Electrical Engineering PE Exam Flashcards
6 cards from real NCEES practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Electrical Engineering PE Exam flashcards as text
On the NCEES PE Electrical exam, what does the 'power factor' of an AC circuit represent?
Answer: The ratio of real power to apparent power (cos θ)
Power factor (PF = cos θ = P/S) is the ratio of real (useful) power consumed to the apparent (total) power supplied, ranging from 0 to 1.
In the NCEES PE Electrical exam, what is the purpose of a 'per-unit system' in power systems analysis?
Answer: To normalize quantities to a common base, simplifying calculations across transformers and voltage levels
The per-unit system normalizes voltages, currents, powers, and impedances to a chosen base, eliminating transformer turns ratios and simplifying multi-voltage-level system analysis.
For the NCEES PE Electrical exam, which protection device operates based on time-current characteristics to interrupt overcurrents?
Answer: Overcurrent relay (inverse time)
Inverse-time overcurrent relays trip faster as current magnitude increases, providing coordination with downstream devices and protecting against sustained overloads and faults.
On the NCEES PE Electrical exam, what is the 'synchronous reactance' of a synchronous generator?
Answer: The effective internal reactance that determines voltage regulation and fault current
Synchronous reactance (Xs) is the per-phase internal impedance of a synchronous machine, governing its voltage regulation, stability, and contribution to fault currents.
In the NCEES PE Electrical exam, what does 'short-circuit MVA' (fault MVA) represent?
Answer: The magnitude of power available during a three-phase fault at a bus
Short-circuit MVA at a bus represents the severity of a three-phase fault, calculated as the product of the prefault voltage and the available fault current, used for equipment ratings.
For the NCEES PE Electrical exam, which transformer connection is most commonly used to supply a four-wire distribution system from a three-phase source?
Answer: Delta-Wye with grounded neutral
The delta-wye (Δ-Y) transformer with a grounded wye secondary is standard for distribution because it provides a neutral conductor for single-phase loads and grounding.
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