2022 ASA Oral and Practical Exam Guide
(General, Airframe, Powerplant)
What constitues a capacitor? - correct answer ✔✔Two conductors separated by an insulator
What is the purpose of a capacitor? - correct answer ✔✔It stores electrical energy in electrostatic fields.
Does a capacitor in an AC circuit cause the current to lead or lag the voltage? - correct answer ✔✔It
causes the current to lead the voltage.
(ELI the ICE man)
What is the basic unit of capacitance? - correct answer ✔✔Farad
Why should electrolytic capacitors not be used in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔They are polarized.
An electrolytic capacitor will pass current of one polarity, but will block current of the opposite polarity.
What is meant by inductance? - correct answer ✔✔The ability to store electrical energy in
electromagnetic fields.
What is the basic unit of inductance? - correct answer ✔✔Henry
What is an example of an inductor used in a magneto? - correct answer ✔✔The coil
Does an inductor in an AC circuit cause the current to leade or lag the voltage? - correct answer ✔✔It
causes the current to lag behind the voltage
(ELI the ICE man)
,How can you find the polarity of an electromagnet? - correct answer ✔✔Hold the electromagnet in your
left hand with your fingers encircling the coil in the direction electrons flow (from negative to positive).
Your thumb will point to the north pole of the electromagnet.
What is meant by impedance? - correct answer ✔✔The total opposition to the flow of alternating
current. It is the vector sum of resistance capacitive reactance, and inductive reactance.
In what units is impedance measured? - correct answer ✔✔Ohms
What are five sources of electrical energy? - correct answer ✔✔Magnetism, chemical energy, light, heat,
and pressure.
WHat is the basic unit of power in a DC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔Watt
What is meant by a kilowatt? - correct answer ✔✔1000 Watts
What is meant by a megawatt? - correct answer ✔✔1,000,000 watts
What is the formula for power in a DC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔Power = Voltage times current (P = E
x I)
What is the relationship betwee mechanical and electrical power? - correct answer ✔✔1 horsepower =
746 watts
What is meant by true power in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The product of the circuit voltage
and the current that is in phase with this voltage.
In what units is true power expressed? - correct answer ✔✔Watts
What is meant by apparent power in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The product of the circuit
voltage and the circuit current
,In what units is apparent power expressed? - correct answer ✔✔In volt-amps.
What is meant by reactive power in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The power consumed in the
inductive and capacitive reactances in an AC circuit. Reactive power is also called wattless power.
In what units is reactive power expressed? - correct answer ✔✔In volt-amps reactive (VAR), or kilovolt-
amps reactive (KVAR).
What is meant by power factor in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The ratio of true power to apparent
power. It is also the ratio of circuit resistance to circuit impedance.
Which law of electricity is the most important for an aircraft mechanic to know? - correct answer
✔✔Ohm's Law
What are the elements of Ohm's Law? - correct answer ✔✔Voltage (E), current (I), and resistance (R)
What is voltage? - correct answer ✔✔Electrical pressure
What is the basic unit of voltage? - correct answer ✔✔volt
What instrument is used to measure voltage? - correct answer ✔✔voltmeter
To measure voltage, is a voltmeter placed in series or in parallel with the source of voltage? - correct
answer ✔✔parallel
What is electrical current? - correct answer ✔✔The flow of electrons in a circuit.
What is the basic unit of current flow? - correct answer ✔✔Ampere
What part of an amp is a milliamp? - correct answer ✔✔One thousandth (0.001) of an amp.
, What instrument is used to measure current flow? - correct answer ✔✔Ammeter
What two things happen when current flows through a conductor? - correct answer ✔✔Heat is
generated and a magnetic field surrounds the conductor.
To measure current through a component, is an ammeter placed in parallel or in series with the
component? - correct answer ✔✔In series
What is meant by resistance in an electrical circuit? - correct answer ✔✔opposition to the flow of
electrons
What is the basic unit of electrical resistance? - correct answer ✔✔The Ohm
What is a megohm? - correct answer ✔✔One million (1,000,000) ohms.
What four things affect the resistance of an electrical conductor? - correct answer ✔✔The material, the
cross-sectional area, the length, and the temperature.
(MALT)
What instrument is used to measure electrical resistance? - correct answer ✔✔Ohmmeter
How can you tell the resistance of a composition resistor? - correct answer ✔✔By a series of colored
bands around one end of the resistor.
What is meant by continuity of an electrical circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The circuit is continuous (or
complete) when electrons can flow from one terminal of the power source to the other.
