220-1101 Mobile Devices Practice Question
A user's Android smartphone charges normally when powered off and connected to a wall charger. However, when the phone is powered on and connected to the same charger, the battery percentage decreases over time despite showing the charging icon, eventually causing the phone to shut down. The user has tried multiple charging cables and adapters, performed a factory reset, and the issue persists. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between symptoms that occur only under load versus those that occur in all states, trapping candidates who assume a charging icon always means the battery is actually gaining charge.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The battery has reached end-of-life and cannot hold a charge
The fact that the phone charges normally when powered off but discharges when powered on indicates that the battery can accept a charge but cannot supply enough current to meet the device's operational demands. This is a classic symptom of a battery that has reached its end-of-life, where its internal resistance has increased significantly, causing the voltage to sag under load. The factory reset and cable/adapter swaps rule out software and accessory issues, isolating the battery as the most likely culprit.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The charging port is loose or damaged
Why it's wrong here
A loose or damaged charging port would produce symptoms independent of the device's power state—intermittent connection, arcing, or complete charge failure—because the physical contact is the same whether the OS is running or not. The fact that the phone charges reliably while powered off proves the port, cable, and charging path are delivering current correctly. The real issue is that the battery cannot simultaneously power the phone and accept a charge, which is a battery health problem, not a connector problem.
- ✓
The battery has reached end-of-life and cannot hold a charge
Why this is correct
An aged or defective battery can exhibit increased internal resistance, limiting the charging current it can accept. When the phone is on, the discharge rate exceeds the charge rate, leading to net depletion. This is a classic symptom of a failing battery, especially if the phone is a few years old.
- ✗
The operating system has a bug causing high power drain
Why it's wrong here
An operating-system bug that causes high power drain would display sustained abnormal battery usage, and a factory reset would wipe the OS and all installed apps, returning the device to a known-good software state. If the excessive drain continued even after a full reset, software can be ruled out as the cause—otherwise the clean image would have fixed it. Additionally, the phone's ability to charge normally when powered off shows the charging controller works correctly; the failure only appears under load, which points to physical battery degradation rather than a software issue.
- ✗
The mainboard's charging IC is malfunctioning
Why it's wrong here
A faulty charging IC could cause charging problems, but if the phone charges normally when powered off, the IC is likely functional. A defective IC would typically prevent charging or cause no charge indication. The scenario suggests the charging circuitry works, but the battery cannot hold a charge under load.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1101 exam.