ASVAB Mechanical Comprehension Practice Test 902467 Results

Your Results Global Average
Questions 5 5
Correct 0 3.03
Score 0% 61%

Review

1

A wedge converts force applied to its blunt end into force __________ its inclined surface.

57% Answer Correctly

along

perpendicular to

opposite to

parallel to


Solution

The wedge is a moving inclined plane that is used to lift, hold, or break apart an object. A wedge converts force applied to its blunt end into force perpendicular to its inclined surface. In contrast to a stationary plane where force is applied to the object being moved, with a wedge the object is stationary and the force is being applied to the plane. Examples of a wedge include knives and chisels.


2 If this lever is in equilibrium with an effort force of 11.43 ft. lb. at the blue arrow and a resistance force of 8 ft. lb. at the green box, what is its mechanical advantage?
48% Answer Correctly
2.2
0.7
0.77
1.05

Solution

Mechanical advantage (MA) is the ratio by which effort force relates to resistance force. If both forces are known, calculating MA is simply a matter of dividing resistance force by effort force:

MA = \( \frac{F_r}{F_e} \) = \( \frac{8 ft.}{11.43 ft.} \) = 0.7

In this case, the mechanical advantage is less than one meaning that each unit of effort force results in just 0.7 units of resistance force. However, a third class lever like this isn't designed to multiply force like a first class lever. A third class lever is designed to multiply distance and speed at the resistance by sacrificing force at the resistance. Different lever styles have different purposes and multiply forces in different ways.


3

A shovel is an example of which class of lever?

56% Answer Correctly

third

a shovel is not a lever

second

first


Solution

A third-class lever is used to increase distance traveled by an object in the same direction as the force applied. The fulcrum is at one end of the lever, the object at the other, and the force is applied between them. This lever does not impart a mechanical advantage as the effort force must be greater than the load but does impart extra speed to the load. Examples of third-class levers are shovels and tweezers.


4

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

85% Answer Correctly

ice

leather

concrete

tile


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.


5

Torque involves a perpendicular force applied to a lever arm that moves around a center of rotation. Increasing the length of the lever arm will do which of the following?

54% Answer Correctly

decrease torque

increase torque

increase applied force

decrease applied force


Solution

Torque measures force applied during rotation: τ = rF.  Torque (τ, the Greek letter tau) = the radius of the lever arm (r) multiplied by the force (F) applied. Radius is measured from the center of rotation or fulcrum to the point at which the perpendicular force is being applied. The resulting unit for torque is newton-meter (N-m) or foot-pound (ft-lb).