Basic Electrical Engineering

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Question Bank
DCCIRCUITS

1. Aresistormadeofaluminumwiredissipates25Wofpowerat50V.Calculatethecurrentinasecondresistormade
ofcopperandhavingthesameresistanceasthefirstresistorandconsumingfourtimesthepowerofthefirstresistor.

2. Determinetheratioofpowersdissipatedintworesistors,eachhavingthesamelengthandeachmadeofcopperwire
ofcircularcrosssection,butonehavingadiametertwicethatofother,andeachbeingconnectedacrossthesame
voltage.
3. FindtheratioofpowersinthetworesistorsofQ2whentheresistorscarrythesamecurrent.

4. ReferFig.4.A300Vvoltmeterdraws2mAcurrentforfullscaledeflection.Thisvoltmeterisusedtomeasurethe
voltageacrossa50k resistor connected in series with a 25 k resistor, the combination of the resistors being
connectedacrossa150Vsource.Whatisthevoltmeterreading?

FIG.4

FIG.5

5. ReferFig.5.Determinethepotentialsatthepointsa,b,candd.
6. ReferFig.6.
a. Solve for the current in the 5 resistor.
b. Findthevoltageacrossabif the 5 resistor is removed and the terminalsabareopencircuited.
c. With the 5 resistor removed from the circuit, 90 V source is short circuited. Determine the
resistance thatwillbemeasuredacrossab.

FIG.6

FIG.10

7. State and explain Ohms law. What are its limitations?

8. State and explain Kirchhoffs laws as applicable to electric circuits.
9. Listthecharacteristicsofparallelcircuitsandseriescircuits.
10. ReferFig.10.Thetotalpowerconsumedbythenetworkis16W.FindRandI.
11. TworesistorsR1=2500andR2=4000arejoinedinserieswitha100Vsupply.ThedropacrossR1andR2
aremeasuredsuccessivelybyavoltmeterhavingaresistanceof50k.Findthesumofthetworeadings.
12. ReferFig.12.ObtainVXY,thepotentialVXw.r.t.VY.

FIG.12

FIG.13

13. Findthecurrentsinalltheresistorsofthenetworkshowninthefig.AlsofindthepotentialatAw.r.t.thatatB.
14. Aresistance R isinserieswithaparallelcombinationoftworesistancesof12 and8 .Thetotalpower
dissipationinthecircuitis70Wwhenthesupplyvoltageis20V.FindR.

15. Acurrentof20AflowsthroughtwoammetersAandBinseries.Thep.d.acrossAis0.2VandthatacrossBis0.3
V.FindhowthesamecurrentwilldividebetweenAandBwhentheyareinparallel.

16. Alampbulbisconnectedtoasourcethroughaswitch.Itisfoundthattheilluminationisinsufficientanditis

decidedtoaddasecondlamp,togiveillumination.Givetheappropriatelampconnection.Justifyyouranswer.
17.TwostoragebatteriesAandBare connected in parallel. They supply a load of 0.3 . The open circuit emf of

batteryAis11.7VandthatofBis12.3V.Theirinternalresistancesare0.06and0.05respectively.Findthe
currentsuppliedtotheload.
18.ReferFig.18.BatteryAhasanemfof110Vandinternalresistanceof0.25.Determinethemagnitudeand
directionofcurrentineachbatteryandthetotalcurrenttakenfromthesupply.

FIG.18
ELECTROMAGNETISM
1.Defineandexplainthetermsmagneticfield,magneticflux,magneticfluxdensity,magnetomotiveforce,
permeabilityandreluctance.
2. State and explain Faraday's and Lenz's laws. State and illustrate with sketches Flemings left and right hand rules.
3. Whatareleakagefluxandleakagecoefficient?
4. Explainstaticallyanddynamicallyinducedemf,selfandmutuallyinducedemf,inductance,andcoefficientsofself
andmutualinductance.
5. Obtainanexpressionfortheenergystoredinamagneticfield.

