Reliability and ethical considerations – MCQs – EE

1. What is the primary goal of reliability engineering in electrical systems?
(A) Minimizing cost only
(B) Maximizing system performance
(C) Ensuring consistent operation over time
(D) Increasing complexity of circuits

2. Which of the following is a common reliability metric?
(A) Voltage drop
(B) Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
(C) Power factor
(D) Signal-to-noise ratio

3. Which factor directly affects the reliability of an electrical component?
(A) Ambient temperature
(B) Color of the device
(C) Manufacturer logo
(D) Type of packaging

4. Ethical considerations in EE mainly focus on:
(A) Making profits only
(B) Safety, honesty, and public welfare
(C) Reducing circuit complexity
(D) Avoiding new technologies

5. A system designed with redundancy to improve reliability is called:
(A) Series system
(B) Parallel system
(C) Backup system
(D) Redundant system

6. Which of the following is an example of an ethical violation in EE?
(A) Accurate data reporting
(B) Using substandard materials knowingly
(C) Proper grounding of circuits
(D) Following IEEE standards

7. Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) measures:
(A) The average operating time before failure
(B) The average time to fix a failed component
(C) The system efficiency
(D) The power loss in the system

8. Which type of failure is sudden and unpredictable?
(A) Gradual failure
(B) Random failure
(C) Wear-out failure
(D) Predictable failure

9. Codes of ethics in engineering are primarily issued by:
(A) Government only
(B) Professional organizations
(C) Corporations only
(D) Universities only

10. Which technique is commonly used to increase reliability in circuits?
(A) Overclocking components
(B) Adding redundant elements
(C) Reducing insulation
(D) Ignoring safety margins

11. Which of these is NOT a reliability improvement method?
(A) Regular maintenance
(B) Quality control
(C) Ignoring stress testing
(D) Component selection

12. Which ethical principle emphasizes “do no harm”?
(A) Confidentiality
(B) Non-maleficence
(C) Justice
(D) Honesty

13. Which of the following is a common cause of electrical failure?
(A) Corrosion
(B) Proper insulation
(C) Correct load calculation
(D) Routine maintenance

14. Reliability of a system can be defined as:
(A) Ability to perform under specified conditions for a given period
(B) Total cost of operation
(C) Maximum power output
(D) Minimum voltage drop

15. Engineering ethics requires an engineer to report:
(A) Only successes
(B) Safety hazards and failures
(C) Company profits only
(D) Market trends

16. Burn-in testing is used to:
(A) Test performance at extreme conditions
(B) Reduce component cost
(C) Increase system complexity
(D) Ignore weak components

17. Which failure type occurs due to aging of components?
(A) Random failure
(B) Wear-out failure
(C) Instantaneous failure
(D) Negligible failure

18. Confidentiality in engineering ethics refers to:
(A) Sharing all project details publicly
(B) Protecting sensitive information
(C) Ignoring intellectual property
(D) Hiding safety hazards

19. Which of the following affects MTBF?
(A) Load conditions
(B) Operating temperature
(C) Environmental stress
(D) All of the above

20. Using fake test data in a project violates:
(A) Reliability standards
(B) Ethical standards
(C) Component specifications
(D) Load calculations

21. Redundant systems are often used in:
(A) Household appliances only
(B) Safety-critical systems like aviation
(C) Small resistive circuits
(D) None of the above

22. Which is a key component of ethical decision-making in EE?
(A) Personal gain
(B) Public safety and welfare
(C) Avoiding regulations
(D) Ignoring failures

23. Which analysis estimates system reliability by considering component reliability?
(A) Fault tree analysis
(B) Signal analysis
(C) Frequency analysis
(D) Power analysis

24. Which is a major consequence of ignoring reliability in design?
(A) Higher profits
(B) System failures and hazards
(C) Reduced documentation
(D) Faster production

25. Engineers must refuse work that:
(A) Compromises safety or ethical standards
(B) Involves new technology
(C) Reduces costs
(D) Improves efficiency

26. Accelerated life testing is used to:
(A) Estimate component lifetime quickly
(B) Reduce manufacturing costs
(C) Increase MTTR
(D) Ignore operational stress

27. Which of these is an ethical responsibility in EE research?
(A) Fabricating results
(B) Accurate reporting of findings
(C) Ignoring safety
(D) Hiding defects

28. The reliability of a series system is generally:
(A) Greater than individual components
(B) Less than the reliability of the least reliable component
(C) Equal to the most reliable component
(D) Independent of component reliability

29. Engineers are expected to:
(A) Prioritize safety over profit
(B) Prioritize profit over safety
(C) Ignore standards
(D) Focus only on innovation

30. Which is considered a proactive reliability practice?
(A) Preventive maintenance
(B) Waiting for failures to occur
(C) Ignoring component stress
(D) Reducing safety margins