What is half wave and full wave rectifier?

I learned it this way: think of it as squeezing juice. Half-wave rectifier = squeezing only half the fruit. Full-wave = squeezing the entire fruit, so you get more output!

In simple terms: - A half-wave rectifier uses only one half of the AC signal (either positive or negative), wasting the other half. - A full-wave rectifier uses both halves of the AC signal, making it more efficient. So, if efficiency and smoother DC output is needed, full-wave is preferred.