6. Anironringofmeanlength100cmwithanairgapof2mmhasawindingof400turnscarrying3A.Therelative
permeabilityofironis600.Findtheairgapfluxdensity.Alsofindtheenergystoredinthemagneticfieldduetothe
coil.Neglectfringing.
7. Inproblem6,findthecurrentgiventhattherequiredairgapfluxis0.5mwbtakingleakagefactortobe1.2.
8. Two200turnaircoredsolenoids,25cmlonghaveacrosssectionalareaof3cm 2each.Themutualinductance
betweenthemis0.5H.Findtheselfinductanceofthecoilsandthecoefficientofcoupling.
DCMACHINES
1. Explaintheprincipleofoperationofadcgenerator.
2. Withaneatsketchexplaintheconstructionofadcgenerator.
3. Derivetheemfequationofadcgenerator.
4. Explainthedifferenttypesofdegenerators&mentiontheirapplications.

5. A4pole,wavewounddcgeneratorhas50slotsand24conductors/slot.Theflux/poleis10mWb.Determinethe

inducedemfinthearmatureifitisrotatingat600rpm.Solvethesameproblemifthemachineislapwound.
6. A6pole,wavewoundDCgeneratorhas70conductors&12mWbflux/pole.Determinethespeedofthearmatureif
theinducedemfis400V.Whatwillbethespeedwhenitislapwoundandgenerating400V?Armaturereaction
weakensthefieldby3%.
7. Adcshuntgeneratorsuppliesaloadof10kWat250V.Calculatetheinducedemfifthearmatureresistanceis0.5
andshuntfieldresistanceis100.
8. Ashuntgeneratorhasaninducedemfof254V.Whenthemachineisloadedtheterminalvoltagefallsto240V.Find
theloadcurrentifthearmatureresistanceandfieldresistanceare0.04&24respectively.Brushcontactdropis
1.5V/brush.

9. Adclongshuntcompoundgeneratordeliversaloadcurrentof200Aat500V.Theresistanceofarmature,series

fieldandshuntfieldare0.03,0.015 &15 respectively.Calculatetheemfinducedinthearmature.Assumea

brushdropof1Vperbrush.
10. SolveProblem67forashortshuntcompoundgenerator.

11. Explaintheprincipleofoperationofadcmotor.
12. Explainthesignificanceofbackemfofadcmotor.Deriveanexpressionforthebackemf.

13. Derivethetorqueequationofadcmotor.
14. Explainthedifferenttypesofdcmotors.Mentiontheirapplications.
15. Sketch and explain the following characteristics for series, shunt, compound

motors.a)Torquevs.Armaturecurrent,andb)Speedvs.Armaturecurrent.
16. Whatarethepurposestobeservedbyadcmotorstarter?Withaneatsketchexplaintheworkingofa3point
starter.
17. A20kW,200Vdcshuntgeneratorhasaarmatureandfieldresistancesof0.05and150respectively.Determine
thetotalcurrentandpowerdevelopedwhenworkingasamotortaking20kWpower.
18. A250Vdcseriesmotorhasanarmatureresistanceof0.05andfieldresistanceof0.02.Itrunsat900rpmtaking
30A.Determineitsspeedwhenittakesacurrentof25A.
19. Adcshuntmotorrunsat950rpmon200Vwith40Aarmaturecurrent.Itsarmatureresistanceis0.8.What
resistanceisrequiredtobeconnectedinthearmaturecircuittoreducethespeedto725rpmwithoutchangingthe
armaturecurrent?
MEASURINGINSTRUMENTS
1. Whatarethedifferenttypesoftorquesencounteredinmeasuringinstruments?Explaineachofthembriefly.
2. Withneatsketches,explaintheconstructionandoperationofadynamometertypewattmeter.
3. Withneatsketches,explaintheconstructionandoperationofaninductiontypeenergymeter.

