Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]PhysicsElectric Current through Gases
The saturation current in a triode valve can be altered by varying
Options
- Athe temperature of the cathode
- Bthe plate voltage
- Cthe separation between the grid and the cathode
- Dthe grid voltage
Correct answer
A. the temperature of the cathode
Step-by-step solution
The saturation current in a triode valve is the maximum current that flows when all the electrons emitted by the cathode are collected by the plate. According to the Richardson-Dushman equation, the thermionic emission current (saturation current) is given by I_s = A T^2 e^ - W kT , where T is the absolute temperature of the cathode and W is the work function of the cathode material. Thus, the saturation current depends only on the nature of the material and the temperature of the cathode. It is independent of the