In full wave rectification, why does the output voltage remain on the positive side of the sine wave?

In full wave rectification, the process actively converts both halves of an alternating current (AC) sine wave into a direct current (DC) output. During this process, the negative cycles of the sine wave are inverted to become positive, ensuring that the output voltage remains above zero.

When referring to why the output voltage stays on the positive side, it is crucial to understand the function of the diodes used in full wave rectification. In this configuration, diodes allow current to flow through them in one direction only. During the positive cycle of the AC input, current flows through the load, producing a positive output voltage. During the negative cycle, instead of simply blocking the current, the diodes facilitate the current flow in such a way that this negative portion of the sine wave gets flipped to become positive. Therefore, the result is an uninterrupted series of positive voltage spikes corresponding to both halves of the input wave.

The notion that negative cycles are completely blocked does not entirely capture the effectiveness of full wave rectification. Instead, these cycles are transformed into positive equivalents, which is essential for maintaining a consistently positive output voltage across the load. This principle is fundamental in applications requiring a smooth DC supply from an AC source, thus validating why the output remains on