Associate Certified Electronics Technician (CET) Practice Exam

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• When voltage is applied to a capacitor, what happens initially?
• In which situation would an analog VOM be preferred over a DMM?
• Given a power supply that measures 50 volts no load and 40 volts full load, what is the percent regulation?
• What type of fuse has its fusible wire wrapped around an insulator?
• What frequency range is considered "line of sight" for RF signal propagation?
• What is the total capacitance of three capacitors valued at 100pF, 100pF, and 50pF when connected in series?
• What is the name of the antenna used to compare the gain of other antennas?
• When testing an SCR with an ohmmeter, which terminals must be shorted?
• When a positive voltage is applied to the drain or source and a negative voltage to the gate of an N channel JFET, what happens to the internal resistance?
• For fast charging, what is the maximum rate for a NiCad or Ni-MH battery as a percentage of its ampere hour rating?
• What is a key feature of a dual trace oscilloscope compared to a single trace oscilloscope?
• What is the primary property of an ESD sensitive component?
• What propagation condition is significant for receiving UHF signals at a distance of 500 miles?
• When working with lead acid batteries, what safety measures should be observed?
• Which of the following best describes the role of a transformer?
• What causes coaxial cable line losses at RF frequencies?
• The rotor in an induction motor is connected to AC or DC power.
• A fuse marked 250V, 650mA can be used in circuits with an "open fuse" supply voltage of:
• To increase the resonant frequency in a series tuned circuit, what should you do?
• A phase locked loop circuit contains a VCO. What does the output of the VCO consist of?
• A thermistor is a component that:
• What is the effective voltage of a 100V peak to peak sine wave?
• What device is commonly used to trace a logic path?
• In an inverting amplifier circuit, the gain is determined by the external _______.
• What function does the power transformer have in a power supply?
• When using the R x 100 range to test an N channel JFET, what should be the readings between source and drain?
• Which frequency is likely to experience higher loss in coaxial cable transmission lines?
• A track on a computer removable disk is divided into what?
• Connecting a properly rated zener diode across a power supply load will primarily do what?
• What should you do if you suspect an internal short in a unit before applying power?
• A variable capacitor's performance is dependent on what factor?
• Sideband frequencies in radio are produced when a carrier frequency is:
• AC power outlet strips with surge suppressors will include at least one of which component?
• What is one advantage of using a block diagram in electronics?
• When servicing a power supply, what should be done with connected capacitors to avoid shock?
• If a class A differential amplifier is using only one of its two possible inputs, what will the output signal shape be?
• The time required to discharge a capacitor depends on what factor related to its terminals?
• What term refers to the residual magnetism in electronic devices?
• Which component acts as a short when turned on and is disconnected from the anode to cathode to turn it off?
• What will be the output of a differential amplifier with two identical in-phase signals on the inputs?
• What type of component reduces its resistance when heated?
• According to Fleming's Left-Hand Rule, a current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field tends to move in which direction relative to the magnetic lines of flux?
• Which component in a PC is responsible for disk operations?
• How is the gain of an op-amp related to bandwidth as input frequency increases?
• What parameters does a spectrum analyzer display?
• How does a high-frequency antenna compare in size to a low-frequency antenna?
• Which of these can be used to control the output level of a generator?
• An electrolytic capacitor in series between a power transformer and rectifiers serves what purpose?
• What materials are commonly used to make lead-free solder for electronics work?
• What does a capacitor marked 47K typically represent?
• Doubling the power in a transmitter output signal results in how many dB gain?
• Which video system offers the highest resolution?
• Which type of motor maintains constant speed with changing loads?
• What type of data storage is characterized as permanent, non-volatile, and non-removable?
• What term is used to describe many operational amplifier (op-amp) circuits?
• Which of the following components is essential in smoothing out DC output from a power supply?
• If a Zener diode is rated at 6.3V, what does this indicate?
• What is the effect of adding armature winding in parallel to a generator's existing windings?
• In a basic electrical system, a decrease in ampere-hours implies what?
• A pi filter consists of what configuration of components?
• Phototransistors are sensitive to which type of light?
• What is the function of a MOSFET?
• A transformer with two leads connected to the primary and three to the secondary, including one lead in the middle, is known as what type of transformer?
• A 10W signal is received at 5W. This is a ____________dB loss.
• What component will cause a generator to produce DC voltage instead of AC?
• What does the abbreviation "DC" stand for in electronic circuits?
• Ohm's law provides equations relating to which electrical parameters?
• How does an inductor behave to changes in AC current directly?
• A byte is defined as:
• What type of signal paths do schematic diagrams represent?
