True or False? An intruder entering through a broken window would be detected if a magnetic contact is installed on the window.

True or False? An intruder entering through a broken window would be detected if a magnetic contact is installed on the window.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only at night
• D. Only if the window is locked

Answer: (B)

A magnetic contact system is designed to detect the opening or closing of a window or door. It consists of two parts: a magnet and a switch. When the window is closed, the magnet is in proximity to the switch, keeping the circuit closed. If the window is broken but remains in its frame, the magnetic contact does not trigger an alarm since the switch remains closed. The detection occurs only when the window itself is physically opened, not when it is merely broken, as the switch does not react to the physical damage without the window being opened.

Therefore, the scenario outlined in the question implies that merely breaking the window does not lead to an alarm being triggered, hence the statement that an intruder would be detected in this case is false. Thus, the assertion that the magnetic contact will not recognize a broken window provides clarity on why the answer chosen is correct.