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Sample Practice Test Questions
A transformer utilizes an inductor to increase or decrease what in a circuit?
voltage
A transformer utilizes an inductor to increase or decrease the voltage in a circuit. AC flowing in a coil wrapped around an iron core magnetizes the core causing it to produce a magnetic field. This magnetic field generates a voltage in a nearby coil of wire and, depending on the number of turns in the wire of the primary (source) and secondary coils and their proximity, voltage is induced in the secondary coil.
If the handles of a wheelbarrow are 3 ft. from the wheel axle, what force must you exert to lift the handles if it's carrying a 270 lb. load concentrated at a point 0.5 ft. from the axle?
45 lbs
This problem describes a second-class lever and, for a second class lever, the effort force multiplied by the effort distance equals the resistance force multipied by the resistance distance: Fede = Frdr. Plugging in the variables from this problem yields:
Fe x 3 ft. = 270 lbs x 0.5 ft
Fe = 135 ft-lb. / 3 ft
Fe = 45 lbs
Gear ratio indicates which of the following about two connected gears?
mechanical advantage
The mechanical advantage (amount of change in speed or torque) of connected gears is proportional to the number of teeth each gear has. Called gear ratio, it's the ratio of the number of teeth on the larger gear to the number of teeth on the smaller gear. For example, a gear with 12 teeth connected to a gear with 9 teeth would have a gear ratio of 4:3.
Which of the following nuts prevent loosening via nylon in their threads?
lock
Wrenches are used with threaded fasteners like bolts and nuts. A bolt has external threads while a nut has internal threads and this thread pattern combination allows them to lock together and act as fasteners. Nuts come in a variety of configurations including wing nuts which provide appendages that allow tightening and loosening by hand, slotted nuts that use a cotter pin to lock the nut in place and prevent it from loosening, and lock nuts that also prevent loosening via nylon in their threads. Threads are identified by pitch which is the number of threads per inch.
If the area of this square is 16, what is the length of one of the diagonals?
To find the diagonal we need to know the length of one of the square's sides. We know the area and the area of a square is the length of one side squared:
a = s2
so the length of one side of the square is:
s = \( \sqrt{a} \) = \( \sqrt{16} \) = 4
The Pythagorean theorem defines the square of the hypotenuse (diagonal) of a triangle with a right angle as the sum of the squares of the other two sides:
c2 = a2 + b2
c2 = 42 + 42
c2 = 32
c = \( \sqrt{32} \) = \( \sqrt{16 x 2} \) = \( \sqrt{16} \) \( \sqrt{2} \)
c = 4\( \sqrt{2} \)
This tool is a(n) __________.
vernier caliper
Calipers are similar to micrometers in shape but instead of measuring distances, calipers are used to transfer distances between objects. An outside caliper is used to transfer outside dimensions while an inside caliper is used to transfer inside distances. A vernier caliper is an extremely precise caliper (down to \({1 \over 1000}\) inch) that allows measuring / transferring either inside or outside dimensions.
In household electrical wiring, which color of insulation indicates the 'hot' wire?
black
In the NM cable used for wiring homes, each cable has three wires inside a sheath with each wire covered in a different color of insulation to indicate its type. The wire with the black insulation is the 'hot' wire, white is the neutral wire, and the ground wire is either covered in green insulation or left bare.
For inline cylinder arrangements in an engine, how are the cylinders numbered?
sequentially from the front of the engine to the back
Inline cylinder arrangements number cylinders sequentially (1, 2, 3, ...) front to rear.