ASVAB Mechanical Comprehension Principles

Question 1

A lever has a fulcrum in the center. If you push down on one end, what happens to the other end?

Accepted Answer

It goes up

Answer

A lever pivots around its fulcrum. When one end is pushed down, the other end rises. This is the basic principle of a first-class lever, like a seesaw.

Question 2

What is the mechanical advantage of a pulley system with 4 supporting ropes?

Accepted Answer

4

Answer

The mechanical advantage of a pulley system equals the number of rope sections supporting the load. With 4 supporting ropes, the mechanical advantage is 4, meaning you only need 1/4 the force.

Question 3

Which simple machine is a ramp an example of?

Accepted Answer

Inclined plane

Answer

A ramp is an inclined plane, one of the six simple machines. It reduces the force needed to raise an object by increasing the distance over which the force is applied.

Question 4

What is friction?

Accepted Answer

A force that opposes motion between surfaces in contact

Answer

Friction is a force that resists the relative motion of surfaces in contact. It can be helpful (allowing you to walk without slipping) or harmful (causing wear on machine parts).

Question 5

If a gear with 20 teeth meshes with a gear with 40 teeth, and the smaller gear turns at 100 RPM, how fast does the larger gear turn?

Accepted Answer

50 RPM

Answer

Gear ratio = 20/40 = 1/2. The larger gear turns at half the speed: 100 × (20/40) = 50 RPM. Larger gears turn slower when driven by smaller ones.

ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Practice Test

ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Practice Test

ASVAB Mechanical Comprehension Principles