Which term describes a waveform that has more than two phases within a burst?

Which term describes a waveform that has more than two phases within a burst?

• A. Monophasic
• B. Biphasic
• C. Triphasic
• D. Polyphasic

Answer: (D)

Understanding how many directions the current takes inside a burst is the key idea. A monophasic waveform has current flowing in one direction only for each pulse. A biphasic waveform uses two phases—typically a positive phase followed by a negative phase—to balance charge. A triphasic waveform contains three distinct phases within a pulse. When there are more than two phases in a burst, the correct umbrella term is polyphasic. Polyphasic covers any waveform with four or more phases (and also includes triphasic as a specific case), which is exactly what “more than two phases” describes.

Understanding how many directions the current takes inside a burst is the key idea. A monophasic waveform has current flowing in one direction only for each pulse. A biphasic waveform uses two phases—typically a positive phase followed by a negative phase—to balance charge. A triphasic waveform contains three distinct phases within a pulse. When there are more than two phases in a burst, the correct umbrella term is polyphasic. Polyphasic covers any waveform with four or more phases (and also includes triphasic as a specific case), which is exactly what “more than two phases” describes.