🔍 Key Concepts

• Series voltage regulator operation in section D (Q1, CR1, R1, RL) • How a minimum load (bleeder) resistor affects output voltage stability on a DC supply • Difference between regulating voltage and limiting current or correcting power factor

💭 Think About

• Look at when Q1 and the zener CR1 actually start to regulate: what happens to the output if the external load current becomes very small or is disconnected? • If the only thing connected were the filter capacitor from section C, what would adding RL across the output do to the capacitor’s voltage over time? • Which one of the choices describes a function that acts continuously, even with no other load connected, and directly influences how steady the output voltage is?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify that RL is connected across the DC output terminals, not in series with the line or transformer, so it cannot correct power factor. • Confirm that RL is not physically attached to the transistor or a sensing element, so it is unlikely to be a temperature compensator. • Think about whether RL provides a small, continuous bleeder/load current that helps the regulator and filter maintain a more constant output voltage level.