The operation of an ideal air-to-open control valve is shown in Fig.19-7a. Any given air pressure signal to the valve results in a unique stem position x. The friction in the packing and guiding surfaces of a control valve often causes a control valve to exhibit hysteresis, as shown in Fig. 19-7b. When the air pressure increases to the valve top, the stem position increases along the lower curve. When the air pressure decreases, the stem position decreases along the upper curve. At the moment the air pressure signal reverses, the stem position stays in the last position until the dead H is exceeded, after which the pressure begins to decrease or increase along the paths shown by the arrows. If the valve is subjected to a slow periodic variation in pressure, a typical path taken by the stem position is shown by the closed curve ABCDA in Fig 19-7b.