Tag: electric current and its effects

Questions Related to electric current and its effects

The main fuse is connected in :

  1. live wire.

  2. neutral wire.

  3. both the live and earth wires.

  4. both earth and neutral wire.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The live wires coming out from the output terminals of kWh meter has another fuse in it called the main fuse. 
The fuse is connected in series with the live wire before it enters the household circuit. This is done so because it is only the live wire which has a high potential of 220 volts unlike the neutral wire which carries zero potential. The fuse has a high rating of about 50 amperes. Thus it prevents any damage such as fire to the entire electrical wiring entering the house due to short-circuit or overloading.Hence correct option is A.

Where the main fuse in a house circuit is connected ?

  1. In live wire before the ring system.

  2. In ground wire.

  3. In neutral wire.

  4. In between ground and live.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The live wires coming out from the output terminals of kWh meter has another fuse in it called the main fuse. 
The fuse is connected in series with the live wire before it enters the household circuit. This is done so because it is only the live wire which has a high potential of 220 volts unlike the neutral wire which carries zero potential. The fuse has a high rating of about 50 amperes. Thus it prevents any damage such as fire to the entire electrical wiring entering the house due to short-circuit or overloading.Hence correct option is A.

Why is the fuse wire fitted in a porcelain casing ? 

  1. Porcelian is an insulator of electricity

  2. Porcelian is a conductor of electricity

  3. Porcelian is a semiconductor of electricity

  4. None of these.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The fuse consists of a porcelain base on which two metal contacts are fixed. The incoming and outgoing phase wires are connected to these metal contacts. Porcelain made fuse carrier used for holding the fuse element or fuse wire. This porcelain made fuse carrier is inserted to the porcelain base for connecting a load side circuit to source side circuit. The main advantage of this type of fuse is that, the fuse carrier can be removed from the fuse base without any chance of coming in contact with the live part of the circuit.

Hence correct option is A.

What should be the characteristic of fuse wire?

  1. High melting point, high specific resistance

  2. Low melting point, low specific resistance

  3. High melting point, low specific resistance

  4. Low melting point, high specific resistance


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Fuse wire are used in electric circuits to protect home appliances from damaging by huge amount amount of current. Fuse wire should be such that it melts immediately when strong current flows through the circuit. The same is possible if its melting point is low and resistivity or the resistance is high.

Two identical fuses are rated at 10 A. If they are joined
(A) in parallel, the combination acts as a fuse of rating 20 A
(B) in parallel, the combination acts as a fuse of rating 5 A
(C) in series, the combination acts as a fuse of rating 10 A
(D) in series, the combination acts as a fuse of rating 20 A
Select the correct options

  1. A, B

  2. A, C

  3. B, D

  4. B, C, D


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

The rating of fuse is ,if the current is greater than the rated current then the fuse blows.
So if the rating is 10A, then it is the maximum current that passes through fuse.
If two such fuses are connected in parallel , the total current divides into two components where each can be maximum of 10 A. The maximum total current can be 20 A.
If they are connected in series,same current flows through each of them. The maximum current allowed would be the minimum rated current among the two fuses.So here the current rating will be 10A.

The cable of an electric fan becomes so worn that the live wire makes electrical contact with the metal case The case is earthed The plug to the fan contains a 5 A fuse There is a current of 4 A when the fan works normally What will happen in this case?

  1. The current will run to earth and the fuse will not be affected

  2. The metal case will become very hot

  3. The metal case will become live and dangerous

  4. The fuse will melt and switch off the circuit


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Answer is D.

When the live wire (high potential) is in contact with the earthed metal case (zero potential) and since there is a potential difference, current flows. As there is little to no resistance in the completed path, the current flow is very large (larger than 4 A melting the fuse). The fuse melts due to high current surge and switches off the circuit.

On Diwali Mr.Antriksh wants to light his house with a number of $10 W (220 V)$ bulbs in parallel. If the house circuit has a fuse of $5 A$ then what is the maximum number of such bulbs he can use if he is not using any other electrical appliance in the circuit.

  1. $10$

  2. $11$

  3. $100$

  4. $110$


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Answer is D.

The power dissipated is given as P=VI.
In this case, the power of each the bulb is 10 W which uses 220 V supply.
So, the amount of current used is I=P/V = 10/220 = 0.045 A. 
The fuse has a power rating of 5 A. Hence, 5 A / 0.045 A = 111 such bulbs can be connected in parallel with security.
Hence, Mr. Antriksh can use 110 bulbs without any problem. 

The function of a fuse wire is independent of :

  1. its specific resistance

  2. its radius

  3. its length

  4. current flowing through it


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Answer is C.

A fuse consists of a metal strip or wire fuse element, of small cross-section compared to the circuit conductors, mounted between a pair of electrical terminals, and (usually) enclosed by a non-combustible housing. The fuse is arranged in series to carry all the current passing through the protected circuit. The resistance of the element generates heat due to the current flow. The size and construction of the element is (empirically) determined so that the heat produced for a normal current does not cause the element to attain a high temperature. If too high a current flows, the element rises to a higher temperature and either directly melts, or else melts a soldered joint within the fuse, opening the circuit and the current stops flowing through it.
Hence, the length of the fuse wire is does not matter.

The material used for a fuse wire should have 

  1. Low melting point

  2. High melting point

  3. High electrode potential

  4. High resistivity


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The material used for a fuse wire must have a low melting point so that it melts as soon as excessive current passes through it and thus it can prevent the appliance from damage.

A car headlamp of 48 W works on the car battery of 12 V. The correct fuse for the circuit is 

  1. 5A

  2. 2A

  3. 3A

  4. 15A


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Answer is A.

Fuses are safety devices that are to be built into our electrical system. If there were no fuses and we operated too many appliances on a single circuit, the cable carrying the power for that circuit would get extremely hot, short circuit, and possibly start a fire. To prevent electrical overloads, fuses are designed to trip or blow, stopping the flow of current to the overloaded cable.
The fuse must always be connected to the mains and it must be of correct value. For example, a 15-ampere fuse should trip when the current through it exceeds 15 amperes. A 20-ampere fuse should blow when the current through it exceeds 20 amps.
In this case, the car headlamp is 48 W and the voltage is 12 V.
That is, P = VI, I = P/V = 48/12 = 4 A.
Hence, the fuse of 5 A should be connected to the circuit.