Answer & Solution
Answer: Option
C
Solution:
The correct answer is Option C: Summer.
Here's why:
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) takes a digital input (like a binary number) and converts it into an analog voltage.
Option A: Non-inverter
A non-inverting amplifier provides gain but doesn't directly contribute to the conversion process needed in a DAC.
Option B: Voltage follower
A voltage follower has a gain of 1 and is primarily used for buffering, not for the weighted summing required in DACs.
Option C: Summer
A summing amplifier (or summer) is crucial in many DAC designs.
It takes multiple input voltages and produces an output voltage that is proportional to the weighted sum of the inputs.
In a DAC, each digital bit controls a switch that connects a specific voltage (or current) to the summing amplifier's input.
The weights are determined by the resistor values, so each bit contributes a different amount to the final output voltage, effectively converting the digital value to its analog equivalent.
Option D: Difference amplifier
A difference amplifier amplifies the difference between two input voltages and is not directly used in the typical architecture of a DAC.
Therefore, the summer amplifier is the core component that performs the digital-to-analog conversion by summing weighted inputs.