• In a power supply capacitive filter, the capacitor is connected in what configuration with the load?
• What does the Z axis on an oscilloscope represent?
• When using fiber optics to transfer a signal, what must the light do?
• In an LCD, the fluid rotates the polarized light by how many degrees?
• Which specification is typically not a concern regarding wire conductors?
• What is a ripple counter in electronics?
• Which of these IC or semiconductor devices normally requires the most careful handling to avoid damage by static electricity?
• A disadvantage of an LCD is:
• Class AB operation of an audio amplifier means that current flows through the active device for how many degrees of the input signal wave?
• When the gate level on an SCR drops below the trigger point, what occurs?
• What does the fifth color band on a 5% resistor indicate?
• If R=200 ohms and I=0.02 amps, what is the value of power (P)?
• When troubleshooting audio reproduction equipment, what approximate RMS level would you expect the signal into the audio amplifier to be?
• What is a characteristic of carbon microphones?
• What is the effect of an inductor in an electronic circuit?
• Which component most closely compares to the output of a solar cell?
• Of these choices, what display type would a DMM probably use?
• What feature may a dual trace oscilloscope include for modulation purposes?
• Which of the following components is considered "basic" in a non-switching power supply?
• What does a logic probe indicate?
• A three input NAND gate with two low inputs and one high input results in which type of output?
• A small power drill or electric mixer would probably be powered by a/an ______ motor.
• What is a key feature of a digital storage oscilloscope?
• What is one common characteristic of light emitting diodes?
• Why is knowledge of ESD important for technicians?
• Which type of connection would a printer directly connected to a personal computer use?
• For a given filter type, at which frequency is pure filtering easiest?
• What is a reference antenna compared to all other antennas with gain?
• What type of conditions do integrated circuit failures often exhibit?
• What safety equipment is essential when testing electrical systems?
• If it is desired to raise the power to a speaker from 15W to 30W, what is the increase in dB?
• How does modulation affect the radio carrier frequency's properties?
• What type of signal is typically used for communications in electronics?
• What is the ripple frequency for a half wave rectifier operating from 60 Hz electrical power?
• What type of component is an MOV?
• In a typical electrical generator, a small AC voltage applied to the field windings can control what aspect of the generator?
• What effect does applying positive voltage to the P end and negative to the N end of a germanium diode have?
• What is the best method to simplify the following of an electrical signal path through circuitry?
• What is the average value of a full sine wave rectified voltage relative to the peak value?
• What effect does analog radio receiver signal compression have on high frequency signals?
• What voltage is typically used to cause an LED to light?
• Which material is typically used for the core of a transformer?
• What is a key purpose of toroid cores in transformers?
• What is essential for the laminations used in the core of a transformer?
• What is a common use for a triac in electronic applications?
• How many total signals must be high for a high output in a 4 input AND gate?
• What happens to the output voltage of an inverting op-amp if the input voltage decreases?
• Connecting 3 capacitors of .05uF, 20uF, and 40uF in series results in a total capacitance of?
• If I=1 amp and R=10,000 ohms, what is the voltage?
• What is the radio communication mode that utilizes the basic frequency and one of the side bands called?
• What is a good indicator of the quality of an analog meter?
• As the plates of a variable capacitor open, what happens to the capacitance?
• When discharging an HV power supply after disabling AC input, what method is suggested?
• A generator in a water supply system is analogous to which component?
• How is an audio signal typically defined?
• Which component is likely found in a DC motor speed control circuit?
• What is the term for the combination of resistance and reactance that restricts the flow of alternating current?
• What is the primary function of solder flux?
• Which component is essential for stepping down voltage in a power supply?
• What is the typical forward voltage drop for germanium diodes?
• Which circuit application is most appropriate for a Zener diode?
• If an RF signal voltage is reduced by 6 dB, what happens to its size?
• What component is most commonly used as an audio detector in an AM radio?
• What can cause standing waves on a transmission cable?
• What happens to the capacitance when one plate of a capacitor is moved further away from the other plate?
• What does a capacitor primarily oppose in an electrical circuit?
• When will a light emitting diode (LED) illuminate?
• What is the primary function of an op-amp in electronic circuits?
• In an AND gate, if one input is low, what will the output be?
• Which circuit component is used to store electrical energy in an electric field?
• What happens to the inductive reactance if the value of an inductor is increased?
• What is the effect of using a resistor instead of an inductor in a power supply pi filter?
• Which material is least likely to cause electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage to a MOSFET?
• The velocity factor in an RF transmission line is determined by:
• What is defined as the potential difference between two points?
• What is a significant difference between a TV antenna and a CB antenna?
