Question 3-52G5

Class AB amplifiers are designed to operate as a compromise between Class A and Class B, aiming for better efficiency than Class A while minimizing the crossover distortion inherent in Class B. * **Class A** amplifiers conduct for the full 360 degrees of the input cycle. * **Class B** amplifiers are biased to conduct for exactly 180 degrees of the input cycle. This introduces "crossover distortion" because there's a brief period when neither transistor in a push-pull arrangement is fully on. * **Class AB** amplifiers overcome crossover distortion by biasing the transistors to conduct for *slightly more* than 180 degrees, ensuring a small overlap in conduction. However, they do not conduct for the full 360 degrees, which would make them Class A. Therefore, the output for a Class AB amplifier is present for more than 180 but less than 360 degrees of the input cycle (option C). Options A, B, and D describe Class B, Class A, and Class C operation, respectively.