A ceramic disc capacitor of 100,text pF is tested on a DMM capacitance range with a resolution of 1,text nF . The meter reads zero. The correct conclusion is:

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Electronics Engineering QUESTION #11696

Question 1

A ceramic disc capacitor of $100\,\text{pF}$ is tested on a DMM capacitance range with a resolution of $1\,\text{nF}$. The meter reads zero. The correct conclusion is:

The capacitor is short-circuited
The capacitor is open-circuited
The capacitor value is below the meter's minimum measurable range✔️
The capacitor is out of tolerance

Correct Answer Explanation

A DMM with $1\,\text{nF}$ resolution cannot reliably measure capacitors smaller than its minimum range. $100\,\text{pF} = 0.1\,\text{nF}$ — well below the resolution. A zero reading here means the capacitor is too small for the instrument, not that it is faulty. An LCR meter or RF impedance analyser with pF resolution is needed.

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