• A power supply that maintains a constant output voltage regardless of load would have what percent of regulation?
• Why don’t VHF or UHF antennas use waveguides as feed lines?
• Impedance in an AC circuit reflects the combined effect of which two components?
• In electronics, the energy stored in a coil is measured in what unit?
• What is a schematic used for in electronic servicing?
• True or False: Diodes are made from one type of material.
• In one RC time constant, a capacitor will charge to approximately what percentage of its full charge?
• Which component emits a voltage when heated or cooled?
• What unit is used to measure inductance?
• Decimal 50 would appear as _____ in Hex.
• In what situation would you prefer a digital VOM over an ordinary analog meter?
• In modulation, FM utilizes what kind of variations compared to AM?
• What function does a triac serve in an electrical circuit?
• Which is NOT a type of capacitor?
• What is the primary function of an operational amplifier?
• In a 3 input AND gate, how many inputs must be high for a high output?
• What type of connection is typical for a modern personal printer?
• In a series circuit, connecting inductors will result in total inductance that is:
• A differential amplifier whose two input signals are equal, but 180 degrees out of phase, will have a ___________ output signal.
• The dimensional change of a capacitor can affect its performance primarily due to what?
• What is the primary function of a rectifier in a circuit?
• Which component's behavior is primarily affected by temperature?
• What characteristic do phototransistors possess compared to standard transistors?
• What is the typical wattage of soldering stations used for electronics circuit board work?
• Three capacitors with values of 470 pf, 560 pf, and 0.47 pf are connected in parallel. What is the total capacitance?
• What is the result of adding the binary numbers 101011 and 001110?
• Which type of capacitor is least likely to be classified as high voltage (above 1,000v)?
• In terms of electrical components, what does AC stand for?
• The primary function of a transformer is:
• Which of the following components is necessary for smoothing output in a power supply?
• What type of signals does an inductor oppose changes in?
• Which wire size is physically the largest?
• What is a free-running oscillator also referred to as?
• Which component would be considered part of a "basic" power supply?
• How is a "video signal" defined?
• In an electronic circuit, capacitors are primarily used to store energy as what?
• Which statement is true regarding the operation of a Zener diode?
• What is the function of polarizers in an LCD?
• What happens to the output voltage if the primary turns of a transformer are increased?
• The 9 pin DB9 connector serial port on a PC is commonly called which standard?
• What is the RF frequency corresponding to a wavelength of 8.33 meters in air?
• What is the ripple frequency of a full wave single phase bridge rectifier operated at 60Hz?
• What should be ensured when soldering high voltage connections?
• What is the primary role of a power supply filter?
• In a VOM’s voltage multiplier, why are resistors important?
• What is the primary purpose of a rectifier in a power supply?
• What happens to an SCR when you connect positive to the anode and negative to the cathode while shorting the gate and anode?
• What medium does information travel through in optic fiber?
• Which type of display would you choose if you needed a low current digital output?
• What is the typical term for electrical devices that control or regulate the flow of current?
• Which formula would you use to find total inductance in a series circuit?
• What is the primary function of a digital storage oscilloscope?
• What alternative term is sometimes used for switching power supplies?
• In computer technology, what does ROM signify?
• What happens to an antenna that is longer than another?
• In a power control circuit, a triac functions primarily as what?
• If the value of a capacitor is increased, what happens to the capacitive reactance?
• 0 dBm V corresponds to what level of received TV signal?
• What is the normal open circuit voltage for each nickel-cadmium cell?
• What frequency range does the term "microwave" refer to in radio electronics?
• What does 0 dBm mean when referring to audio signals?
• What is a primary use for a dual trace oscilloscope?
• What is a key characteristic of an autotransformer?
• If a 12V product dissipates 50W, what is the load resistance it represents?
• What should be used to prevent overheating when soldering transistor or IC chip legs?
• A series DC motor maintains a constant speed with changing loads?
• When checking a capacitor to see if it is shorted, open, or leaky, which ohm meter range should you use?
• What is one of the internal memory types found in a PC?
• Which component is primarily responsible for voltage regulation in power supplies?
• Which wire gauge size has the largest diameter?
• In which unit is the output of a thermocouple most likely measured?
• What does an inductor primarily oppose in an electrical circuit?
• What is the digital method of representing characters using zeros and ones called?
• In a basic transformer, what is the role of the primary winding?
• Under what circumstances does a fuse typically operate to protect a circuit?
• What does the term "cellular" refer to in telephone communication?
• Which component primarily varies its resistance based on sound intensity in microphones?
• Where is most noise level generated in a radio receiver?
• What frequency modulation (FM) primarily indicates in a signal?