Extra exam question E6B01
Subelement E6, CIRCUIT COMPONENTS· Group E6B
What is the most useful characteristic of a Zener diode?
- A.A constant current drop under conditions of varying voltage
- B.A constant voltage drop under conditions of varying current (correct answer)
- C.A negative resistance region
- D.An internal capacitance that varies with the applied voltage
WhyA Zener diode's most useful characteristic is holding a constant voltage drop under varying current. A Zener diode's most useful characteristic is holding a nearly constant voltage drop across itself even as the current through it varies considerably, the property that makes it useful as a voltage reference, answer B. It doesn't hold a constant current under varying voltage, doesn't exhibit a negative resistance region (that's a tunnel diode characteristic), and its capacitance-varies-with-voltage behavior, while real, isn't its most useful trait, that describes a varactor diode's defining feature instead.
Published 2026-08-28 · Last updated 2026-08-28 · Question text is verbatim from the 2024-2028 NCVEC Element 4 pool (public domain); the explanation above is original writing, see our methodology.
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