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Mechanical Comprehension Flashcards

6 cards from real BARB 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 Comprehension flashcards as text

  1. A soldier lifts a 60 kg crate 2 metres high in 6 seconds. What power does he exert? (g = 10 m/s²)

    Answer: 200 W

    Work = 60 × 10 × 2 = 1,200 J; Power = 1,200 ÷ 6 = 200 W.

  2. A bolt is tightened with a spanner 30 cm long using 20 N of force. What torque is applied?

    Answer: 6 Nm

    Torque = Force × Distance = 20 × 0.3 = 6 Nm.

  3. A fluid flows through a horizontal pipe. According to Bernoulli's principle, where is the pressure lowest?

    Answer: Where the pipe is narrowest

    Bernoulli's principle states that faster-moving fluid has lower pressure; speed is highest (and pressure lowest) where the pipe is narrowest.

  4. An armoured vehicle engine produces 400 kW. If 80 kW is lost to heat, what is the engine's efficiency?

    Answer: 80%

    Useful output = 400 − 80 = 320 kW; Efficiency = (320 ÷ 400) × 100 = 80%.

  5. A screw has a pitch of 2 mm. How many full turns are needed to advance it 10 mm?

    Answer: 5 turns

    Turns = Distance ÷ Pitch = 10 ÷ 2 = 5 turns.

  6. Why is mechanical comprehension tested in the BARB for certain British Army roles?

    Answer: To evaluate suitability for technical and engineering trades

    Mechanical comprehension scores help match recruits to technical trades such as engineering, vehicle mechanics, and weapons systems roles.

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Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

  1. practicequestions.mindmill.co.uk — Exam format · verified Oct 2026
  2. jobs.army.mod.uk — Test delivery, score release · verified Oct 2026