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US_TECH_2026_2030

Technician 2026-2030 - Electrical principles and math

Electrical principles and math groups the T5 section questions for focused review and easier weak-point tracking.

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Technician 2026-2030
Questions
50
Topic
Electrical principles and math
Region
US
Read the condition in the stem before comparing key terms in the options.
Study rules, calculations, and equipment questions as separate patterns.
After this topic, return to the full pool for mixed practice.

Topic Study Guide

This topic covers foundational electrical concepts, including basic units, metric prefix conversions, Ohm's Law, and the Power formula. Mastering these principles is essential for understanding radio circuits and passing the Technician exam.

High-Yield Checks

  • Ohm's Law (E = I x R) and the Power formula (P = E x I). Know how to rearrange these to solve for any missing variable.
  • Metric prefixes and conversions: mega (millions), kilo (thousands), milli (thousandths), micro (millionths), and pico (trillionths).
  • Energy storage: Capacitance stores energy in an electric field, while inductance stores energy in a magnetic field.
  • Basic electrical units: Voltage (Volts) is the pressure, Current (Amperes) is the flow of electrons, and Resistance/Impedance (Ohms) opposes the flow.

Trap Patterns

  • Multiplying voltage and current when asked for resistance. Remember: E x I gives you Power (Watts), not Resistance (Ohms).
  • Moving the decimal point the wrong direction or confusing 'milli' (m) with 'mega' (M) during frequency or current conversions.
  • Treating decibels as simple subtraction. A power drop from 12 watts to 3 watts is a factor of 4 (two halves), which equals -6 dB, not -9 dB.

Review Steps

  • Draw and memorize the 'magic circle' triangles for Ohm's Law (E over I and R) and Power (P over I and E) to easily visualize the formulas.
  • Practice shifting decimals by 3, 6, or 9 places to convert between base units and their kilo, mega, milli, or micro counterparts.
  • Create flashcards for key terms like Current, Voltage, Resistance, Impedance, Capacitance, and Inductance to avoid mixing them up.

Quick Checks

  • If you know the voltage and the resistance, what mathematical operation do you use to find the current?
  • How many kilohertz are in one megahertz?
  • Which component stores energy in a magnetic field, and which stores it in an electric field?
  • What is the formula to calculate electrical power if you have voltage and current?

Questions in This Topic

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T5A01Electrical current is measured in which of the following units?T5A02Electrical power is measured in which of the following units?T5A03What is the term for the flow of electrons in an electric circuit?T5A04What term describes the number of times per second that an alternating current makes a complete cycle?T5A05A difference in which of the following causes electron flow?T5A06What is the unit of frequency?T5A07Why are metals generally good conductors of electricity?T5A08Which of the following is a good electrical insulator?T5A09Which of the following describes alternating current?T5A10Which term describes the rate at which electrical energy is used?T5A11What type of current flow is opposed by resistance?T5B01How many milliamperes is 1.5 amperes?T5B02Which is equal to 1,500,000 hertz?T5B03Which is equal to one kilovolt?T5B04Which is equal to one microvolt?T5B05Which is equal to 500 milliwatts?T5B06Which is equal to 3000 milliamperes?T5B07Which is equal to 3.525 MHz?T5B08Which is equal to 1,000,000 picofarads?T5B09Which decibel value most closely represents a power increase from 5 watts to 10 watts?T5B10Which decibel value most closely represents a power decrease from 12 watts to 3 watts?T5B11Which decibel value represents a power increase from 20 watts to 200 watts?T5B12Which is equal to 28400 kHz?T5B13Which is equal to 2425 MHz?T5C01What describes the ability to store energy in an electric field?T5C02What is the unit of capacitance?T5C03What describes the ability to store energy in a magnetic field?T5C04What is the unit of inductance?T5C05What is the unit of impedance?T5C06What is the abbreviation for kilohertz?T5C07What is the abbreviation for megahertz?T5C08What formula is used to calculate electrical power (P) in a DC circuit?T5C09How much power is delivered by a voltage of 13.8 volts DC and a current of 10 amperes?T5C10How much power is delivered by a voltage of 12 volts DC and a current of 2.5 amperes?T5C11How much current is required to deliver 120 watts at a voltage of 12 volts DC?T5C12What is impedance?T5D01What formula is used to calculate current in a circuit?T5D02What formula is used to calculate voltage in a circuit?T5D03What formula is used to calculate resistance in a circuit?T5D04What is the resistance of a circuit in which a current of 3 amperes flows when connected to 90 volts?T5D05What is the resistance of a circuit for which the applied voltage is 12 volts and the current flow is 1.5 amperes?T5D06What is the resistance of a circuit that draws 4 amperes from a 12-volt source?T5D07What is the current in a circuit with an applied voltage of 120 volts and a resistance of 80 ohms?T5D08What is the current through a 100-ohm resistor connected across 200 volts?T5D09What is the current through a 24-ohm resistor connected across 240 volts?T5D10What is the voltage across a 2-ohm resistor if a current of 0.5 amperes flows through it?T5D11What is the voltage across a 10-ohm resistor if a current of 1 ampere flows through it?T5D12What is the voltage across a 10-ohm resistor if a current of 2 amperes flows through it?T5D13In which type of circuit is the current always the same through all components?T5D14In which type of circuit is the voltage always the same across all components?

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