SIGALAGALA NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC

QUALIFICATION: ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

(POWER OPTION) TECHNOLOGY.
(LEVEL 6)

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT 1
UNIT OF COMPETENCY: APPLY ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES UNIT CODE: ENG/CU/PO/CC/03/6
SERIES:23SEPTEMBER,24JANUARY TIME: 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
 Write your registration/ admission number on the answer booklet
 Answer questions in the answer booklet provided.
 Mobile phones and unauthorized electronic gadgets are NOT allowed in the examination
room
 Any exam malpractice will lead to disciplinary action
 Do not write on the question paper
 Use a blue coloured pen for writing
 Candidates should answer the questions in English unless stated otherwise
 Hand in BOTH the question paper and answer sheet at the end of the exam
 Marks for each question are indicated in the brackets

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 SECTION A.

Attempt all questions in this section

1. Current passing through a conductor faces resistance due to several factors. Explain how the
following factors affect resistance of an electrical conductor: (4 marks)
a) Temperature
b) Cross-sectional area.

2. Various electrical instruments are used to measure different electrical quantities. State four
electrical instruments and indicate the quantities that they measure. (4 marks)
3. It is essential to protect buildings and other structures against lightning. Highlight four
components of the lightning protection system. (4 marks)
4. Ohm’s law shows the relations between voltage and current in a circuit. State the Ohm’s law
and apply it to calculate the resistance of a coil which draws a current of 70 mA from a supply of
240 V. (4 marks)
5. Table 1 shows different electrical quantities, SI unit and definitions. Fill the table with the right
unit and description.
Electrical quantity SI unit Description

Power …………….. Rate at which electrical energy is transferred

Capacitance Farad ……………………………………………………
……………………………….. Henry property of a conductor to oppose changes in
current by inducing a voltage.
Current Ampere …………………………………………….

6. A 20μF capacitor is connected in series with a 50kΩ resistor and the circuit is connected to a 20V
d.c supply. Determine: (5 Marks)

i. The initial value of the current flowing The time constant of the circuit

ii. The value of current one second after connection

iii. The value of current one second after connection
7. A capacitor is a component that stores electrical energy in the form of electrostatic charge. List
four examples of capacitors. (4 marks)
8. State the three types of Electrical machines. (3marks)
9. A 4 pole generator has a lap wound armature with 50 slots with 16 conductors per slot. The
useful flux per pole is 30mWb. Determine the speed at which the machine must be driven to
generate emf of 240V. (4marks)
10. With aid of a graph explain the open circuit characteristics of an shunt wound generator.
(4 marks)
11. Electromagnetic spectrum consists of electromagnetic waves arranged according to frequency
and wavelength. Arrange the electromagnetic waves according to their wavelength and
frequency. (4 marks)

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 SECTION B

Attempt Any THREE questions in this section. (60 marks)

12. a. With an aid of a diagram explain the principle operation of a DC motor. (5 marks)
b. explain commutation with respect to a DC machine. (2 marks)
c. A DC generator running at 30 rev/s generates an emf of 200V. Determine the percentage
increase in the flux per pole required to generate 250V at 20rev/s. (5 marks)
d. Aseparately excited generator develops a no-loademf of 150V at an armature speed of
20rev/s and a flux per pole of o.10Wb. Detemine the generated emf when
i. the speed increases to 25rev/s and the flux remains unchanged. (4 marks)
ii. the speed remains at 20rev/s and the pole flux is decreased to 0.08Wb. (2 marks)
iii. The speed increases to 24rev/s and the pole flux is decreased to 0.07Wb. (2 marks)

13. a. state the main sources of Electromagnetic fields. (3 marks)

b. state the Faradays law of Electromagnetic Induction. (2 marks)
c. explain the processes of electromagnetic induction (5 marks)
d. for the electromagnetic waves below, explain how they are produced, detected and used in
day to day life. (10 marks)
i. gamma rays
ii. X-rays
iii. micro-waves
iv. radio waves
v. UV light.

14. a. State the kirchhoff’s current and voltage laws. (4 marks)

b. Use Kirchhoff’s laws to determine the currents flowing in each branch of the network shown
above. (8 marks)

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 c. For the circuit shown determine the p.d. across resistor R3. If the total resistance of the circuit
is 100Ω,determine the current flowing through resistor R1. Find also the value of R2 (8 marks)

15a.With an aid of a wave form graph diagram differentiate between a purely reactive and a
purely resistive a.c. circuits. (8 marks)
b. Determine the capacitancereactance of a capacitor of 10µF when connected to a circuit of
i. 50Hz (2 marks)
ii. 20kHz (2 marks)
c. A coil of inductance 159.2mH and resistance of 20Ω is connected in series with 60Ω resistor
to a 240V, 50Hz supply. Determine,
i. the impendence of the circuit (2 marks)
ii. the current in the circuit (2 marks)
iii. the circuit phase angle (2 marks)
iv. the pd across the 60Ω resistor (2 marks)

TRAINER: SUSAN NJUGUNA

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