Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

UNIT II- DIELECTRIC BREAKDOWN

1) Which theory explains the mechanism for breakdown under different

conditions?

a. Townsend theory
b. Streamer theory
c. Clump theory
d. Only (a) and (b)

ANSWER: Only (a) and (b)

2) Inelastic collisions are those in which internal changes in energy take place
within an atom or a molecule at the expenses of total kinetic energy of the
colliding particle. Suitable example for inelastic collisions is/are

a. Ionization
b. Attachment
c. Excitation
d. All of these

ANSWER: All of these

3) Druyesteynian distribution applies when the ion energy is much

a. Greater than the thermal energy

b. Lesser than the thermal energy
c. Equal to the thermal energy
d. None of these

ANSWER: Greater than the thermal energy

4) A gas in normal state is almost a perfect

a. Conductor
b. Insulator
c. Semi-conductor
d. Dielectric

ANSWER: Insulator
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5) The Townsend mechanism explains the phenomenon of breakdown

a. Only at low pressure

b. Only at high pressure
c. Only at very high pressure
d. Only bat very low pressure

ANSWER: Only at low pressure

6) Liquids dielectrics are mainly used as

a. Impregnants in high voltage cables

b. In capacitors
c. For filling up transformers
d. All of these

ANSWER: All of these

7) For applications in power cables, the dielectrics most commonly used is

a. Polyolefins
b. Mineral oil
c. Benzene
d. Diphenyl

ANSWER: Polyolefins

8) High temperature hydrocarbons have

a. Higher boiling point and low viscosity

b. Lower boiling point and high viscosity
c. Lower boiling point and low viscosity
d. Higher boiling point and high viscosity

ANSWER: Higher boiling point and high viscosity

9) Compared to copper and iron losses, dielectric loss in transformer oil is

a. Negligible
b. Equal
c. High
d. Very high

ANSWER: Negligible
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10) In equipment filled with liquid dielectric, heat is transferred mainly by

a. Conduction
b. Convection
c. Radiation
d. No heat transfers take place

ANSWER: Convection

11) Which is having higher breakdown strength?

a. Solid dielectrics
b. Liquid dielectrics
c. Gases dielectrics
d. Equal in all
ANSWER: Solid dielectrics

12) Intrinsic breakdown occurs in time of the order of

a. 10-5 s
b. 105 s
c. 10-8 s
d. 108 s

ANSWER: 10-8 s

13) Within dielectric, an electron starting from the cathode will drift towards the
anode and during this motion

a. Gains energy from the field and loses during collision

b. Gains energy during both motion and collision
c. Loses energy during both motion and collision
d. Loses energy from the field and gains during collision

ANSWER: Gains energy from the field and loses during collision

14) The thermal breakdown stresses are

a. Lower under ac conditions than under dc condition

b. Greater under ac condition than dc condition
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c. Equal in both condition
d. None of these

ANSWER: Lower under ac conditions than under dc condition

15) The spreading of spark channels during tracking, in the form of the
branches of a tree is called

a. Bunching
b. Treeing
c. sparking
d. none of these

ANSWER: Treeing

16) Insulation is necessary for the protection of equipment. Insulation is not

necessary between

a. Coils and earth

b. Coils of different phases
c. Turns in a coil
d. None of these

ANSWER: None of these

17) SF6 Circuit breakers are manufactured up to the voltage of

a. 33 kV
b. 66kV
c. 480 kV
d. 800 kV

ANSWER: 800 kV

18) For insulators and bushings of power transformers, circuit breakers and
instrument transformers, the suitable materials is

a. Epoxy resin
b. Polyesters resins
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c. Porcelain
d. Silicon rubber

ANSWER: Porcelain

19)The Townsend mechanism explains the phenomenon of breakdown

a. Only at low pressure

b. Only at high pressure
c. Only at very high pressure
d. Only bat very low pressure
ANSWER: Only at low pressure

20) Formative time lag depends on the mechanism of the avalanche growth in
gap. The formative time lag is usually

a. Much shorter than the statistical time lag

b. Much greater than the statistical time lag
c. Equal to the statistical time lag
d. None of these
ANSWER: Much shorter than the statistical time lag

21) For the high voltage conductors at high pressures, if the voltage is positive
then the corona appears as a

a. Uniform bluish white sheath

b. Reddish glowing spots
c. Uniform greenish spots
d. None of these
ANSWER: Uniform bluish white sheath

22) According to the Paschen’s Law, the breakdown voltage of a uniform field
gap is

a. Directly proportional to the gas pressure and inversely proportional to the

electrode gap
b. Inversely proportional to the gas pressure and directly proportional to the
electrode gap
c. Directly proportional to the both electrode gap and gas pressure
d. Inversely proportional to the both electrode gap and gas pressure
ANSWER: Directly proportional to the both electrode gap and gas pressure
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23) The statistical time lag depends upon the

a. Size of gap
b. Quantity of radiation that produces the primary electrons
c. Amount of pre-ionization preset gap
d. All of these
ANSWER: All of these