Which statement correctly describes open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current?

Master the Gate 6 Airstreams Renewables Test with a variety of questions, in-depth explanations, and unique insights. Prepare and excel with confidence!

Multiple Choice

Which statement correctly describes open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current?

Explanation:
Open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current describe the extreme responses of a source to its load. When the output is open, there is no path for current, so the current is zero and the voltage across the terminals is at its maximum for that source. This maximum voltage is the open-circuit voltage, Voc. When the output is shorted, the external resistance is essentially zero, so the voltage across the terminals drops to near zero, while the current through the short—the short-circuit current—is at its maximum determined by the source’s internal resistance. This current is Isc. So, Voc is the voltage with no current flowing, and Isc is the current with the output shorted. The other statements misstate these conditions: open-circuit means no current, not Isc; shorting the output does not produce Voc, it yields almost zero voltage.

Open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current describe the extreme responses of a source to its load. When the output is open, there is no path for current, so the current is zero and the voltage across the terminals is at its maximum for that source. This maximum voltage is the open-circuit voltage, Voc.

When the output is shorted, the external resistance is essentially zero, so the voltage across the terminals drops to near zero, while the current through the short—the short-circuit current—is at its maximum determined by the source’s internal resistance. This current is Isc.

So, Voc is the voltage with no current flowing, and Isc is the current with the output shorted. The other statements misstate these conditions: open-circuit means no current, not Isc; shorting the output does not produce Voc, it yields almost zero voltage.