Feedback refers to taking a part of the output signal and feeding it back into the input. It is called positive feedback if it increases the intensity of the input signal, and it is called negative feedback if it decreases it.
Positive feedback causes the operational amplifier (op-amp) to saturate, thereby forcing its output voltage to become equal to its supply voltage . This behavior is used to advantage in certain types of applications but they are outside the scope of our course. Negative feedback, on the other hand, is an essential ingredient of all of the op-amp circuits which we will be covering in this course.
Discussion topic: For an operational amplifier, discuss the role of negative feedback and the trade-off between circuit gain and dynamic range.