In a negative feedback configuration of an op-amp, the output is connected back to the input to maintain stability and control. This process helps ensure that the voltages at the inverting and non-inverting inputs are kept equal due to the operation of the op-amp's high gain. This technique is referred to as __________ feedback.

The blank should be filled with “negative. ” In a negative‑feedback op‑amp, the output is fed back to the input in such a way that any increase in output voltage pulls the input voltage in the opposite direction, keeping the two input terminals nearly equal. Because the op‑amp has very high open‑loop gain, a tiny difference between the inputs is amplified until the feedback forces the difference back toward zero. This self‑correcting loop stabilizes the circuit and sets a predictable relationship between input and output. For example, in an inverting amplifier, the feedback resistor keeps the inverting input at a virtual ground, so the output simply scales the input voltage by the resistor ratio.