The device designed to protect electrical circuits by interrupting current when it becomes excessive is called what?

The device designed to protect electrical circuits by interrupting current when it becomes excessive is called what?

• A. Fuse
• B. Circuit breaker
• C. Transformer
• D. Resistor

Answer: (B)

Overcurrent protection that interrupts current automatically is provided by a circuit breaker. It detects when current exceeds a safe level and trips to open the circuit, stopping the flow. After the fault is cleared, it can be reset and reused. A fuse serves a similar purpose by melting a conductor when the current is too high, but it is a one-time use component that must be replaced. A transformer changes voltage and isn’t meant to interrupt current, and a resistor only limits current without automatically cutting power during faults. So the device described is a circuit breaker.

Overcurrent protection that interrupts current automatically is provided by a circuit breaker. It detects when current exceeds a safe level and trips to open the circuit, stopping the flow. After the fault is cleared, it can be reset and reused. A fuse serves a similar purpose by melting a conductor when the current is too high, but it is a one-time use component that must be replaced. A transformer changes voltage and isn’t meant to interrupt current, and a resistor only limits current without automatically cutting power during faults. So the device described is a circuit breaker.