Ramsay Test Mechanical Reasoning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a simple series circuit, three bulbs are connected to a 12V battery. One bulb burns out (open circuit). What happens to the other two?
- They burn brighter
- They stay the same brightness
- They all go out (Correct answer)
- Two go out, one stays on
Correct answer: They all go out
In a series circuit, a break anywhere stops current flow through the entire circuit, extinguishing all bulbs.
Question 2: A rectangular beam is supported at both ends and loaded in the center. If the load is doubled, the deflection at the center:
- Stays the same
- Doubles (Correct answer)
- Quadruples
- Is cut in half
Correct answer: Doubles
For a simply supported beam within the elastic range, deflection is directly proportional to load — doubling the load doubles the deflection.
Question 3: Ball bearings are used in machines primarily to:
- Increase the load capacity of a shaft
- Reduce rotational friction between moving parts (Correct answer)
- Increase the torque delivered by a motor
- Absorb shock loads
Correct answer: Reduce rotational friction between moving parts
Ball bearings replace sliding friction with rolling friction, dramatically reducing energy lost between a rotating shaft and its housing.
Question 4: A cam is used in a machine to convert:
- Linear motion to rotary motion only
- Rotary motion into controlled linear or reciprocating motion (Correct answer)
- Fast rotation to slow rotation
- Electrical energy to mechanical energy
Correct answer: Rotary motion into controlled linear or reciprocating motion
A cam converts rotational input into a precisely shaped linear or reciprocating output motion as the follower tracks the cam profile.
Question 5: A 500 lb load is placed on a piston with a face area of 25 square inches. What is the pressure in the hydraulic system?
- 5 PSI
- 20 PSI (Correct answer)
- 125 PSI
- 12,500 PSI
Correct answer: 20 PSI
Pressure = Force / Area = 500 lb ÷ 25 sq in = 20 PSI.
Question 6: A ratchet mechanism allows a gear to:
- Rotate freely in both directions
- Rotate in one direction only, preventing reversal (Correct answer)
- Increase speed in one direction
- Lock completely and prevent all motion
Correct answer: Rotate in one direction only, preventing reversal
A ratchet uses a pawl that engages gear teeth to allow motion in one direction while blocking reverse rotation.
Question 7: Which of the following changes would MOST increase the mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle?
- Making the wheel smaller
- Making the axle larger
- Making the wheel larger relative to the axle (Correct answer)
- Using a rougher surface on the axle
Correct answer: Making the wheel larger relative to the axle
Mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle = wheel radius / axle radius, so increasing wheel size or decreasing axle size raises the advantage.
Ramsay Test Mechanical Reasoning 5
In a simple series circuit, three bulbs are connected to a 12V battery.
One bulb burns out (open circuit).
What happens to the other two?