Electrical Engineering Interview Revision Guide

Set 1 Questions

5. What is the Fourier series?

 It represents a periodic function as a sum of sine and cosine functions.

 Used in signal processing and electrical engineering.

 Helps in analyzing circuits with AC signals.

6. What is the Laplace Transform?

 Converts time-domain functions into s-domain for easier analysis.

 Used in control systems and circuit analysis.

 Helps solve differential equations in electrical circuits.

9. What is an Eddy Current?

 Circulating currents induced in conductors by a changing magnetic field.

 Causes energy loss in the form of heat (eddy current loss).

 Used in induction heating and electromagnetic braking.

10. What is arc formation?

 A visible plasma discharge due to high voltage breakdown in air.

 Occurs in switchgear, circuit breakers, and electrical contacts.

 Can damage components and needs arc suppression techniques.

11. Elaborate on what a busbar is.

 A metallic strip or bar used for power distribution.

 Made of copper or aluminum for high conductivity.

 Reduces complex wiring and improves efficiency.

12. What is the skin effect?

 Tendency of AC current to concentrate near the surface of a conductor.

 Increases with frequency, reducing effective cross-sectional area.

 Managed by using stranded conductors with insulation.

14. What are the different topologies in networking?

 Bus: Single backbone cable, easy but failure-prone.

 Star: Central hub, scalable, widely used.

 Ring: Each node connected to two others, stable but costly.

 Mesh: Multiple connections for redundancy, expensive.

15. Explain what an IMDT relay is.

 Instantaneous Minimum Discrimination Time relay.

 Used for short-circuit protection.

 Reacts quickly without intentional delay.

Set 2 Questions

2. When converting 1,600 kilohms to megaohms, the result is?

 1,600 kilohms = 1.6 megaohms.

 1extMΩ=1000extkΩ1 ext{ M}\Omega = 1000 ext{ k}\Omega.

4. What is inrush current?

 The initial surge of current when a device is switched on.

 Higher than steady-state operating current.

 Can damage components if not controlled.

5. In a tap-changing transformer, where is the tap connected?

 Connected to the primary winding.

 Allows voltage regulation without interrupting the load.

 Used in power transformers.

6. Why are transformer ratings in kVA?

 Power factor (PF) varies in different loads.

 kVA rating is independent of PF.

 Reflects real and reactive power handling capability.

7. What is the difference between a fuse and a breaker?

 Fuse: One-time protection, needs replacement.

 Breaker: Resettable, reusable.

 Both protect against overcurrent faults.

10. Why is electricity in India in multiples of 11kV?

 Due to form factor (1.1)(1.1) of sinusoidal AC.

 Reduces transmission losses.

 Standard practice for easier voltage transformation.

13. Differentiate between a megger test and contact resistance meter test.

 Megger: Tests insulation resistance with high DC voltage.

 Contact Resistance Meter: Measures contact resistance at joints.

  Used for different electrical safety testing.

14. What is electrical diversity factor?

 Ratio of sum of individual max demands to system max demand.

 Helps in designing electrical systems efficiently.

 Always greater than 1.

20. What is the function of a transformer?

 Transfers electrical energy between circuits via electromagnetic induction.

 Steps up or steps down voltage levels.

 Works on AC supply only.

22. What happens when the current through the coil of an electromagnet reverses?

 Magnetic field direction also reverses.

 Used in AC relays and transformers.

23. What is the unit for reluctance?

 Ampere-turns per weber (A/Wb).

 Measure of opposition to magnetic flux.

 Analogous to resistance in electrical circuits.

28. Why do human bodies feel electric shock but birds on transmission lines do not?

 Birds have no potential difference across their bodies.

 Humans create a potential difference by touching the ground.

32. How do you increase the winding resistance of a coil?

 Use thinner wire.

 Increase the number of turns.

 Use high-resistivity material.

40. What are Kirchhoff’s Laws?

 KCL (Current Law): Sum of currents at a junction = 0.

 KVL (Voltage Law): Sum of voltages in a loop = 0.

 Used in circuit analysis.

41. Explain the working of a transformer.

 Works on electromagnetic induction.

 Primary winding creates magnetic field; secondary winding picks it up.

 Used for voltage conversion in AC circuits.

Q1 What is HVDC transmission?

A high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system is a method of transmitting electricity

over long distances using direct current (DC)

It prevents losses and can be used underground or underwater

Hvdc is preffered for long distances because of less losses and general transmission where there is no
conversion(grid connectivity ) but AC is preffered for general transformation

Q2 Flemmings right hand left hand

Left hand rule is for motors and right for motors

Q3 What is BJT and MOSFET?

BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor)

 Definition: A current-controlled semiconductor device with three terminals—Emitter, Base,

and Collector.

1. Amplification – Used in audio and RF amplifiers.

2. Switching – Used in low-power switching applications.

3. Oscillators & Signal Processing – Used in analog circuits.

MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor)

 Definition: A voltage-controlled transistor with three terminals—Source, Gate, and Drain.

 Uses:

1. High-Speed Switching – Used in power electronics, SMPS, and microprocessors.

2. Digital Circuits – Used in logic gates and ICs due to low power consumption.

3. Motor Control & Power Amplifiers – Used in motor drivers and high-frequency
applications.

Q4 Difference between transistor and transmitter?

A transistor is a semiconductor device used for amplification and switching in electronic circuits. It
regulates current or voltage flow and is a key component in microprocessors, amplifiers, and
switching circuits.

A transmitter is an electronic system that generates and sends signals, such as radio waves or data,
over a distance. It consists of oscillators, modulators, amplifiers, and antennas to transmit
information wirelessly.

Q5 What is corona effect?

The corona effect is a partial electrical discharge that occurs when high voltage conductors ionize the
air around them. It's characterized by a bluish-purple glow and a hissing sound
Q6 Coulomb’s Law: The electrostatic force between two point charges is directly proportional to the
product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Faraday’s Law: The induced electromotive force (EMF) in a coil is directly proportional to the rate of
change of magnetic flux through it.

Fleming’s Left-Hand Rule: It states that if the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger of the left hand are
extended perpendicular to each other, the thumb represents force, the forefinger represents
magnetic field, and the middle finger represents current in a motor.

Q7 Zener Breakdown:

Occurs in heavily doped Zener diodes when a low reverse voltage (typically <5V) is applied. The
intense electric field causes electrons to tunnel from the valence band to the conduction band
(quantum tunneling), leading to a controlled and sharp breakdown. This effect is used in voltage
regulation to maintain a stable output voltage.

Avalanche Breakdown:

Occurs in lightly doped PN junction diodes at higher reverse voltages (>5V). High voltage accelerates
free electrons, causing them to collide with atoms and generate more charge carriers (impact
ionization), leading to an avalanche effect. This type of breakdown is used in high-voltage protection
circuits and avalanche diodes for surge handling.

Both breakdowns allow current flow in the reverse direction but operate through different
mechanisms.

Q8 how do we start single phase induction motor?

In a capacitor-start single-phase induction motor, a capacitor is connected in series with the

auxiliary (start) winding to create a phase shift between the main and auxiliary windings. When the
motor is powered on, the capacitor causes the current in the auxiliary winding to lead the main
winding current, generating a rotating magnetic field. This rotating field provides the necessary
torque to start the motor. Once the motor reaches about 70-80% of its rated speed, a centrifugal
switch or relay disconnects the auxiliary winding and capacitor, allowing the motor to run solely on
the main winding. This method improves the starting torque and efficiency of the motor.

Q9 Power Factor:

Power factor (PF) is a measure of how effectively electrical power is being used in an AC circuit. It is
the ratio of real power (P) to apparent power (S) and indicates the phase difference between
voltage and current. Mathematically, it's expressed as: P/S

Where:

 P is the real power (in watts), which performs the useful work.

 S is the apparent power (in volt-amperes), which is the total power supplied to the circuit.

 θ is the phase angle between the voltage and current.

A power factor of 1 (or 100%) means all the supplied power is being used effectively, while lower
values (e.g., 0.7) indicate inefficiencies, typically due to inductive loads like motors or transformers,
which cause a lag between voltage and current.
Power Factor Correction:

Power factor correction (PFC) is the process of improving the power factor of a system, typically by
reducing the phase difference between current and voltage. This is achieved by adding capacitors or
synchronous condensers to the circuit, which help compensate for the inductive reactance (which
causes lagging current) and bring the current and voltage into phase.

 Capacitors provide leading reactive power, counteracting the lagging current from inductive
loads and thus improving the power factor.

 PFC devices are commonly used in industrial settings where large motors or other inductive
loads are present to reduce energy losses, improve efficiency, and avoid penalties from utility
companies for low power factor.

Nyquist Plot:

1. Frequency Response Representation: A Nyquist plot represents the complex frequency

response of a system, showing how the system's output behaves in terms of magnitude and
phase as the frequency varies.

ORIGIN OF GANGA – from Gangotri glaciers , gomukh

INDIA POWER CAPACITY- 462 Giga watts