Question
Which of the following calculates power dissipated by a series linear voltage regulator?
Answer Options
- A) Input voltage multiplied by input current
- B) Input voltage divided by output current
- C) Voltage difference from input to output multiplied by output current
- D) Output voltage multiplied by output current
Correct Answer: C
Explanation
A series linear voltage regulator controls voltage by forcing the series pass transistor to act like a variable resistor, dissipating the excess voltage as heat. This heat represents the power that is ‘lost’ in the regulator itself, making it an efficiency concern.
Power dissipation (P_D) is calculated as the product of the voltage dropped across the pass transistor and the current flowing through it. Since the current through the pass transistor is the output current, the formula is the voltage difference from input to output multiplied by the output current: P_D = (V_{IN} - V_{OUT}) \times I_{OUT}. This power must be managed with adequate heat sinking.
This topic was automatically created to facilitate community discussion about this exam question. Feel free to share study tips, memory tricks, or additional explanations!