ESA Certified Alarm Technician Practice Exam

What characteristic defines a photoelectric smoke detector?

1. It uses ionization

2. It requires a battery backup

3. It detects particles from combustion

4. It operates only in low humidity

The correct answer is: It detects particles from combustion

A photoelectric smoke detector is primarily defined by its method of detection, which involves sensing light. This type of detector uses a beam of light and a photosensitive sensor. When smoke enters the detector, it scatters the light beam, causing a change that the sensor can detect, indicating the presence of smoke. This method makes photoelectric detectors particularly effective at detecting larger smoke particles, such as those produced by smoldering fires. The other characteristics do not encapsulate the primary operating principle of a photoelectric smoke detector. Ionization relates to a different detector type that uses radioactive materials to detect fast-burning fires. While a battery backup is important for many types of smoke detectors for reliability, it is not a defining characteristic unique to photoelectric detectors. Lastly, humidity does not exclusively affect the operation of photoelectric detectors, as they can function in a range of environmental conditions, including normal humidity levels. Thus, the defining characteristic that distinguishes photoelectric smoke detectors is their ability to detect combustion particles through light scattering.