What is the term used for the maximum voltage or current reached during one alternation?

What is the term used for the maximum voltage or current reached during one alternation?

• A. Peak value
• B. Average value
• C. RMS value
• D. Peak-to-peak value

Answer: (A)

The maximum instantaneous value of an alternating waveform is called the peak value. It represents the amplitude of the signal—the highest voltage or current reached in one cycle. For a sine wave, the peak value is the distance from zero to the top of the curve; the opposite extreme is the negative peak, and the total swing from top to bottom is the peak-to-peak value, which is twice the peak. The RMS value describes the effective heating effect and is peak divided by √2 for a sine wave, not the maximum. The average value over a full cycle is zero for a symmetric AC waveform, so it does not reflect the maximum.

The maximum instantaneous value of an alternating waveform is called the peak value. It represents the amplitude of the signal—the highest voltage or current reached in one cycle. For a sine wave, the peak value is the distance from zero to the top of the curve; the opposite extreme is the negative peak, and the total swing from top to bottom is the peak-to-peak value, which is twice the peak. The RMS value describes the effective heating effect and is peak divided by √2 for a sine wave, not the maximum. The average value over a full cycle is zero for a symmetric AC waveform, so it does not reflect the maximum.