CHAPTER 9 : ELECTRIC ENERGY, POWER AND HOUSEHOLD CIRCUITS

2012
1. (a) An electrical appliance is rated at 1000 kVA, 220V. If the appliance is operated for 2 hours, calculate the energy consumed
by the appliance in: (i) kWh (ii) joule
(b) (i) What is the purpose of using a fuse in an electrical circuit?
(ii) What are the characteristic properties of a fuse wire?
(c) (i) Write an expression for electrical energy spent in the flow of current through an electrical appliance in terms of I, R
and t.
(ii) At what voltage is the alternating current supplied to our houses?
(iii) How should the electric lamps in a building be connected?
Ans. (a) (i) Energy consumed in kWh = 1000 kVA × 2h = 2000 kWh.
(ii) Energy consumed in joules = 1000 × 1000 VA × 2 × 3600 s = 7,200,000,000 J.
(b) (i) The fuse wire melts and stops the flow of electric current in a given circuit, in case the circuit is overloaded or short
circuited.
(ii) 1. Fuse wire should have low melting point around 200°C.
2. Fuse wire should have high electrical resistance.
(c) (i) Electrical energy (E) = I2.R.t.
(ii) Alternating current is supplied at 220V for domestic consumption.
(iii) All electric lamps should be connected in parallel.

2013
2. (a) (i) Name the device used to protect the electric circuits from overloading and short circuits.
(ii) On what effect of electricity does the above device work?
(b) (i) An electrical gadget can give an electric shock to its user under certain circumstances. Mention any two of these
circumstances.
(ii) What preventive measure provided in a gadget can protect a person from an electric shock?
Ans. (a) (i) Electric fuse.
(ii) It works on the heating effect of electric current.
(b) (i) (1) The electrical gadget may be short circuited i.e., its live or neutral wire is touching its metallic body directly.
(2) The hands of the user may be wet, such that water dripping from his hands makes contact with the live wire.
(ii) The body of the electric gadget is connected to the earth terminal by means of earth wire. In case of short circuit a
huge surge of current flows through the earth terminal. This in turn melts fuse in the live wire and hence the flow
of current stops in the gadget.
2014
3. (a) Two sets A and B of three bulbs each are glowing in two separate rooms. When one of the bulbs in set A is fused, the
other two bulbs cease to glow. But in the set B, when one bulb fuses, the other two bulbs continue to glow. Explain, why
this phenomenon occurs?
(b) Why do we prefer arrangement in set B for household circuiting?
Ans. (a) The bulbs in set A are connected in series. Thus, when one bulb fuses the current stops flowing through the circuit and
hence none of them glows. The bulbs in set B are connected in parallel. Thus, when one bulb fuses, the current continues
flowing in the other two bulbs. Hence they glow.
(b) For household circuiting parallel circuit is always preferred so that we can switch on or switch off any appliance, without
affecting the functioning of other appliances.

2015
4. (a) Fill in the blanks space.
For a fuse, higher the current rating ______ is the fuse wire,
(b) (i) Name the device used to increase the voltage at a generating station.
(ii) At what frequency is A.C. supplied to residential houses?
(iii) Name the wire in a household electrical circuit to which the switch is connected.

248 A New Approach to I.C.S.E. Physics-Class X

Ans. (a) thicker
(b) (i) Step-up transformer (ii) 50 Hz (iii) Live wire

2016
5. (a) Calculate the quantity of heat produced in a 20 Ω resistor carrying 2.5 A current in 5 minutes.
(b) State the characteristics required in a material to be used as an effective fuse wire.
(c) (i) Which particles are responsible for current in conductors?
(ii) To which wire of a cable in power circuit should the metal case of a geyser be connected?
(iii) To which wire should the fuse be connected?
Ans. (a) Heat produced (H) = I2 × R × t
= (2.5A)2 × 20 Ω × 5 × 60 s = 37500 J.
(b) The material used as fuse wire should have :
(i) low melting point
(ii) high resistivity
(c) (i) Moving electrons (ii) Earth wire (iii) Live wire

2017
6. (a) An electric bulb of resistance 500 Ω, draws a current of 0.4 A. Calculate the p­ ower of the bulb and the potential difference
at its end.
(b) (i) Name the colour code of the wire which is connected to the metallic body of an appliance.
(ii) Draw the diagram of a dual control switch when the appliance is switched ‘ON’.
(c) (i) Which particles are responsible for current in conductors?
(ii) To which wire of a cable in a power circuit should the metal case of a geyser be connected?
(iii) To which wire should the fuse be connected?
(d) Explain the meaning of the statement ‘current rating of a fuse is 5A’.
Ans. (a) (i) Power of the bulb = I2.R = (0.4)2 × 500 = 80 W.
(ii) Potential difference at the ends of bulb = I.R = 0.4 × 500 = 200 V.
(b) (i) The wire connected to the metallic body of an electrical appliance is yellow or green in international standards.

(ii)

(c) (i) Drifting electrons (ii) Earth wire (iii) Live wire
(d) It implies that fuse wire will tolerate a current of 5 A i.e., it will not melt fuse. However, if the current exceeds 5A, it
will melt fuse wire and hence the current stops flowing in the circuit.

2018
7. (a) Identify the following wires used in a household circuit :
(i) The wire is also called as the phase wire.
(ii) The wire is connected to the top terminal of a three pin socket.
(b) (i) A fuse is rated 8 A. Can it be used with an electrical appliance rated 5 kW, 200 V? Give a reason.
(ii) Name two safety devices which are connected to the live wire of a household electric circuit.
(c) An electric iron is rated 220 V, 2 kW.
(i) If the iron is used for 2h daily find the cost of running it for one week if it costs ` 4.25 per kWh.
(ii) Why is the fuse absolutely necessary in a power circuit?

Question Bank 249

Ans. (a) (i) Live wire (ii) Earth wire
(b) (i) P = 5 kW = 5000 W;     V = 200 V
P 5000 W
Current (I) = = = 25 A
V 200 V
Thus, fuse wire of 8A rated cannot bear such given load. Thus, this fuse wire cannot be used with such given electric
appliance.
(ii) Fuse and earthing wires
(c) (i) Energy consumed by electric iron in a day = P × t = 2 kW × 2 h = 4 kWh
\ Energy consumed by electric iron in one week = 7 × 4 kWh = 28 kWh
Cost of running electric iron for one week = 28 × ` 4.25 = ` 119.

(ii) The reason is that if the fuse is connected in any other circuit except the power circuit, it will certainly melt, when
overloading takes place.
However, the electric appliances will continue to be in contact with the live wire. Thus, if the electric appliance is
touched, the person will get an electric shock which may prove fatal.

2019
8. (a) (i) Write one advantage of connecting electrical appliances in parallel combination.
(ii) What characteristics should a fuse wire have?
(iii) Which wire in a power circuit is connected to the metallic body of the appliance?
(b) The diagram alongside shows a dual control switch circuit connected to a bulb.
(i) Copy the diagram and complete it so that the bulb is switched ON.
(ii) Out of A & B which one is the live wire and which one is the neutral wire?
Ans. (a) (i) All the electrical appliances, can be independently operated by separate switches
in parallel circuit to be connected to 220V supply for its normal working.
(ii) A fuse wire should have a low melting point and a high resistence.
(iii) Earth wire.

(b) (i)

(ii) A — Live wire;    B — Neutral wire

250 A New Approach to I.C.S.E. Physics-Class X