Wiring and componentsQuestion 822 of 1506

What makes a small thermal circuit breaker open on overcurrent?

  1. A bimetallic strip in the current path bends as it heats.
  2. A fusible wire inside the housing melts like a fuse.
  3. A relay coil senses the voltage drop across the contacts.
  4. A capacitor discharges into the trip coil of the breaker.
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Correct answer: A bimetallic strip in the current path bends as it heats.

Two bonded metals expand by different amounts. The strip bends when hot and releases the trip mechanism.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits I: DC (Kuphaldt), 12.4: Fuses

Practice wiring and components

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026