In operational amplifiers, the "virtual short" concept is associated with which terminal configurations? Choose the most appropriate answer.

The concept of "virtual short" in operational amplifiers (op-amps) is primarily associated with the inverting and non-inverting terminal configurations.

1. Inverting Configuration: In this configuration, the input signal is applied to the inverting terminal (-), while the non-inverting terminal (+) is grounded. Because of the high gain of the op-amp, the voltage difference between the two terminals is effectively zero, leading to the virtual short concept. This means that the inverting input terminal is at the same potential as the non-inverting terminal, which is at ground potential.

2. Non-inverting Configuration: Similarly, in the non-inverting configuration, the input signal is applied to the non-inverting terminal (+) while the inverting terminal (-) is connected to feedback. The virtual short concept applies here as well, ensuring that the inverting terminal follows the voltage level of the non-inverting terminal due to the feedback mechanism, again resulting in a negligible voltage difference.

In summary, the "virtual short" concept is fundamentally linked to the behavior and configurations of both the inverting and non-inverting terminals of the operational amplifier.