4. What is creep in an induction type energy meter. How is it minimized?

SINGLEPHASEACCIRCUITS

1. Define/Explainthefollowingtermswrtalternatingquantities:a)Phase&phasedifferenceandb)Frequencyand

period.
2. Defineandhencespecify/findtheinstantaneousvalue,peakvalue,RMSvalue,averagevalue,formfactorandpeak
factorofasignaloftheforma(t)=Amcos( t+ ).
3.Brieflyoutlinephasorrepresentationofalternatingquantities.Statealltheassumptionsandconventionsclearlyand
explicitly.
4. Justify: AphasorisNOTavector(whichiscompletelycharacterizedonlybymagnitudeanddirection).Phasors
andvectorsCANNOTbe represented on the same plane.
5. Showfromfirstprincipleshowtwophasorscanbeadded.Giventhata(t)=30sin( t+/6),b(t)=40sin( t3/4)
and c(t)=102cos( t/4),express d(t)=a(t)+b(t) c(t) intheform d(t)=Dm cos( t+ ). Sketchaphasordiagram
showingA,BandC,andhencesketchD.ExpressA,B,CandDintheform(x+jy).
6. Whataretheadvantagesofacoverdc?
7. Withaneatschematic,explaintheprincipleofgenerationofalternatingvoltage.
8. Givenanynumberof15resistors,howcana9.6resistorberealized?Itisnotpermittedtocutorbreakthegiven
resistors.
9. Showthattheaveragepowerconsumedinapurecapacitorandinapureinductoriszero.
10. Definepowerfactor,explainitssignificanceandestablishthephaserelationshipbetweenvoltageandcurrentin
seriesandparallelcombinationsofa)RLcircuit,b)RCcircuitand
c)RLCcircuits(fordifferentcases).Sketchthephasordiagramsandimpedancediagramsinallthecases.
11. DistinguishbetweenseriesandparallelRLCresonance.
12. ShowthattheaveragepowerconsumedisVIcos whereV,I,cos arerespectivelythesupplyemf,thesupply
currentandtheoverallpf.
13. Explain the terms reactance and impedance with suitable examples.

14. Definereactivepowerandoverallpowerandobtainexpressionsforthem.Bringouttheirsignificance.Specify

theirunits.
15. Acoilwhenconnectedto200V,50Hzsupplytakesacurrentof10Aanddissipates1200W.Findtheresistance&
reactanceofthecoil.Findalsotherealpower,reactivepowerandoverallpower.Sketchthephasordiagram.
16. Acoilof50and0.5Hisconnectedacross200V,50Hzsupply.Finda)Inductivereactance,b)Circuitimpedance,
c)Supplycurrent,d)Powerfactor,e)Phaseangle,f)Voltagesacross R & L andg)Active,reactiveandoverall
(apparent)power.Obtainexpressionsforvoltageandcurrent.Alsosketchthecompletephasorandvectordiagrams.

17. Acapacitorof15 Fisconnectedinserieswithanoninductiveresistanceof100acrossa100V,50Hzsupply.

Finda)Capacitivereactance,b)Impedance,c)Current,d)Powerfactor,e)Phaseangle,f)VoltagesacrossR&Cand

g)Powerdissipated.Obtainexpressionsforvoltageandcurrent.Alsosketchthephasorandvectordiagrams.
18. An RLC seriescircuithasthefollowingdata. R=25; L=150MH; C=20F;250V50Hzsupply.Determinethe
supplycurrentandthevariousvoltagedrops.Representtheminaphasordiagram.