What instrument is used to measure continuity in an electrical circuit? - correct answer ✔✔Ohmmeter
(General, Airframe, Powerplant)
What constitues a capacitor? - correct answer ✔✔Two conductors separated by an insulator
What is the purpose of a capacitor? - correct answer ✔✔It stores electrical energy in electrostatic fields.
Does a capacitor in an AC circuit cause the current to lead or lag the voltage? - correct answer ✔✔It
causes the current to lead the voltage.
(ELI the ICE man)
What is the basic unit of capacitance? - correct answer ✔✔Farad
Why should electrolytic capacitors not be used in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔They are polarized.
An electrolytic capacitor will pass current of one polarity, but will block current of the opposite polarity.
What is meant by inductance? - correct answer ✔✔The ability to store electrical energy in
electromagnetic fields.
What is the basic unit of inductance? - correct answer ✔✔Henry
What is an example of an inductor used in a magneto? - correct answer ✔✔The coil
Does an inductor in an AC circuit cause the current to leade or lag the voltage? - correct answer ✔✔It
causes the current to lag behind the voltage
(ELI the ICE man)
,How can you find the polarity of an electromagnet? - correct answer ✔✔Hold the electromagnet in your
left hand with your fingers encircling the coil in the direction electrons flow (from negative to positive).
Your thumb will point to the north pole of the electromagnet.
What is meant by impedance? - correct answer ✔✔The total opposition to the flow of alternating
current. It is the vector sum of resistance capacitive reactance, and inductive reactance.
In what units is impedance measured? - correct answer ✔✔Ohms
What are five sources of electrical energy? - correct answer ✔✔Magnetism, chemical energy, light, heat,
and pressure.
WHat is the basic unit of power in a DC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔Watt
What is meant by a kilowatt? - correct answer ✔✔1000 Watts
What is meant by a megawatt? - correct answer ✔✔1,000,000 watts
What is the formula for power in a DC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔Power = Voltage times current (P = E
x I)
What is the relationship betwee mechanical and electrical power? - correct answer ✔✔1 horsepower =
746 watts
What is meant by true power in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The product of the circuit voltage
and the current that is in phase with this voltage.
In what units is true power expressed? - correct answer ✔✔Watts
What is meant by apparent power in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The product of the circuit
voltage and the circuit current
,In what units is apparent power expressed? - correct answer ✔✔In volt-amps.
What is meant by reactive power in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The power consumed in the
inductive and capacitive reactances in an AC circuit. Reactive power is also called wattless power.
In what units is reactive power expressed? - correct answer ✔✔In volt-amps reactive (VAR), or kilovolt-
amps reactive (KVAR).
What is meant by power factor in an AC circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The ratio of true power to apparent
power. It is also the ratio of circuit resistance to circuit impedance.
Which law of electricity is the most important for an aircraft mechanic to know? - correct answer
✔✔Ohm's Law
What are the elements of Ohm's Law? - correct answer ✔✔Voltage (E), current (I), and resistance (R)
What is voltage? - correct answer ✔✔Electrical pressure
What is the basic unit of voltage? - correct answer ✔✔volt
What instrument is used to measure voltage? - correct answer ✔✔voltmeter
To measure voltage, is a voltmeter placed in series or in parallel with the source of voltage? - correct
answer ✔✔parallel
What is electrical current? - correct answer ✔✔The flow of electrons in a circuit.
What is the basic unit of current flow? - correct answer ✔✔Ampere
What part of an amp is a milliamp? - correct answer ✔✔One thousandth (0.001) of an amp.
, What instrument is used to measure current flow? - correct answer ✔✔Ammeter
What two things happen when current flows through a conductor? - correct answer ✔✔Heat is
generated and a magnetic field surrounds the conductor.
To measure current through a component, is an ammeter placed in parallel or in series with the
component? - correct answer ✔✔In series
What is meant by resistance in an electrical circuit? - correct answer ✔✔opposition to the flow of
electrons
What is the basic unit of electrical resistance? - correct answer ✔✔The Ohm
What is a megohm? - correct answer ✔✔One million (1,000,000) ohms.
What four things affect the resistance of an electrical conductor? - correct answer ✔✔The material, the
cross-sectional area, the length, and the temperature.
(MALT)
What instrument is used to measure electrical resistance? - correct answer ✔✔Ohmmeter
How can you tell the resistance of a composition resistor? - correct answer ✔✔By a series of colored
bands around one end of the resistor.
What is meant by continuity of an electrical circuit? - correct answer ✔✔The circuit is continuous (or
complete) when electrons can flow from one terminal of the power source to the other.
What instrument is used to measure continuity in an electrical circuit? - correct answer ✔✔Ohmmeter
