What does a Rectifier do?

• A. Converts AC to DC
• B. Converts DC to AC
• C. Stores electrical energy
• D. Regulates voltage

Answer: (A)

A rectifier converts alternating current into direct current. It uses diodes that conduct in only one direction, so each alternating half-cycle is allowed to pass in the same polarity, producing a unidirectional output (pulsating DC). In practice, the rectified waveform is often smoothed with a filter capacitor to provide a steadier DC supply for electronics.

The other functions listed don’t describe what a rectifier does: converting DC to AC is the job of an inverter, storing electrical energy is handled by storage devices like batteries or capacitors rather than the rectification process, and regulating voltage is accomplished by a voltage regulator, not the rectifier itself.