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
The force exerted on an object due to gravity is called:
weight
Mass is an intrinsic property of matter and does not vary. Weight is the force exerted on the mass of an object due to gravity and a specific case of Newton's Second Law of Motion. Replace force with weight and acceleration with acceleration due to gravity on Earth (g) and the result is the formula for weight: W = mg or, substituting for g, weight equals mass multiplied by 9.8 m/s2.
Large, puffy, mid-altitude clouds with a flat base and a rounded top describe which of the following?
cumulus clouds
Cumulus clouds are large, puffy, mid-altitude clouds with a flat base and a rounded top. These clouds grow upward and can develop into a cumulonimbus or thunderstorm cloud.
The Earth's rocks fall into three categories based on how they're formed. Which of the following is formed by the gradual depositing of small rocks?
sedimentary
The Earth's rocks fall into three categories based on how they're formed. Igneous rock (granite, basalt, obsidian) is formed from the hardening of molten rock (lava), sedimentary rock (shale, sandstone, coal) is formed by the gradual despositing and cementing of rock and other debris, and metamorphic rock (marble, slate, quartzite) which is formed when existing rock is altered though pressure, temperature, or chemical processes.
Earth's history is divided into time periods, which of these is the shortest time period?
age
The Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old and its history is divided into time periods based on the events that took place and the forms of life that were dominant during those periods. The largest graduation of time is the eon and each eon is subdivided into eras, eras into periods, periods into epochs, and epochs into ages.
When a car engine is running, what provides electrical current to recharge the battery and power the electrical system?
alternator
Once the engine is running, the alternator provides electrical current to recharge the battery and power the electrical system. The alternator is driven by the engine's crankshaft and produces alternating current (AC) which is then fed through a rectifier bridge to convert it to the direct current (DC) required by the electrical system. A voltage regulator controls the output of the alternator to maintain a consistent voltage (approx. 14.5 volts) in the electrical system regardless of load.
Which of the following is the name for a transmission that incorporates the differential in one package?
transaxle
A differential is designed to drive a pair of wheels while allowing them to rotate at different speeds. A transaxle is a transmission that incorporates the differential in one package. Most front-wheel drive cars use a transaxle while rear-wheel drive cars use a transmission and separate differential connected via a drive shaft. The differential is incorporated into the drive axle which splits engine power delivered by the drive shaft between the two drive wheels. All-wheel drive cars typically use a transaxle that includes an output shaft to the rear differential.
The distributor is responsible for:
timing the spark and distributing it to the correct cylinder
The distributor is driven by the engine's camshaft and is responsible for timing the spark and distributing it to the correct cylinder. The distributor cap contains a rotor that connects the ignition coil (and its high voltage) to the proper cylinder at the proper point in the stroke cycle.
Elements in the Periodic Table of the Elements are ordered by which of the following?
atomic number
The Periodic Table of the Elements categorizes elements primarily by the number of protons in their nucleus (atomic number) and secondarily by the characteristics they exhibit.
What is the function of the alternator?
replaces the electrical energy that the car draws from the battery
An automobile's electrical system runs on DC power and the bulk of that power is supplied by the battery. The alternator converts the motion of the rotor into AC power which is then fed through the rectifier to convert it to DC power that both the car and the battery can use.