This document contains 10 multiple choice questions from a building utilities board exam about electrical, acoustical, and lighting concepts. For each question, the correct answer is provided along with short descriptions of the incorrect answer choices to further explain the concepts. Key terms defined include generator, switchgear room, fuse, distribution panel, alternating current, frequency, sound pressure, reverberation time, diffusion, and common acoustical materials.
This document contains 10 multiple choice questions from a building utilities board exam about electrical, acoustical, and lighting concepts. For each question, the correct answer is provided along with short descriptions of the incorrect answer choices to further explain the concepts. Key terms defined include generator, switchgear room, fuse, distribution panel, alternating current, frequency, sound pressure, reverberation time, diffusion, and common acoustical materials.
This document contains 10 multiple choice questions from a building utilities board exam about electrical, acoustical, and lighting concepts. For each question, the correct answer is provided along with short descriptions of the incorrect answer choices to further explain the concepts. Key terms defined include generator, switchgear room, fuse, distribution panel, alternating current, frequency, sound pressure, reverberation time, diffusion, and common acoustical materials.
This document contains 10 multiple choice questions from a building utilities board exam about electrical, acoustical, and lighting concepts. For each question, the correct answer is provided along with short descriptions of the incorrect answer choices to further explain the concepts. Key terms defined include generator, switchgear room, fuse, distribution panel, alternating current, frequency, sound pressure, reverberation time, diffusion, and common acoustical materials.
1. What is a machine that converts electrical power into mechanical energy?
a. Generator b. Alternator c. Electric Motor d. None of the above Other Choices: a. Generator a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy b. Alternator a generator for producing alternating current Source: A Visual Dictionary of Architecture by Francis D.K. Ching
2. What is one or a group of panels on which are mounted switches, overcurrent devices, metering instruments, and buses for controlling and protecting a number of electric circuits? a. Standby generator b. Transformer vault c. Switchgear room d. Switchboard Other Choices: a. Standby generator a generator for providing emergency power during a power outage. Also called emergency generator b. Transformer vault a fire-rated room housing a transformer and auxiliary equipment for a large building usually located on grade or below ground and ventilated directly to the outside air. c. Switchgear room a room containing the service equipment for a large building. Source: A Visual Dictionary of Architecture by Francis D.K. Ching
3. What is a device containing a strip or wire of fusible metal that melts under the heat produced by excess current, thereby interrupting the circuit? a. Fuse b. Service switch c. Panel d. Bus Other Choices: b. Service switch the main disconnect for the entire electrical system of a building, except for any emergency power systems. c. Panel a board on which are mounted the switches, fuses, and circuit breakers for controlling and protecting a number of similar branch circuits, installed in a cabinet and accessible from the front only. Also called panelboard. d. Bus a heavy conductor, usually in the form of a solid copper bar, used for collecting, carrying and distributing large electric currents. Also called busbar. Source: A Visual Dictionary of Architecture by Francis D.K. Ching
4. What is a panel for distributing power to other panels or to motors and other heavy power consuming loads? a. Lightning rod b. Lightning arrester c. Spark gap d. Distribution panel Other Choices: a. Lightning rod any of the several conducting rods installed at the top of a structure and grounded to divert lighting away from the structure. Also called air terminal. b. Lightning arrester a device for protecting electric equipment from damage by lighting or other high-voltage currents, using spark gaps to carry the current to the ground without passing through the device. c. Spark gap a space between two terminals or electrodes, across which a discharge of electricity may pass at a prescribed voltage. Source: A Visual Dictionary of Architecture by Francis D.K. Ching
5. What is an electric current that reverses direction at regularly recurring intervals, having a magnitude that varies in a sinusoidal manner? a. Direct current b. Alternating current c. Transformer d. Service conductor Other Choices: a. Direct current an electric current flowing in one direction only and having a magnitude that does not vary or varies only slightly. c. Transformer an electric device consisting of two or more windings wound on the same core, which employs the principle of mutual induction to convert variations of alternating current in a primary circuit into variations of voltage and current in a secondary circuit. d. Service conductor - any of several conductors extending from main power line or transformer to the service equipment of a building. Source: A Visual Dictionary of Architecture by Francis D.K. Ching
6. What is the number of times the cycle of compression and rare fraction of air makes in a given unit of time or 1 second? a. Frequency b. Wave Form c. Acoustical Power d. None of the above Other Choices: b. Wave Form the precise nature of a complete to and fro oscillation of the vibrating particles in a sound field. c. Acoustical Power the rate of emission of acoustical energy from most sources of sound, and the corresponding pressures in their resulting sound fields, are very small. Source: Architectural Utilities 3 Lighting and Acoustics by George S. Salvan
7. What is a physical wave, or a mechanical vibration, or simply a series of pressure variations
in an elastic medium? a. Sound magnitude b. Sound pressure c. Sound intensity d. None of the above Other Choices: a. Sound magnitude the level of sound pressure, sound pressure level (SPL), sound intensity, and sound intensity level (lL), all of which are different from each other, and from subjective loudness. b. Sound pressure the most elementary type of vibration is that which has a single frequency and is called simple harmonic motion. c. Sound intensity - the rate of flow of sound energy through a unit area at that point, the unit area being perpendicular to the specified direction. Source: Architectural Utilities 3 Lighting and Acoustics by George S. Salvan
8. What is the time necessary for the sound to drop 60db, that is, to effectively become inaudible, after power is shut off? a. Reverberation Time b. Reflection c. Echoes d. None of the above Other Choices: b. Reflection occur when sound hits a surface that is neither predominantly absorptive nor sound transparent at the specific frequency. c. Echoes - caused when reflected sound at sufficient intensity reaches a listener approximately 70 msec or more after hears the direct sound. Source: Architectural Utilities 3 Lighting and Acoustics by George S. Salvan
9. What is the converse of focusing and occurs primarily when sound is reflected from convex surfaces? a. Diffusion b. Creep c. Flutter d. None of the above Other Choices: b. Creep describes the reflection of sound along a curved surface from a source near the surface. c. Flutter perceived as a buzzing or clicking sound, and it is comprised of repeated echoes traversing back and forth between two non-absorbing parallel (flat or concave) surfaces. Source: Architectural Utilities 3 Lighting and Acoustics by George S. Salvan
10. Which are the most commercially available type of acoustical material? a. Pre-fabricated Units b. Acoustical Plaster and Sprayed c. Acoustical Blankets d. All of the above
a. Pre-fabricated Units These include acoustical tile, which is the principal type of material available for acoustical treatment; mechanically perforated units backed with absorbent material; and certain wall boards, tile boards and absorbent sheets. b. Acoustical Plaster and Sprayed On material, these materials comprise plastic and porous materials applied with a trowel; and fibrous materials. Combined with binder agents, which are applied with (sprayed on) an air gun of blower. c. Acoustical Blankets Blankets are made up chiefly of mineral or wood wool, glass fibers, kapok batts, and hair felt. The physical characteristics of the materials in each of these categories will now be considered. Source: Architectural Utilities 3 Lighting and Acoustics by George S. Salvan BARQUEZ, MARICAR G. BS ARCH V-2
