The way the question is worded I think the answer is true.
If the question said “Electricity always takes the path of least resistance only”, then the answer would be false.
Anyone can throw in additional information after the fact to change the outcome.
Such as;
True or False. An automobile will drive perfectly normal with one flat tire. Answer is false.
Throw in; Not if the flat tire is the one in the trunk. Changes the context of the question after the fact.
I think Mr. Holt may have learned how to word questions from the drivers license test.
I don’t think trick questions are the best way to teach or learn.
The point of a question is to make you think, I have been spending ALOT of time over the past 3 days as you all can tell by my presence online, working on my seminar for Atlanta and the one for my state itself on grounding and bonding and have come to understand MANY things even better than I did before.
Knowledge is an AMAZING thing, it makes me JUMP up in the morning to learn more and more and more. I am 37 and I simply CAN’T wait until I am 47 and what i may know and learn.
So the question is : Electricity always takes the path of least resistance.
We know this is false, while it does TAKE the path of least resistance we also know that in objectionable current situations it takes all available paths in order to obtain it’s goal and get back to the source ( not the earth as many believe ) of its origination.
You have to take questions at FACE value and not disect them for what they are worth. It is a practice of MAKING the test taking individual STOP and read the question again…slowly and thing of all possible directions but then to focus on WHAT the question asks.
IN my example with the resistors you see ALL paths receive electrity and that is the understanding of the question. Just because YOU may become in contact with a metal pipe at 1000 OHMS of resistance and the metal surface is in contact with the earth lets say and has 25 OHMS of resistance…don’t think it will all go into the earth trying to make its way BACK to the source…you will be TOAST and is shows that while electricity will take the path of least resistance so to speak…it will ALSO take YOUR path as well and it only takes MILLI-AMPS to end your life.
Sure there can be…to the question only. Is it NOT false that " Electricity always takes the path of least resistance.
Key word here is ALWAYS…in that statement if you think always then you think ONLY that path…making the statement false…it takes all parrallel paths making the statement…YES incomplete but truly FALSE.
I think that is what MIKE is going for in these little “MAKE YOu THINK” questions and guess what…it is MAKING us think and thats the sign of a good quiz…not one that is black and white…we like em GRAY !
Paul, I want you to understand that I am in no way disagreeing with you on the subject of electricity. You obviously are more knowledgeable than I am in that field. I’m just trying to pick you brain so that I will understand better.
Where we seem to disagree is language;
" Electricity always takes the path of least resistance" True.
Can you tell me where there would ever be a situation where electricity did not take the path of least resistance.
Greg, that makes sense. I can see how this would bring good discussion in a classroom or similar situation. Makes for better development of the thought process.
hmmmm…wesley or greg…why would you all thing I am argueing or debating anything. I understand what you are saying Wesley , all I am trying to do is chat about it and so on…nothing more fella…I was not snappin at ya friend just using the post to educate and teach as well as try to answer the questions…
It does always take THAT path…but I think what he is trying to pull out of the question is yes it always takes that path but it is important to know it is not the ONLY path it takes.
I think his questions are designed to BRING up conversations like this and it is a good to have them…
Greg’s answers and coments brings me back to the days of being a telecom engineer for ROLM. If the ground reference point wasnt as good as it gets, there were problems with those good old TDM cards in our PBX. Northern Telecom, AT&T, IBM, and anyone else with digital equipment was extremely pissy about isolated grounds and single-point groundng systems. Cad welded straps to building steel. Pads under transformers. Grounding Triads. I’m getting sick…
This is an example of taking a basic question and exploring it beyond it’s basic intent…If you read the question at FACE value to get a real answer to the question…is the statement true or false as it is written then it is false.
Paul
Sometimes it is good to get away from a situation and come back later to take another try. Example - a lock nut will not thread on and it frustrates you to kingdom come. You walk away and come back five minutes later…WA LA… it goes right on.
The same for your question.
Yes, current ALWAYS will take the path of least resistance. that is true no matter how you are to analyze it.
The false statement is: current only follows the path of least resistance.
We know it will follow all paths, regardless of the resistance - Kirchoff’s Law.
So current will always take the path of least resistance…and all other paths if available.
lol…BUT in the context of that question…it did not talk about the ALL paths…so I agree with Mr. Holt in that question would still be false but I can see where it can be twisted either way.
