Loading…
Loading…
GCSE Physics · key term
The connection of a diode that allows current to flow readily in its conducting direction.
Used by AQA and OCR
Specification 4.2.1.4 · Paper 1
Revise: Practical: Investigating I-V CharacteristicsIn forward bias there is initially little current, followed by a rapid increase once the potential difference is large enough for appreciable conduction. Its I–V characteristic is therefore strongly non-linear and is not symmetrical about the origin.
Paper 1, Paper 2
The direction of potential difference across a diode that allows it to conduct.
When describing the diode results, state which direction is forward bias and recognise that reverse current is extremely small.
Create a free account to read GCSE Physics revision notes for your exam board and track your progress.
In forward bias, very little current flows at first; once the forward potential difference becomes sufficiently large, the current rises steeply. In reverse bias, its resistance is very high and the current is approximately zero over the range normally used in a school experiment.