🔍 Key Concepts

• Transistor polarity and junction breakdown when wired backwards • The role of power dissipation and current rating in device protection • What heat sink compound and supply voltage level actually do to a transistor

💭 Think About

• For each option, ask: does this condition create excess heat, excess current, or reverse/breakdown voltage across the transistor junctions? • Consider whether using a device with a higher current rating than needed is dangerous, or usually safer. • Think about what happens inside a transistor if the collector or base are connected with the wrong polarity relative to the emitter.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which choice can cause immediate junction damage (thermal or electrical breakdown) rather than just poor performance. • Verify which procedures are normally used to protect a transistor rather than harm it (e.g., heat transfer materials, higher current rating). • Check whether low input voltage is more likely to damage a transistor or simply prevent it from turning on properly.