Which type of rectifier would be best for providing smoother output voltage?

The full-wave rectifier is the best choice for providing a smoother output voltage because it utilizes both halves of the AC signal, effectively doubling the frequency of the output waveform. Unlike a half-wave rectifier, which only conducts during one half of the AC cycle and thus results in a significant amount of ripple in the output voltage, the full-wave rectifier converts both positive and negative halves into a unidirectional voltage output.

This results in a more consistent and higher average output voltage. By utilizing both halves of the input signal, the full-wave rectifier reduces the ripple factor and allows for easier filtering, which leads to a smoother DC output. Additionally, the use of filtering components, such as capacitors, becomes more effective with the higher frequency of the full-wave rectified signal, further reducing any remaining ripple and providing a stable output voltage.

In contrast, other options would not provide the same level of voltage smoothing. A half-wave rectifier would only use one half of the AC cycle, leading to increased ripple. Clipping circuits are generally used to limit the voltage level and do not rectify AC current, while a variable resistor does not rectify but instead varies resistance in a circuit. Therefore, a full-wave rectifier is the preferred choice for applications requiring