Question
What impedance does a 1/2-wavelength transmission line present to an RF generator when the line is shorted at the far end?
Answer Options
- A) Very high impedance
- B) Very low impedance
- C) The same as the characteristic impedance of the line
- D) The same as the output impedance of the RF generator
Correct Answer: B
Explanation
Transmission lines repeat their load impedance every half-wavelength. This is a fundamental property of lossless transmission line theory. This principle is used for both measurement and matching.
A short circuit (zero impedance) at the load end (Z_L=0) repeats itself every half-wavelength back toward the generator. Therefore, a half-wavelength transmission line that is shorted at the far end presents a very low impedance (theoretically zero, or a short circuit) to the RF generator.
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