A normally opened limit switch is open when not actuated. Which state best describes this?

A normally opened limit switch is open when not actuated. Which state best describes this?

• A. Open
• B. Closed
• C. Indeterminate
• D. Variable

Answer: (A)

With a normally open switch, the contacts are separated when nothing is pressing the actuator. In that resting state, there’s no path for current, so the circuit is open. Only when the switch is actuated do the contacts close and a current path is created. That’s why “open” is the correct description for the state when not actuated. The other terms don’t fit: a normally open switch is not closed at rest, and its state isn’t indeterminate or variable—it’s defined as open until actuated.

With a normally open switch, the contacts are separated when nothing is pressing the actuator. In that resting state, there’s no path for current, so the circuit is open. Only when the switch is actuated do the contacts close and a current path is created. That’s why “open” is the correct description for the state when not actuated. The other terms don’t fit: a normally open switch is not closed at rest, and its state isn’t indeterminate or variable—it’s defined as open until actuated.