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Difference Between Unilateral and Bilateral Circuits and Elements

What is the Difference Between Unilateral and Bilateral Circuits and Elements?

Unilateral and bilateral circuits are two types of electrical circuits that have different characteristics. Both types of circuits can be used for various applications such as amplifiers, oscillators, power supplies and more.

The main difference between unilateral and bilateral circuits lies in their ability to control or regulate current or voltage levels within the system in a specific direction. In a unilateral configuration, voltage regulation is achieved through resistors placed at each end of the component; whereas with bilaterally connected components they can use an active element like transistors or diodes to provide feedback so that any changes made on one side will be reflected across all elements connected together by this kind of circuitry.

Difference Between Unilateral and Bilateral Circuits

To make things clear and understandable, let’s know the unilateral and bilateral elements and circuits with given examples as follows.

Unilateral Circuits

In unilateral circuits, the property and characteristics of a circuit changes with the changes in direction of supply voltage or current. In other words, a unilateral circuit allows the current to flow only in one direction for specific operation to be performed.

Example: Diode rectifier is a unilateral circuit because it does not perform the rectification in both directions i.e. it only performs rectification in single direction. Another example is the pure resistive circuit where V-I characteristics do not change, no matter what is the direction of supply voltage.

Bilateral Circuits

In bilateral circuits, the property and characteristics of a circuit does not change with the change in direction of supply voltage or current. In other words, bilateral circuit allows the current to flow in both directions for specific operation.

Examples: Transmission line in power system is a bilateral circuit because its characteristics do not change, when the supply voltage is applied from any direction. In other words, the circuit characteristics and properties remain constant no matter what is the direction of supply voltage or current. Another example is a diode based circuit which only conducts in one direction i.e. forward bias.

 

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