Transistor Question: Can a Transistor Amplify Current?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jearls74
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Transistor
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
1 reply · 2K views
jearls74
Messages
53
Reaction score
1
ive been reading about transistors and i have a question i can't find answer to, maybe someone here knows the answer. how much current can a transistor amplify or create? for example, can you push 1 amp of current through the collector of a 15 amp 12 volt NPN transistor and would it boost the current to 15 amps coming out of the emitter?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
No.
A transistor can be thought of as a current controlled variable resistor.

Collector current is determined by base current times the transistor gain.
Emitter current will be collector current + base current.