Kerala Water Authority – Assistant
Engineer (Electrical)
Module 6: Control Systems
50 Multiple Choice Questions with Answers
1. The transfer function of a system is:
a) Laplace transform of output
b) Ratio of Laplace transform of output to input
c) Ratio of input to Laplace transform of output
d) Time domain response
Answer: b
2. Block diagram reduction is used to:
a) Simplify control system diagrams
b) Draw system blocks
c) Write transfer function
d) Measure system output
Answer: a
3. Signal flow graph is a:
a) Graphical representation of system equations
b) Electrical circuit
c) Control panel
d) None
Answer: a
4. Mason’s gain formula is used for:
a) Determining overall system gain from signal flow graph
b) Laplace transform
c) Bode plot analysis
d) Frequency response
Answer: a
5. The order of a system is:
a) Degree of differential equation
b) Number of poles
c) Number of zeros
d) Number of inputs
Answer: a
6. The type of a system is the number of:
a) Poles at origin in transfer function
b) Zeros at origin
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c) Poles outside origin
d) Zeros outside origin
Answer: a
7. Characteristic equation is:
a) Denominator of closed-loop transfer function set to zero
b) Numerator set to zero
c) Input function
d) Output function
Answer: a
8. Time domain specifications include:
a) Rise time, peak time, settling time, overshoot
b) Bode plot
c) Nyquist plot
d) Gain margin
Answer: a
9. Impulse response is:
a) Output when input is impulse
b) Output when input is step
c) Input to system
d) Time domain input signal
Answer: a
10. Step response is:
a) Output when input is step function
b) Output when input is impulse
c) Input to system
d) None
Answer: a
11. Static error coefficients determine:
a) Steady state error for different input types
b) Transient response
c) Oscillations
d) None
Answer: a
12. Routh’s stability criterion is used to:
a) Determine system stability
b) Find poles of transfer function
c) Find zeros
d) None
Answer: a
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13. A system is stable if:
a) All roots of characteristic equation have negative real parts
b) Roots lie in right half-plane
c) At least one root has positive real part
d) None
Answer: a
14. A pole on the imaginary axis indicates:
a) Marginally stable system
b) Unstable system
c) Stable system
d) None
Answer: a
15. Bode plot is used to represent:
a) Frequency response
b) Time response
c) System gain
d) None
Answer: a
16. Gain margin is:
a) Margin by which system gain can be increased before instability
b) Margin by which phase changes
c) Difference in output
d) None
Answer: a
17. Phase margin is:
a) Additional phase lag required to bring system to instability
b) Margin of gain increase
c) Time delay
d) None
Answer: a
18. A polar plot is:
a) Plot of magnitude and phase of frequency response
b) Time domain output
c) Input signal plot
d) Response plot
Answer: a
19. Nyquist plot helps in:
a) Stability analysis of closed loop systems
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b) Time domain analysis
c) Bode plot construction
d) Root locus
Answer: a
20. The gain crossover frequency is:
a) Frequency where gain is unity (0 dB)
b) Frequency where phase is -180°
c) Frequency where output is maximum
d) None
Answer: a
21. The phase crossover frequency is:
a) Frequency where phase angle is -180°
b) Frequency where gain is unity
c) Frequency of resonance
d) None
Answer: a
22. A type 0 system will have steady state error for:
a) Step input
b) Ramp input
c) Parabolic input
d) Both b and c
Answer: b
23. A type 1 system has zero steady state error for:
a) Step input
b) Ramp input
c) Parabolic input
d) None
Answer: a
24. The error constant Kp corresponds to:
a) Position error constant
b) Velocity error constant
c) Acceleration error constant
d) None
Answer: a
25. The error constant Kv corresponds to:
a) Position error constant
b) Velocity error constant
c) Acceleration error constant
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d) None
Answer: b
26. The error constant Ka corresponds to:
a) Position error constant
b) Velocity error constant
c) Acceleration error constant
d) None
Answer: c
27. A first order system transfer function has:
a) One pole
b) Two poles
c) One zero
d) None
Answer: a
28. The settling time of a second order system depends on:
a) Damping ratio and natural frequency
b) Only natural frequency
c) Only damping ratio
d) None
Answer: a
29. The overshoot in a second order system depends on:
a) Damping ratio
b) Natural frequency
c) Time constant
d) None
Answer: a
30. The damping ratio ζ for an underdamped system is:
a) 0 < ζ < 1
b) ζ = 0
c) ζ > 1
d) None
Answer: a
31. The steady state error of a system is zero when:
a) Type is greater than or equal to input type
b) Type is less than input type
c) Gain is zero
d) None
Answer: a
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32. Phase lead compensator is used to:
a) Increase stability and speed up response
b) Decrease stability
c) Slow response
d) None
Answer: a
33. Phase lag compensator is used to:
a) Improve steady state accuracy
b) Increase transient overshoot
c) Decrease stability
d) None
Answer: a
34. Root locus plots:
a) Movement of poles with varying gain
b) Frequency response
c) Time response
d) None
Answer: a
35. Stability is affected when poles move:
a) Into the right half of s-plane
b) Into the left half
c) Stay on imaginary axis
d) None
Answer: a
36. Nyquist stability criterion uses:
a) Frequency response
b) Root locus
c) Time domain
d) None
Answer: a
37. A transfer function with poles in the right half plane is:
a) Unstable
b) Stable
c) Marginally stable
d) None
Answer: a
38. Unity feedback system improves:
a) Steady state error
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b) Transient response
c) Both a and b
d) None
Answer: a
39. The principle of superposition applies to:
a) Linear systems only
b) Non-linear systems
c) Any systems
d) None
Answer: a
40. The time constant of a first order system is:
a) Inverse of pole location
b) Pole location
c) Zero location
d) None
Answer: a
41. A transfer function with no zeros is called:
a) Proper
b) Improper
c) Strictly proper
d) None
Answer: c
42. Frequency response shows:
a) System output magnitude and phase vs frequency
b) Step response
c) Impulse response
d) None
Answer: a
43. The Nyquist plot maps the frequency response onto:
a) Complex plane
b) Time plane
c) Real axis
d) None
Answer: a
44. A system with phase margin of 45° is:
a) Stable
b) Marginally stable
c) Unstable
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d) None
Answer: a
45. Lag compensators are primarily used to:
a) Improve steady state error
b) Improve transient response
c) Reduce overshoot
d) None
Answer: a
46. Lead compensators primarily:
a) Improve transient response
b) Reduce steady state error
c) Have no effect
d) None
Answer: a
47. Bode plot consists of plots of:
a) Magnitude and phase versus frequency
b) Time and magnitude
c) Time and phase
d) None
Answer: a