Question 6A179

In a tetrode vacuum tube, electrons are emitted from the cathode, which is heated by the filament transformer. These electrons are primarily attracted to the positively charged plate and, to a lesser extent, intercepted by the positively charged screen grid. A milliammeter placed between the center tap of the filament transformer (representing the cathode's common reference point) and the negative high voltage terminal is positioned in the shared return path for all currents originating from the cathode. The total current flowing out of the cathode and back to the negative high voltage terminal of the power supply is the sum of the current flowing to the plate (plate current) and the current flowing to the screen grid (screen grid current). Therefore, the meter will indicate their combined value. Individual plate or screen grid currents would require meters placed in their respective specific circuit branches.