Malvino: MCQ in Special Purpose Diodes

(Last Updated On: September 29, 2020)

This is the Multiple Choice Questions in Chapter 5: Special-Purpose Diodes from the book Electronic Principles 7th Edition by Albert Malvino. If you are looking for a reviewer in Electronics Engineering this will definitely help. I can assure you that this will be a great help in reviewing the book in preparation for your Board Exam. Make sure to familiarize each and every questions to increase the chance of passing the ECE Board Exam.

Topic Outline

• MCQs in Zener Diode
• MCQs in Zener Regulator
• MCQs in Second Approximation of Zener Diode
• MCQs in Zener Drop-Out Point
• MCQs in Load Lines
• MCQs in Optoelectronic Devices
• MCQs in Schottky Diode
• MCQs in Varactor
• MCQs in Other Diodes

Start Practice Exam Test Questions

Choose the letter of the best answer in each questions.

1. What is true about the breakdown voltage in a zener diode?

• a. It decreases when current increases.
• b. It destroys the diode.
• c. It equals the current times the resistance.
• d. It is approximately constant.

2. Which of these is the best description of a zener diode?

• a. It is a rectifier diode.
• b. It is a constant-voltage device.
• c. It is a constant-current device.
• d. It works in the forward region.

3. A zener diode

• a. Is a battery
• b. Has a constant voltage in the breakdown region
• c. Has a barrier potential of 1 V
• d. Is forward-biased

4. The voltage across the zener resistance is usually

• a. Small
• b. Large
• c. Measured in volts
• d. Subtracted from the breakdown voltage

5. If the series resistance decreases in an unloaded zener regulator, the zener current

• a. Decreases
• b. Stays the same
• c. Increases
• d. Equals the voltage divided by the resistance

6.In the second approximation, the total voltage across the zener diode is the sum of-the breakdown voltage and the voltage across the

• a. Source
• b. Series resistor
• c. Zener resistance
• d. Zener diode

7. The load voltage is approximately constant when a zener diode is

• a. Forward-biased
• b. Reverse-biased
• c. Operating in the breakdown region
• d. Unbiased

8. In a loaded zener regulator, which has the largest current?

• a. Series current
• b. Zener current
• c. Load current
• d. None of these

9. If the load resistance decreases in a zener regulator, the zener current

• a. Decreases
• b. Stays the same
• c. Increases
• d. Equals the source voltage divided by the series resistance

10. If the load resistance decreases in a zener regulator, the series current

• a. Decreases
• b. Stays the same
• c. Increases
• d. Equals the source voltage divided by the series resistance

11. When the source voltage increases in a zener regulator, which of these currents remains approximately constant?

• a. Series current
• b. Zener current
• c. Load current
• d. Total current

12. If the zener diode in a zener regulator is connected with the wrong polarity, the load voltage will be closest to

• a. 0.7 V
• b. 10 V
• c. 14 V
• d. 18 V

13. At high frequencies, ordinary diodes don’t work properly because of

• a. Forward bias
• b. Reverse bias
• c. Breakdown
• d. Charge storage

14. The capacitance of a varactor diode increases when the reverse voltage across it

• a. Decreases
• b. Increases
• c. Breaks down
• d. Stores charges

15. Breakdown does not destroy a zener diode provided the zener current is less than the

• a. Breakdown voltage
• b. Zener test current
• c. Maximum zener current rating
• d. Banier potential

16. To display the digit 8 in a seven-segment indicator,

• a. C must be lighted
• b. G must be off
• c. F must be on
• d. All segments must be on

17. A photodiode is normally

• a. Forward-biased
• b. Reverse-biased
• c. Neither forward- nor reverse biased
• d. Emitting light

18. When the light increases, the reverse minority carrier current in a photodiode

• a. Decreases
• b. Increases
• c. Is unaffected
• d. Reverses direction

19. The device associated with voltage-controlled capacitance is a

• a. Light-emitting diode
• b. Photodiode
• c. Varactor diode
• d. Zener diode

20. If the depletion layer gets wider, the capacitance

• a. Decreases
• b. Stays the same
• c. Increases
• d. Is variable

21. When the reverse voltage increases, the capacitance

• a. Decreases
• b. Stays the same
• c. Increases
• d. Has more bandwidth

22. The varactor is usually

• a. Forward-biased
• b. Reverse-biased
• c. Unbiased
• d. Operated in the breakdown region

23. The device to use for rectifying a weak ac signal is a

• a. Zener diode
• b. Light-emitting diode
• c. Varistor
• d. Back diode

24. Which of the following has a negative-resistance region?

• a. Tunnel diode
• b. Step-recovery diode
• c. Schottky diode
• d. Optocoupler

25. A blown-fuse indicator uses a

• a. Zener diode
• b. Constant-current diode
• c. Light-emitting diode
• d. Back diode

26. To isolate an output circuit from an input circuit, which is the device to use?

• a. Back diode
• b. Optocoupler
• c. Seven-segment indicator
• d. Tunnel diode

27. The diode with a forward voltage drop of approximately 0.25 V is the

• a. Step-recovery diode
• b. Schottky diode
• c. Back diode
• d. Constant-current diode

28. For typical operation, you need to use reverse bias with a

• a. Zener diode
• b. Photodiode
• c. Varactor
• d. All of the above

Check your work.

Complete List of MCQ in Electronic Principles by Albert Malvino