Electricity, Energy Systems, Fire Protection & Vertical Transportation – Lecture Review

Question-and-answer flashcards covering key facts from electricity foundations to HVAC, fire protection, elevators, and escalators. 120 flashcards aim to test recall of people, laws, definitions, system types, components, and safety features mentioned throughout the lecture notes.

Who conducted the famous kite-and-key experiment to study electricity?

Benjamin Franklin.

Which scientist discovered electromagnetic induction and invented the transformer?

Michael Faraday.

Who invented the first practical electric battery?

Alessandro Volta.

Define electricity in one sentence.

A set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of electric charge.

What sub-atomic particles create static electricity when imbalanced on a surface?

Electrons.

What Greek-derived word means “invisible” and became the root of the word atom?

Atomos.

How many poles does every magnet have?

Two – a north-seeking and a south-seeking pole.

State the basic rule of magnetic attraction.

Opposite poles attract, like poles repel.

Name any three renewable energy sources listed in the notes.

Hydropower, geothermal, solar, wind, biomass (any three).

Which renewable source taps the earth’s internal heat via drilled wells?

Geothermal power.

What Philippine law is known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008?

Republic Act (RA) 9513.

Give two examples of biomass fuels.

Wood, landfill gas, garbage, crops, or alcohol fuels (any two).

What fossil fuel is nicknamed “black gold” or petroleum?

Oil.

Which coal rank has the highest carbon content and lustrous appearance?

Anthracite.

Natural gas is composed of roughly 90 % of which hydrocarbon?

Methane.

Which element undergoes nuclear fission in most power plants?

Uranium.

What Philippine law created the Climate Change Act of 2009?

RA 9729.

What unit measures electric current and is named after André-Marie Ampère?

Ampere (A).

State Ohm’s Law in equation form.

V = I × R.

In conventional flow theory, electrons move from to .

Positive to negative terminals.

What do we call a complete path through which current can flow?

An electric circuit.

Which current type flows in only one direction within a closed circuit?

Direct current (DC).

Define a transformer in one phrase.

A device that transfers electrical energy between circuits through electromagnetic induction.

What is the SI unit of electrical potential difference?

Volt (V).

What is the power unit named after the inventor of the steam engine?

Watt (W), named after James Watt.

In a series circuit, the current through each component is .

The same.

Which materials severely restrict electron flow: conductors or insulators?

Insulators.

Give two common insulating materials mentioned.

Plastic, rubber, wood, or glass (any two).

Label 12-3G cable: how many insulated conductors does it contain?

Three insulated conductors plus a ground wire.

What does ‘NM’ stand for in cable types like NM-B?

Non-metallic (sheathed cable).

Which residential cable connects the utility pole to the house weatherhead?

Service drop cable.

Name one of the four basic residential wiring cable types listed under ‘service drop’.

Main feeder wires, panel feed wires, non-metallic sheathed wires, single conductor wire (any one).

What raceway type fits neatly into corners for home wiring?

Corner duct raceway.

State one main purpose of electrical conduits.

To protect enclosed wiring from fire, mechanical damage, and corrosion.

Which plug types are common in the Philippines?

Types A, B, C, and G.

Which Philippine socket accepts most plug types but has a weaker grip?

Universal outlet.

What device encloses and protects branch wiring connections?

Junction box.

How many terminals does a single-pole switch have?

Two.

Which switch allows control of a fixture from two different locations?

Three-way switch.

What is the main distribution point for household circuits?

Circuit breaker box (panel).

A single-pole breaker usually delivers how many volts to a circuit?

120 V.

Which breaker type protects against dangerous ground faults in wet areas?

GFCI (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter).

What modern meter type transmits usage data wirelessly?

Digital or smart meter.

What does HVAC stand for?

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.

List any three basic components of a central HVAC system.

Mixed-air plenum, air filter, supply fan, exhaust/relief fan, outdoor intake, ducts, coils, etc. (any three).

Differentiate central vs. decentralized HVAC in one key point.

Central systems place major equipment outside zones and can serve multiple zones; decentralized equipment is located in or near each served space.

What small HVAC device combines a fan and heating/cooling coils in one unit?

Fan-coil unit.

Who is known as the Father of Modern Air Conditioning?

Willis Carrier.

Define inverter AC in one sentence.

An air-conditioner that varies compressor motor speed to match load, saving energy.

Which AC type is cheapest and requires a wall slot?

Window-type AC.

Provide the formula for estimating AC capacity from room area.

Room area (m²) × 500 kJ/hr = required capacity.

How many kilojoules per hour equal 1 horsepower of cooling?

9,495 kJ/hr.

Name two energy-saving practices when using AC.

