FCC Exam Question: 6A129

What is the primary purpose of the control grid of the triode?

A. To provide a means of obtaining amplification
B. To neutralize RF amplifiers
C. Blocks passage of electrons
D. None of the above
Correct Answer: A

Explanation: The control grid in a triode vacuum tube is strategically placed between the electron-emitting cathode and the electron-collecting plate. Its primary function is to regulate the flow of electrons from the cathode to the plate. A small change in voltage applied to the control grid can cause a significant change in the much larger current flowing through the tube. This ability to control a large output current with a small input voltage is the fundamental principle of amplification, making the triode a key component in early radio technology. Option B is incorrect because neutralization is a circuit design technique used to prevent unwanted oscillations in RF amplifiers, typically by cancelling internal capacitance, not a primary function of the control grid itself. Option C is incorrect; while a sufficiently negative grid voltage can indeed block electron flow (cutoff), the grid's primary *purpose* is variable control, not simply blocking, to achieve amplification.

Pass Your FCC Exam!

Study offline, track your progress, and simulate real exams with the GMDSS Trainer app.


Includes Elements 1, 3, 6, 7R, 8, and 9.