Extra exam question E4A09
Subelement E4, AMATEUR PRACTICES· Group E4A
Which of the following is good practice when using an oscilloscope probe?
- A.Minimize the length of the probe's ground connection (correct answer)
- B.Never use a high-impedance probe to measure a low-impedance circuit
- C.Never use a DC-coupled probe to measure an AC circuit
- D.All these choices are correct
WhyGood oscilloscope probe practice includes minimizing the length of the probe's ground connection. Good oscilloscope probe practice includes keeping the probe's ground connection as short as possible, since a long ground lead adds inductance that can ring and distort fast-changing signals, corrupting the very measurement you're trying to take, answer A. Using a high-impedance probe on a low-impedance circuit and using a DC-coupled probe on an AC circuit are both perfectly normal and often necessary, they aren't things to avoid, so neither B, C, nor "all these choices" fits.
Published 2026-08-28 · Last updated 2026-08-28 · Question text is verbatim from the 2024-2028 NCVEC Element 4 pool (public domain); the explanation above is original writing, see our methodology.
Related questions
- E4A01Which of the following limits the highest frequency signal that can be accurately displayed on a digital oscilloscope?
- E4A02Which of the following parameters does a spectrum analyzer display on the vertical and horizontal axes?
- E4A03Which of the following test instruments is used to display spurious signals and/or intermodulation distortion products generated by an SSB transmitter?
- E4A04How is compensation of an oscilloscope probe performed?
- E4A05What is the purpose of using a prescaler with a frequency counter?