Choose high EER units, keep doors/windows closed, shade the unit, avoid frequent thermostat changes, etc.

Which Philippine agency enforces fire safety and suppression nationwide?

Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Which law is the current Fire Code of the Philippines?

Republic Act No. 9514.

What is the ‘brain’ of a Fire Detection and Alarm System (FDAS)?

The control panel unit.

Identify three detector types used in FDAS.

Heat, smoke, carbon monoxide, multi-sensor, manual call point (any three).

Describe the operating principle of an ionization smoke detector.

It uses two chambers, one with a radioactive source; smoke disrupts ion flow causing an alarm.

Which fire alarm category gives each device a specific software address?

Addressable system.

Passive fire protection’s primary goal is to .

Limit the spread of fire, heat, and smoke through building compartments.

Give two examples of passive fire protection products.

Fire doors, fire-resisting walls/floors, firestopping, intumescent coatings, etc.

Which manual fire-fighting aid self-activates within 3-5 s of flame contact?

Fire extinguisher ball.

Differentiate dry and wet standpipe systems.

Dry standpipes are empty until fire engines pump water; wet systems always contain water and hoses.

Sprinkler heads that mount horizontally on walls are called heads.

Sidewall.

Name the two broad categories of active fire suppression.

Manual and automatic fire suppression.

What is the basic vertical transportation device that moves in a shaft?

Elevator (lift).

Who demonstrated the first safety elevator in 1854?

Elisha Otis.

Which elevator type uses ropes over a pulley and often serves high-rise buildings?

Traction elevator.

Geared vs. gearless traction elevators: which can achieve speeds up to 2,000 ft/min?

Gearless traction elevators.

What fluid-powered elevator variant requires no overhead machinery?

Hydraulic elevator.

Where is the buffer located in an elevator system and what does it do?

At the bottom of the hoistway; it absorbs and dissipates energy of a descending car.

List three common elevator safety features.

Door sensors, emergency alarm button, emergency lighting, emergency power, fire service mode, etc. (any three).

Which escalator configuration places adjacent units side-by-side moving opposite ways?

Parallel configuration.

Name the steel frame that forms an escalator’s structure.

Truss.

What is the international standard inclination angle for moving walks?

30–35 degrees.

Give the recommended pallet width for most moving walks in public areas.

1,000 mm.

What escalator speed is standard for continuous passenger flow?

0.5 m/s.

State two escalator safety devices that trigger shutdown.

Step integrity monitors, skirt switches, combplate detectors, handrail motion detectors, etc. (any two).

Which unit of electrical resistance is implied in Ohm’s law but not defined earlier?

Ohm (Ω).

What is the purpose of a ground-fault circuit interrupter?

To trip the circuit when a line-to-ground fault occurs, preventing shock.

In cable labels such as 14-2G, what does ‘14’ specify?

Wire gauge (AWG) of each conductor.

Which raceway type is ideal for outdoor concerts to protect cables on the ground?

Exterior wire guards / over-floor raceway.

What Philippine document sets electrical installation safety standards?

Philippine Electrical Code.

Name two common conduit accessories listed.

Junctions, clamps, bends, T-shapes, C-shapes, L-shapes (any two).

What is the usual household supply voltage and frequency in the Philippines?

220 V, 60 Hz.

Which type of outlet accepts both type A and type C plugs but has no ground?

Two-way (round & parallel) outlet.

Define ‘current’ in electrical terms.

The flow of free electrons; measured in amperes.

What theory states electrons flow from negative to positive?

Electron flow theory.

Which HVAC sub-system uses water for most of the thermal load (80-90 %)?

All-water system (e.g., fan-coil, induction units, water-source heat pumps).

What device in a split-type AC lowers refrigerant pressure and temperature?

Expansion valve (usually a capillary tube or TXV).

State one function of louvers/fins in an indoor AC unit.

Direct and adjust the airflow direction coming from the blower.

What is the most common split-type AC mounting style?

Wall-mounted.

Which HVAC metric (SEER) has risen to 16–18 due to efficiency standards?

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.

What percentage cooling adjustment is suggested for rooms in direct sunlight?

+10 % capacity increase.

Describe a multi-sensor smoke detector in one phrase.

Detector combining heat and optical sensing for wider fire detection range.

Which fire alarm system type uses radio communication instead of cabling?

Wireless fire alarm system.

Give one advantage of passive fire protection over active suppression.

Provides built-in containment and does not need power or human activation.

What is an AFCI breaker designed to sense?

Arcing faults inside wiring before fire can start.

Name the skeletal steel frame of an escalator.

Truss.

What balustrade heights are standard for moving walks?

900 mm, 1,000 mm, or 1,100 mm.