What type of current is produced in the armature of a generator?

• A. AC
• B. DC
• C. Pulsating DC
• D. Alternating current with DC offset

Answer: (A)

As the rotor turns, the armature windings cut through the magnetic flux and experience an induced EMF that changes polarity as the coil orientation passes through different angles. This reversal of polarity causes the current in the armature windings to alternate with time, i.e., AC. In a DC generator, the commutator and brushes convert this alternating action into a unidirectional output for the external circuit, but the current inside the armature itself is still alternating. The other options imply a steady DC, pulsating DC, or a DC offset, which don’t describe the basic generation process inside the armature.