Mechanical Aptitude Flashcards
6 cards from real AFCT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Mechanical Aptitude flashcards as text
Two objects of equal weight are placed on a balance beam, each 3 feet from the fulcrum on opposite sides. What happens?
Answer: The beam stays balanced
Equal weights at equal distances create equal torques on both sides, keeping the beam balanced.
What principle explains why a boat floats?
Answer: Archimedes' Principle
Archimedes' Principle states that an object in fluid experiences an upward force equal to the weight of fluid displaced.
A pendulum is pulled to one side and released. At which point does it have the greatest kinetic energy?
Answer: At the lowest point (bottom of swing)
At the bottom of the swing, all potential energy has converted to kinetic energy and the pendulum moves at maximum speed.
Water flows from a large pipe into a smaller pipe. What happens to the water's speed?
Answer: Speed increases
The continuity equation requires the same volume to pass through a smaller area, so speed must increase.
What is the primary advantage of a compound pulley system over a single pulley?
Answer: It multiplies the applied force
A compound pulley system uses multiple pulleys to multiply the applied force, requiring less effort to lift heavy loads.
An object floating in water has exactly half its volume submerged. What is its density relative to water?
Answer: Half that of water
The fraction submerged equals the ratio of object density to fluid density. Half submerged means density is half that of water.