19. Achokeisconnectedinserieswithanoninductiveresistoracrossa250V,50Hzsupply.Itdrawsacurrentof5A.

Thevoltageacrossthecoilandthenoninductiveresistanceare125V&200Vrespectively.Find:a)R,X,Z&Y,b)
Powerlossinthecoil,andc)Totalpowersupplied.Sketchthephasorandimpedancediagrams.
20. Anemfof100sin(314t450)Visappliedtoacircuitandthecurrentdrawnbythecircuitis20sin(314t950)A.
Findthefrequency.Giveseriesandparallelrealizationsforthecircuit.
21. Twoimpedances Z1 =(150j157) & Z2 =(100+j100) areconnectedinparallelacrossa200V,50Hzsupply.
Finda)Branchcurrents,b)Totalcurrentandc)Complexpower,andd)Totalpower.Sketchthecompletephasorand
admittancediagrams.
22. Anacgeneratorwithaninternalimpedanceof(3+j2.4) isconnectedtoaloadimpedanceconsistingoftwo
impedances(12+j10) &(16j12) inparallel.Ifthesupplyvoltageis100V,determinea)thecurrentineach
branch,b)thepowerineachbranch,c)thepowerfactorofeachbranch,d)theoverallpowerfactor,ande)thetotal
powersupplied.Sketchthecompletephasordiagram.

23. Proveordisprovethefollowingpropositionswrtanelectricalcircuitwithnonzerofiniteresistance.a)`emfis

zero implies `current is zero and b) `current is zero implies `emf is zero.
{Prove or disprove the following propositions wrt a magnetic circuit. a) `mmf is zero implies `flux is zero
and b)`flux is zero implies `mmf is zero.}
DOMESTICWIRING
1. Whatarethedifferenttypesofwiring?Mentiontheirfeaturesandapplications.
2. Explainwithwiringdiagramstheworkingof2wayand3waycontrolofalamp.
3. Explainwhyappliancesareearthed.Withneatsketches,explainplate,pipeandrodearthing.
4. Whyarefusesusedinelectricalappliances?
5. Howarewiresspecified?
THREEPHASEACCIRCUITS:
1.Withaschematic,explaintheprincipleofgenerationof3phaseemf.Whatarethecharacteristicsofbalanced
supply?Whenisaloadsaidtobebalanced?Establishtherelationshipbetweenthephase&linecurrentsandvoltages
ina3 delta.Inthecaseofbalancedsupplyandload,(a)arethephasevoltagesequal?(b)arethelinecurrentsequal?
Justifyyouranswers.Sketchthecompletephasordiagramsineverycase.
2. Explain the concept of phase sequence. Establish the relationship between the phase & line currents and voltages
ina3 starwith3wireand4wiresystems.Inthecaseofbalancedsupplyandbalancedload,(a)arethelinevoltages
equal?(b)arethephasecurrentsequal?Justifyyouranswers.Sketchthecompletephasordiagramsineverycase.
3.Showwitharelevantphasordiagramhow3phasepowercanbemeasuredbytwowattmeters.Clearlystatethe
NECESSARYassumptions.
{35.Showwitharelevantphasordiagramhow3phasepowerfactorcanbemeasuredbytwowattmeters.Clearlystate
theNECESSARYassumptions.}
4. Twowattmetersareusedtomeasurethepowerina3balancedsystem.Whatisthepowerfactorwhena)boththe
metersreadequal,b)onemeterreadstwicetheother,c)onemeterreadszeroandd)onemeterreadsnegative?
5. Whataretheadvantagesofa3systemoverasinglephasesystem?
6. Threecoilseachofimpedance20600areconnectedinstaracrossa400V,3,50Hzsupply.Findthereadingon
eachofthetwowattmetersconnectedtomeasurethepowerinput.Ifthesameimpedanceswereconnectedindelta
acrossthesamesupply,findthecorrespondingreadingsofthewattmeters.Findthereactivepowerandtheapparent
power.
7. Abalanced3starconnectedloadof150kwtakesaleadingcurrentof100Awithalinevoltageof1100V,50Hz.
Findthecircuitconstantsoftheloadperphase.
8. A400V,deltaconnected75HPinductionmotoroperatesat85%efficiencyat0.8pf.Findthereadingsofthe

wattmetersconnectedtomeasurepowerbythetwowattmetermethod.
9. Prove or disprove: With a star connected load, the sum of the line currents is zero implies `supply is balanced.

SYNCHRONOUSGENERATOR
1. Explaintheconstructionalfeaturesandprincipleofoperationofa3phasealternator.
2. Frombasicprinciples,arriveatanexpressionfortheemf/phaseinducedinanalternator.

