Nate Electrical Practice Exam

A unit of power equal to one horsepower and delivered at the shaft of a motor is known as:

1. Amperage

2. Brake horsepower

3. Horsepower

4. Voltage

The correct answer is: Brake horsepower

The correct answer, brake horsepower, refers to a measurement of a motor's output power at its shaft, accounting for any losses due to friction and other factors. It represents the actual horsepower that a motor can deliver under specific operating conditions. This is a critical value when evaluating motor performance, especially in applications where efficiency and power delivery are essential. In contrast, amperage measures the electric current flowing in a circuit and does not directly convey the power output of a motor. Horsepower, while a general term used to denote power, encompasses different definitions, such as mechanical horsepower, but does not specify the performance delivered at the motor shaft under load. Voltage refers to the electrical potential difference in a circuit and, like amperage, does not directly indicate the mechanical output power of a motor. Understanding brake horsepower is vital for properly sizing motors and ensuring they meet the demands of the application they are used for.