When a diode is shorted, what will the voltmeter reading be?

When a diode is shorted, what will the voltmeter reading be?

• A. Positive voltage
• B. Negative voltage
• C. Zero volts
• D. Variable voltage

Answer: (C)

When a diode is shorted, it essentially means that there is a direct connection between its two terminals, bypassing the diode's normal operation. A diode typically allows current to flow in one direction while blocking it in the opposite direction. However, in the case of a short circuit across its terminals, the resistance drops to nearly zero, leading to no significant voltage difference across the diode. Since the voltmeter measures the potential difference between the two terminals, and with the terminals being directly connected in a shorted state, the voltmeter will read zero volts. This reading indicates that there is no opposition to current flow, and thus no voltage drop occurs across the diode. Hence, zero volts is the correct answer in this scenario.

When a diode is shorted, it essentially means that there is a direct connection between its two terminals, bypassing the diode's normal operation. A diode typically allows current to flow in one direction while blocking it in the opposite direction. However, in the case of a short circuit across its terminals, the resistance drops to nearly zero, leading to no significant voltage difference across the diode.

Since the voltmeter measures the potential difference between the two terminals, and with the terminals being directly connected in a shorted state, the voltmeter will read zero volts. This reading indicates that there is no opposition to current flow, and thus no voltage drop occurs across the diode. Hence, zero volts is the correct answer in this scenario.