What is the ripple frequency of a half wave rectifier operating from 60 Hz electrical power?

To determine the ripple frequency of a half wave rectifier operating from a 60 Hz electrical power source, one must understand the functionality of half wave rectification.

A half wave rectifier only allows one half of the AC waveform to pass through, effectively blocking the other half. Since the input AC frequency is 60 Hz, this means the rectifier will only conduct during every positive half-cycle of the input waveform.

In a half wave rectifier, the output waveform replicates the input frequency but only for the half-cycles that are allowed to pass. Therefore, the frequency of the ripple—which is the frequency at which the output current flows—remains the same as the frequency of the input AC supply, which is 60 Hz.

Thus, for a half wave rectifier operating from a 60 Hz source, the ripple frequency is 60 Hz. This is a fundamental property of half wave rectifiers, distinguishing them from full wave rectifiers, which would double the frequency due to conduction on both halves of the AC cycle.