Mechanical Comprehension Flashcards
7 cards from real ASVAB 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 Comprehension flashcards as text
A bicycle shifts to a smaller rear sprocket. What is the effect on pedaling effort and speed?
Answer: More effort, more speed
A smaller rear sprocket increases the gear ratio, requiring more force to pedal but producing higher wheel speed.
Which type of stress acts parallel to the cross-section of a material, causing layers to slide?
Answer: Shear stress
Shear stress acts parallel to a surface, causing adjacent material layers to slide relative to each other.
A flywheel stores energy by using its:
Answer: Rotational inertia
A flywheel stores kinetic energy as rotational inertia, resisting changes in angular velocity.
If you double the diameter of a pipe while keeping flow velocity constant, how does the flow rate change?
Answer: It quadruples
Flow rate = area × velocity; doubling diameter quadruples area (πr²), so flow rate quadruples.
A ratchet mechanism allows motion in one direction only. What component prevents reverse rotation?
Answer: Detent pawl
The pawl engages the ratchet wheel's teeth to block rotation in the reverse direction.
Which of the following increases the resonant frequency of a vibrating mechanical system?
Answer: Increasing spring stiffness
Resonant frequency = √(k/m); increasing spring stiffness k raises the resonant frequency.
Two parallel beams of the same material and length support the same load. Beam A has twice the cross-sectional area of Beam B. Which statement is true?
Answer: Beam B deflects twice as much
Greater cross-sectional area gives higher moment of inertia and stiffness, so the smaller Beam B deflects more.