Tools and Mechanical Reasoning Flashcards
7 cards from real Firefighter practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Tools and Mechanical Reasoning flashcards as text
Two gears are meshed together. If the driver gear turns clockwise, which way does the meshed driven gear turn?
Answer: Counterclockwise
Two directly meshed gears always rotate in opposite directions.
A firefighter uses a longer pry bar to lift a heavy beam. What does the longer handle primarily increase?
Answer: The mechanical advantage
A longer lever arm increases mechanical advantage, making the load easier to move.
Which tool is best suited for forcing open an inward-swinging door during a fire rescue?
Answer: Halligan bar
The Halligan bar is a standard forcible-entry tool designed to pry, twist, and punch through doors.
In a pulley system with two supporting rope segments, lifting a 100 lb load ideally requires how much input force (ignoring friction)?
Answer: 50 lb
Two supporting rope segments halve the required force, so 100 lb needs about 50 lb of input.
Water flows through a hose that narrows at the nozzle. What happens to the water's velocity at the narrow point?
Answer: It increases
When a fluid passes through a smaller opening, its velocity increases to maintain flow.
A screw is an example of which simple machine wrapped around a cylinder?
Answer: Inclined plane
A screw is essentially an inclined plane wound around a central shaft.
Which property of a metal ladder makes it dangerous to use near electrical lines?
Answer: It conducts electricity
Metal is an electrical conductor, so a metal ladder can transmit current to the user.