Exam-style question
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Explain how an astable multivibrator can be used to generate a clock signal for a digital circuit, including the roles of the two resistors and the capacitor.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- An astable multivibrator produces a continuous square‑wave output that can act as a clock signal.
- The two resistors set the charging and discharging rates of the capacitor, which determines the timing of the output transitions.
- When the capacitor voltage reaches the threshold of the first transistor, it switches the second transistor on, and vice versa, creating the oscillation.
- Thus the resistor values and capacitor value control the period of the clock signal.
Explanation
Why this works
The answer demonstrates application of the astable circuit to a practical digital function and explains the function of each component, testing understanding of component roles and timing generation.
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