well this is quite coincidental. ATM in yr 12 physics we are doing electronics which include rectifiers.

As i understand them they rectify AC current (really??). As we know AC current is like a sine wave. It goes up and down and continues. What a rectifier does is it converts the -ve voltage to +ve voltage.

have a look at this, hope it helps. And if i am completely wrong please do not hesitate to say so. I usually play games in physics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectifier