IST Study Guide 2026

Pascal's Principle states that a pressure change at any point in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted throughout the fluid such that the same change occurs everywhere. In a hydraulic press, a small force applied to a small piston creates pressure that is transmitted to a larger piston, resulting in a much larger force capable of lifting heavy objects.

GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter and protects people from electric shock caused by ground faults.

A Pareto chart ranks causes by frequency or impact, helping teams focus on the 'vital few' causes that account for most problems.

The mechanical advantage (MA) of an inclined plane is calculated by dividing the length of the inclined surface by its vertical height. This ratio indicates how much the input force is multiplied, making it easier to move an object vertically by pushing it along a longer, gentler slope. A higher MA means less effort is required.

Fuses and circuit breakers protect circuits by interrupting the flow of current when it exceeds a safe level.

A regular tetrahedron is a polyhedron composed of four equilateral triangular faces, with three meeting at each vertex. It is the simplest of all convex regular polyhedra and is also known as a 3-simplex. Its defining characteristic is having four identical triangular faces.