ASVAB Mechanical Comprehension Practice Test 762573 Results

Your Results Global Average
Questions 5 5
Correct 0 3.32
Score 0% 66%

Review

1

What type of load varies with time or affects a structure that experiences a high degree of movement?

65% Answer Correctly

static load

impact load

concentrated load

dynamic load


Solution

A concentrated load acts on a relatively small area of a structure, a static uniformly distributed load doesn't create specific stress points or vary with time, a dynamic load varies with time or affects a structure that experiences a high degree of movement, an impact load is sudden and for a relatively short duration and a non-uniformly distributed load creates different stresses at different locations on a structure.


2 If the green box is 2 ft. from the fulcrum and a certain force applied 2 ft. from the fulcrum at the blue arrow balances the lever, what is the mechanical advantage?
61% Answer Correctly
-5
1
0.33
0.9

Solution

Because this lever is in equilibrium, we know that the effort force at the blue arrow is equal to the resistance weight of the green box. For a lever that's in equilibrium, one method of calculating mechanical advantage (MA) is to divide the length of the effort arm (Ea) by the length of the resistance arm (Ra):

MA = \( \frac{E_a}{R_a} \) = \( \frac{2 ft.}{2 ft.} \) = 1

When a lever is in equilibrium, the torque from the effort and the resistance are equal. The equation for equilibrium is Rada = Rbdb where a and b are the two points at which effort/resistance is being applied to the lever.

In this problem, Ra and Rb are such that the lever is in equilibrium meaning that some multiple of the weight of the green box is being applied at the blue arrow. For a lever, this multiple is a function of the ratio of the distances of the box and the arrow from the fulcrum. That's why, for a lever in equilibrium, only the distances from the fulcrum are necessary to calculate mechanical advantage.

If the lever were not in equilibrium, you would first have to calculate the forces and distances necessary to put it in equilibrium and then divide Ea by Ra to get the mechanical advantage.


3 If the radius of the axle is 3 and the radius of the wheel is 8, what is the mechanical advantage of this wheel and axle configuration?
52% Answer Correctly
2.67
5
-5
3

Solution

The mechanical advantage of a wheel and axle is the input radius divided by the output radius:

MA = \( \frac{r_i}{r_o} \)

In this case, the input radius (where the effort force is being applied) is 8 and the output radius (where the resistance is being applied) is 3 for a mechanical advantage of \( \frac{8}{3} \) = 2.67


4

Friction between two or more solid objects that are not moving relative to each other is called:

73% Answer Correctly

dynamic friction

gravitational friction

static friction

kinetic friction


Solution

Static friction is friction between two or more solid objects that are not moving relative to each other. An example is the friction that prevents a box on a sloped surface from sliding farther down the surface.


5

Which of the following surfaces would have the highest coefficient of friction?

77% Answer Correctly

marble

concrete

ice

steel


Solution

Coefficient of friction (μ) represents how much two materials resist sliding across each other.  Smooth surfaces like ice have low coefficients of friction while rough surfaces like concrete have high μ.