3. Withsketchesexplaintheconstructionalfeaturesofsalientpoleandnonsalientpolealternators.Wherearethetwo

typesused?
4. Calculatetheinducedemf/phaseina4pole,3,50Hzstarconnectedalternatorwith72slotsand15conductorsper
slot.Theflux/poleis0.06Wb.Assumethewindingfactortobe0.95,fullpitchwinding&sinusoidaldistributionof
flux.
5. Determinethephase&linevaluesoftheinducedemfina4pole,3,50Hzstarconnectedalternatorwith36slots
and30conductorsperslot.Theflux/poleis50mWb.Assumethewindingfactortobe0.95.Whatisthelineemfif
connectedindelta?
6. A20pole,3,50Hzstarconnectedstatorwindinghas180slotsonthestator.Eachslotconsistsof8conductors.
Theflux/poleis25mWbandissinusoidallydistributed.Thecoilsarefullpitched.Calculatei)speed,ii)generated
emf/phaseandiii)lineemf.
7. Withusualnotations,derivetherelationf=PN/120.
SINGLEPHASETRANSFORMER:
1. Explaintheconstruction&principleofoperationof1transformer.Derivetheemfequationofatransformer.Show
thatemf/turnforprimary&secondaryaresame.Showthattheemfratioisthereciprocalofthecurrentratio.

2. Whatarethelossesinatransformer?Onwhatfactorsdotheydepend?Howarelossesreducedinatransformerby
construction?
3. Explainwithneatsketchesthecoreandshelltypetransformers.
4. Defineandexplainthetermsefficiencyandregulationofatransformer.

5. A125kVAtransformerhasaprimaryvoltageof2000Vat60Hzwith182&40turnsonprimaryandsecondary

respectively.Neglectingthelossescalculatea)noloadsecondaryemfb)fullloadprimary&secondarycurrentsandc)
fluxinthecore.
6. A25kVAtransformerhasanefficiencyof97%bothatFLandathalfloadat0.8pf.Determinea)fullloadiron&
copperloss,b)efficiencyat75%FLandc)maxefficiency.
7. A 25kVA, 2200/250V transformer has an iron loss of 600W & full load copper loss of 1000W. Calculate
efficienciesati)fullloadii)75%loadiii)50%loadiv)25%loadatupf&0.8pflag,v)lossesatmax.efficiency,vi)
loadformax.efficiencyandvii)max.efficiencyatupf.
8. Theironandfullloadcopperlossesina40kVA,1transformerare450W&850Wrespectively.Findi)efficiency
atfullload,0.8pflagii)maxefficiencyandiii)loadatwhichthemax.efficiencyoccurs.

9. A50kVAtransformerhasanefficiencyof98%atfullload0.8pfand97%athalfload0.9pf.Determinethefullload
ironandcopperlosses.Findtheloadatwhichmax.efficiencyoccursasalsothemax.efficiency.
10. Givereasonsforthefollowing:a)Corelossinatransformerremainsalmostconstant,b)Aregulationclosetozero
isdesirableinatransformer,andc)Alaminatedsteelcoreisusedinatransformer.
11. `The regulation of a transformer is negative. What does this signify? When can such a situation occur?
THREEPHASEINDUCTIONMOTOR
1. Howisarotatingmagneticfieldproducedintheairgapofa3inductionmotor?
2. Explaintheprincipleofoperationandconstructionalfeaturesofa3inductionmotor.
3. Defineandexplainslipinaninductionmotor.

4. Whataresquirrelcageandwoundrotorinductionmotors?Whataretheirrelativeadvantagesanddisadvantages?
Mentiontheirapplications.
5. Whydoesaninductionmotorrequireastarter?Withaneatdiagramexplaintheprincipleofoperationofastardelta
starter.
6. A3,8pole,60Hzinductionmotorhasaslipof3%atfullload.Findthesynchronousspeedandthefrequencyof

rotorcurrentatfullload.
7. Whatisthemaximumpossiblerpmofa50Hzinductionmotor?Why?