell polarity conventions
- comparing at fixed pd
- constant temperature
- Current
Using diode in the exam
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