Aquatic Technicians Skills and Knowledge Areas Flashcards
7 cards from real CAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Aquatic Technicians Skills and Knowledge Areas flashcards as text
A pool owner reports that the water is cloudy only in the morning but clears up by afternoon. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: pH rising overnight due to CO2 off-gassing, causing calcium to precipitate
At night, CO2 accumulates in pool water raising pH, which can cause calcium carbonate to precipitate and cloud the water until daytime UV and circulation restore balance.
What chemical is used to raise a pool's total alkalinity without significantly affecting pH?
Answer: Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
Sodium bicarbonate primarily raises total alkalinity with minimal impact on pH, making it the preferred choice for alkalinity adjustment.
A technician is calculating pool volume to dose chemicals. The pool is rectangular: 30 ft long, 15 ft wide, and averages 5 ft deep. What is the approximate volume in gallons?
Answer: 16,875 gallons
Volume = length × width × average depth × 7.5 = 30 × 15 × 5 × 7.5 = 16,875 gallons.
Which of the following best describes 'cavitation' in a pool pump?
Answer: Air bubbles forming and collapsing inside the pump due to insufficient water supply, causing damage
Cavitation occurs when the pump cannot receive enough water, causing vapor bubbles that violently collapse and erode pump components over time.
For a commercial aquatic facility, what is the minimum required turnover rate for a pool according to most state health codes?
Answer: Once every 6 hours
Most state health codes require commercial pools to turn over (filter the entire volume) at least once every 6 hours to maintain water quality.
A pool test shows pH of 7.8 and total alkalinity of 120 ppm. To lower pH without significantly affecting alkalinity, the technician should use:
Answer: Sodium bisulfate (dry acid) or muriatic acid added slowly near a return jet
Dry acid or muriatic acid lowers pH directly; adding near a return jet with the pump running ensures dilution and prevents localized surface damage.
What is the purpose of a 'dead man' or emergency shutoff switch required near commercial pools?
Answer: To immediately stop all pump and circulation equipment in an emergency to aid rescue operations
An emergency shutoff switch allows lifeguards or responders to immediately halt all suction and circulation equipment, reducing entrapment risk during a water rescue.