Exam-style question
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Explain how the timing components in an astable circuit determine the period of the output waveform.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The period of an astable multivibrator is set by the RC time constants of the two timing networks.
- Each capacitor charges through a resistor to a threshold voltage, then discharges through the other resistor when the opposite transistor turns on.
- The time taken for a full cycle is roughly 0.693 times the sum of the two RC products, so changing either resistor or capacitor values directly scales the period.
Explanation
Why this works
This answer requires application of the RC time‑constant concept to a specific circuit type, testing the student’s ability to connect component values to waveform timing. It also checks understanding of the relationship between charging/discharging paths and the resulting period, moving beyond simple recall.
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