Q 01/05

Nikola Tesla is best known for his contributions to which electricity supply system?

A) Direct current

B) Static electricity

C) Alternating current

D) Nuclear power

Answer · why

C) Alternating current

Alternating current: his induction motor and polyphase designs became the backbone of the modern grid, putting him opposite Edison in the 'war of the ...

Q 02/05

In which present-day country was Nikola Tesla born in 1856?

A) Croatia

B) Slovenia

C) Austria

D) Hungary

Answer · why

A) Croatia

Croatia: he was born to an ethnic Serb family in Smiljan, then in the Austrian Empire's Military Frontier.

Q 03/05

Which company licensed Tesla's polyphase induction motor patents in 1888?

A) Westinghouse Electric

B) General Electric

C) Edison Machine Works

D) Thomson-Houston

Answer · why

A) Westinghouse Electric

Westinghouse Electric, which used Tesla's system to win the contract to harness Niagara Falls.

Q 04/05

At which 1898 New York exhibition did Tesla show a radio-controlled boat, his 'telautomaton'?

A) Coney Island

B) Grand Central Palace

C) Madison Square Garden

D) The Crystal Palace

Answer · why

C) Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden; Tesla then tried to sell the idea to the U.S. military as a radio-controlled torpedo, which showed little interest.

Q 05/05

In which Rocky Mountain city did Tesla set up a high-altitude experimental station in 1899?

A) Denver, Colorado

B) Colorado Springs

C) Cheyenne, Wyoming

D) Santa Fe, New Mexico

Answer · why

B) Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, where his artificial lightning reportedly burned out a local power-station generator and caused an outage.