Plus printable tests, Q&A, and an ad-free upgrade. Have a suggestion? Please let us know what you want!
Take an ASVAB Practice Test
Sample Practice Test Questions
A screw is most like which of the following other simple machines?
inclined plane
A screw is an inclined plane wrapped in ridges (threads) around a cylinder. The distance between these ridges defines the pitch of the screw and this distance is how far the screw advances when it is turned once. The mechanical advantage of a screw is its circumference divided by the pitch.
Which of the following is a relay that connects the battery to the starter motor when the ignition key is turned?
solenoid
The cylindrical solenoid is a relay that safely connects the high amperage battery to the starter motor when the ignition key is turned. This current then allows the engine to turn at a high enough speed to start.
Scavengers break down the dead bodies of plants and animals into which of the following?
simple nutrients
Like decomposers, scavengers also break down the dead bodies of plants and animals into simple nutrients. The difference is that scavengers operate on much larger refuse and dead animals (carrion). Decomposers then consume the much smaller particles left over by the scavengers.
The envelope of gases surrounding the planet is called the:
atmosphere
The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships. This includes their interactions with the lithosphere (the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle), hydrosphere (all surface water), and atmosphere (the envelope of gases surrounding the planet).
The __________ nervous system regulates involuntary activity in the heart, stomach, and intestines.
autonomic
Part of the peripheral nervous system, the autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary activity in the heart, stomach, and intestines.
The __________ is a system of muscles that allows breathing.
diaphragm
The diaphragm is a system of muscles that allows breathing. During inhalation, the diaphragm expands and air rushes in to fill the space created. Then, during exhalation, the diaphragm contracts and forces the air back out.
Blood pressure is generally highest in which of the following?
arteries
Arteries are thick-walled because they carry oxygenated blood at high pressure, veins are comparatively thin-walled as they carry low-pressure deoxygenated blood.
The first step in the water cycle is:
evaporation
The water (hydrologic) cycle describes the movement of water from Earth through the atmosphere and back to Earth. The cycle starts when water evaporates into a gas from bodies of water like rivers, lakes and oceans or transpirates from the leaves of plants.
A fixed pulley is useful for which of the following?
changing the direction of the input force
A fixed pulley is used to change the direction of a force and does not multiply the force applied. As such, it has a mechanical advantage of one. The benefit of a fixed pulley is that it can allow the force to be applied at a more convenient angle, for example, pulling downward or horizontally to lift an object instead of upward.
Which of the following is not an advantage of using a tape measure over using a ruler?
measure with more accuracy
Rulers are used to both measure distance and to draw straight lines. Tape measures are flexible rulers useful for measuring longer distances and in tighter spaces. Rulers and tape measures provide similarly accurate measurements.