Question

Given this scenario: Five wires in a conduit raceway have a total cross-sectional area of 3.5 square inches. What's the smallest diameter in inches allowed for Schedule 40 PVC conduit?

a) 0.5 inches
b) 0.75 inches
c) 1 inch
d) 1.25 inches

Answer 1

The smallest diameter allowed for Schedule 40 PVC conduit is approximately 1.26 inches.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order to determine the smallest diameter allowed for Schedule 40 PVC conduit, we need to calculate the cross-sectional area of the five wires. If the total cross-sectional area is 3.5 square inches, we divide that by 5 to get the average cross-sectional area of one wire, which is 0.7 square inches. The cross-sectional area of a circle is given by the formula A = π * r2, where A is the cross-sectional area and r is the radius. Since PVC conduit is usually circular, we can rearrange the formula to solve for r. Therefore, r = √(A / π), where r is the radius and A is the cross-sectional area. Substituting the average cross-sectional area of 0.7 square inches into the formula, we get r = √(0.7 / π). Finally, to find the smallest diameter, we multiply the radius by 2, so the smallest diameter allowed for Schedule 40 PVC conduit is approximately 1.26 inches.