Which component is the male connector in a plug-receptacle pair?

Which component is the male connector in a plug-receptacle pair?

• A. Receptacle
• B. Socket
• C. Plug
• D. Terminal block

Answer: (C)

In this kind of connector pair, gender comes from how the contacts are arranged: the male part has protruding conductors, while the female part has receptacles to receive those conductors. The plug is the portion you hold and insert into the outlet or device, and it contains the pins that stick out to make the electrical connection. The receptacle stays fixed and provides the holes for those pins. While “socket” is sometimes used to refer to the female side, the standard pairing described here identifies the plug as the male connector. The terminal block isn’t part of the plug-receptacle pairing—it’s a separate wiring component.

In this kind of connector pair, gender comes from how the contacts are arranged: the male part has protruding conductors, while the female part has receptacles to receive those conductors. The plug is the portion you hold and insert into the outlet or device, and it contains the pins that stick out to make the electrical connection. The receptacle stays fixed and provides the holes for those pins. While “socket” is sometimes used to refer to the female side, the standard pairing described here identifies the plug as the male connector. The terminal block isn’t part of the plug-receptacle pairing—it’s a separate wiring component.