For a process control system using the proportional control mode, what statement is true?

Correct Answer: Option C — Increasing the proportional gain within limits will decrease the steady-state error, but too much gain may cause instability.

Increasing proportional gain reduces the steady-state error by making the controller more sensitive to deviations. However, excessive gain increases the system's sensitivity to process noise and disturbances, which leads to oscillations and eventual instability, as the controller over-corrects for small errors in the process variable.