Mechanical Aptitude and Principles Flashcards
7 cards from real Apprenticeship Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Mechanical Aptitude and Principles flashcards as text
A first-class lever has the fulcrum positioned:
Answer: Between the effort and the load
In a first-class lever, the fulcrum is always located between the effort force and the load, as in a crowbar or seesaw.
Two meshing gears have 20 teeth and 40 teeth. If the smaller gear rotates at 60 RPM, what is the speed of the larger gear?
Answer: 30 RPM
Gear speed is inversely proportional to tooth count; the larger gear (40 teeth) rotates at half the speed of the smaller: 20/40 × 60 = 30 RPM.
A single fixed pulley changes which of the following?
Answer: It changes the direction of the applied force without reducing effort
A single fixed pulley only redirects force (allowing a downward pull to lift a load upward) but provides no mechanical advantage.
What is the mechanical advantage of a lever with a 4-foot effort arm and a 1-foot resistance arm?
Answer: 4
Mechanical advantage of a lever equals the effort arm divided by the resistance arm: 4 ft ÷ 1 ft = 4.
An inclined plane is 10 feet long with a vertical rise of 2 feet. What is its mechanical advantage?
Answer: 5
The mechanical advantage of an inclined plane equals its length divided by its height: 10 ft ÷ 2 ft = 5.
In a hydraulic system, a piston with an area of 2 square inches receives a force of 10 pounds. What pressure is generated?
Answer: 5 psi
Pressure equals force divided by area: 10 lbs ÷ 2 sq in = 5 psi.
A wheel and axle is most similar in operating principle to which simple machine?
Answer: Lever
A wheel and axle operates on the same rotational principle as a lever, with the wheel acting as the effort arm and the axle as the resistance arm.