Whether you're preparing for a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (BME) program entrance exam, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Mechanical exam, or a university assessment, our free printable practice test PDF covers the core knowledge areas you need to master.
Download the PDF below, print it, and work through questions spanning statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and manufacturing processes.
The BME curriculum and the FE Mechanical exam share the same foundational knowledge areas. Here's what you need to know for each subject.
Statics questions require you to draw accurate free body diagrams, write and solve equilibrium equations (sum of forces and moments = 0), calculate moments and couples, and analyze trusses using the method of joints or method of sections. Distributed loads and their equivalent resultant forces are also commonly tested.
Dynamics covers kinematics (describing motion via position, velocity, and acceleration relationships) and kinetics (explaining why objects move using Newton's second law, work-energy theorem, and impulse-momentum principles). Both particles and rigid body dynamics appear on the FE exam.
This subject tests stress-strain relationships, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and material behavior under axial, shear, and bending loads. Beam bending requires applying the flexure formula (σ = Mc/I) and constructing shear and moment diagrams. Column buckling is tested using Euler's critical load formula (P_cr = π²EI/L²).
Thermodynamics questions apply the first law (energy conservation) and second law (entropy and irreversibility) to closed and open systems. You'll calculate Carnot efficiency (η = 1 − T_L/T_H), coefficient of performance for refrigeration cycles, and analyze steam power cycles using steam tables and enthalpy values from the NCEES Reference Handbook.
Fluid mechanics tests the Bernoulli equation for ideal flow, Reynolds number for flow regime classification (laminar vs. turbulent), and the Darcy-Weisbach equation for head loss in pipe systems. Pump selection and the pump affinity laws are also tested on the FE Mechanical exam.
Heat transfer covers the three modes: conduction (Fourier's law: q = −kA dT/dx), convection (Newton's law of cooling: q = hA ΔT), and radiation (Stefan-Boltzmann law: q = εσA T⁴). Composite wall resistance networks and overall heat transfer coefficients appear frequently.
Manufacturing knowledge includes machining operations (turning, milling, drilling — cutting speed and material removal rate calculations), casting processes (sand casting, die casting), metal forming (rolling, forging, extrusion), welding types (MIG, TIG, resistance), and tolerance and fits (clearance, interference, and transition fits using ISO standard designations).
Print the PDF and work through it as a closed-book test first — this builds the foundational recall you need before relying on reference materials. Then, work through it again open-book (with the NCEES FE Reference Handbook) to practice the look-up efficiency the FE exam demands.
For calculations-heavy subjects like thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, note which formulas you had to look up every time. Those are your memorization targets for the week before exam day.
For more practice, visit our BME practice test hub to take full-length online exams with step-by-step solution explanations for every question.