The OTE instruction is functionally described as which component?

• A. A reset coil
• B. A relay coil
• C. A timer
• D. A counter

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is how an OTE instruction functions in ladder logic. An Output Energize (OTE) coil is used to drive an output device; when the rung is true, the OTE energizes the connected output, similar to energizing a relay coil in a hard-wired control. This is why it’s described as a relay coil—the coil represents the actuator that gets powered to activate the load (like a lamp, a motor starter, or a transistor output).

It’s not a reset coil, since that role belongs to a reset instruction that unlatch an output. It’s also not a timer or a counter, which are separate function blocks used for delaying actions or counting events rather than directly energizing an output.