AC Terms

Question 1

The flow of electrons that continuously changes its value in magnitude and periodically reverses direction.

Answer 1

Alternating current.

Question 2

The number of cycles of AC completed in one second.

Answer 2

Frequency.

Question 3

Part of electrical impedance, a measure of opposition to a sinusoidal alternating current.

Answer 3

Reactance.

Question 4

The opposition to current flow in a circuit that is produced by a capacitor.

Answer 4

Capacitive reactance.

Question 5

The opposition to current in a circuit that contains an inductor.

Answer 5

Inductive reactance.

Question 6

Alternating current wave form that is produced by a rotary generator.

Answer 6

Sine-wave.

Question 7

The effective value of sine-wave alternating current (.707 of the peak value).

Answer 7

Root mean square.

Question 8

Amount of AC that produces the same amount of heat as corresponding value of DC.

Answer 8

Effective voltage.

Question 9

Differences between two similarly varying quantities.

Answer 9

Phase angle.

Question 10

Ratio of the actual power dissipated in an electrical system to the input power of volts multiplied by amps.

Answer 10

Power factor.

Question 11

The actual power available in an AC circuit.

Answer 11

True power.

Question 12

A phantom power that is a result of the voltage and current used by the inductors and capacitors in an AC circuit.

Answer 12

Reactive power.

Question 13

The product of effective voltage and effective current which is expressed in Volt Amps rather than Watts.

Answer 13

Apparent power.

Question 14

Windings arranged in the shape of a Y.

Answer 14

Wye wound.

Question 15

Windings arranged in the shape of a triangle.

Answer 15

Delta wound.

Question 16

Production of two or more phases of AC, or of two or more alternating voltages of the same frequency.

Answer 16

Polyphase.

Question 17

Electronic device that converts AC voltage to a type of DC.

Answer 17

Rectifier.

Question 18

A device which performs the opposite function of converting DC to AC power.

Answer 18

Inverter.

Question 19

The reduction in voltage in an electrical circuit between the source and load.

Answer 19

Voltage drop.

Question 20

Algebraic sum of the current flowing away from any point in an electrical circuit is equal to the sum of the current flowing to that point.

Answer 20

Kirchhoff’s current law.

Question 21

Algebraic sum of all of the voltage drops in any closed circuit is equal to zero.

Answer 21

Kirchhoff’s voltage law.

Question 22

A type of electrical circuit in which the current in a conductor splits into two parallel paths and then recombines into a single conductor.

Answer 22

Bridge circuit.