Ramsay Test Mechanical Reasoning 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 200 lb crate must be slid up a frictionless inclined plane that is 10 ft long and 2 ft high. What force is required?
- 200 lb
- 100 lb
- 40 lb (Correct answer)
- 20 lb
Correct answer: 40 lb
Force on an inclined plane = weight × (height/length) = 200 × (2/10) = 40 lb.
Question 2: A wrench applies 30 lb of force at 1.5 ft from a bolt's center. What is the torque applied to the bolt?
- 20 ft-lb
- 31.5 ft-lb
- 45 ft-lb (Correct answer)
- 200 ft-lb
Correct answer: 45 ft-lb
Torque = Force × Distance = 30 lb × 1.5 ft = 45 ft-lb.
Question 3: A steel rod is 100 inches long at 70°F. If heated to 170°F, it expands. Which statement is correct?
- It contracts slightly
- It stays exactly the same length
- It becomes slightly longer (Correct answer)
- It becomes significantly shorter
Correct answer: It becomes slightly longer
Metals expand when heated; a 100°F increase causes measurable elongation based on the material's coefficient of thermal expansion.
Question 4: A drive belt connects two pulleys. The driver pulley is 4 inches in diameter and spins at 600 RPM. The driven pulley is 8 inches in diameter. What is the driven pulley's speed?
- 1200 RPM
- 600 RPM
- 300 RPM (Correct answer)
- 150 RPM
Correct answer: 300 RPM
Belt drive speed ratio: output RPM = input RPM × (driver diameter / driven diameter) = 600 × (4/8) = 300 RPM.
Question 5: Two workers each push a box. Worker A pushes with 80 lb for 10 feet. Worker B pushes with 40 lb for 20 feet. Who does more work?
- Worker A does more work
- Worker B does more work
- They do equal amounts of work (Correct answer)
- Cannot be determined without time
Correct answer: They do equal amounts of work
Work = Force × Distance; Worker A: 80×10 = 800 ft-lb; Worker B: 40×20 = 800 ft-lb — identical.
Question 6: A screw has 16 threads per inch. How far does the screw advance into a material with each full turn?
- 16 inches
- 1/8 inch
- 1/16 inch (Correct answer)
- 2 inches
Correct answer: 1/16 inch
Pitch = 1 / threads per inch = 1/16 inch per revolution.
Question 7: A vehicle traveling around a curve tends to slide outward. This tendency is best resisted by:
- Reducing tire pressure
- Tilting (banking) the road surface inward (Correct answer)
- Increasing vehicle weight
- Reducing engine power
Correct answer: Tilting (banking) the road surface inward
Banking a road inward redirects the normal force to provide a centripetal component, countering the outward tendency without relying on friction alone.
Ramsay Test Mechanical Reasoning 4
A 200 lb crate must be slid up a frictionless inclined plane that is 10 ft long and 2 ft high.
What force is required?