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Duty Cycle

What is a duty cycle?

A duty cycle is the percentage of time that a periodic signal is in its active or 'on' state during one complete cycle. It is calculated as the ratio of the pulse width (on-time) to the total period, expressed as a percentage. Duty cycle is commonly used in PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) applications to control motor speed, LED brightness, and power delivery. A 50% duty cycle means the signal is on for half the time and off for half the time.

Related Terms

Pulse Width Modulation

PWM

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) is a digital technique that controls the average power delivered to a load by rapidly switching a signal on and off at a fixed frequency while varying the duration (width) of the on-time pulses. The duty cycle, expressed as a percentage, represents the ratio of on-time to the total period - a 50% duty cycle means the signal is on half the time and off half the time. PWM is commonly used to control motor speeds, LED brightness, servo positions, and simulate analog voltages using digital outputs.