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Sample Practice Test Questions
The steering wheel of a car is an example of which type of simple machine?
wheel and axle
A wheel and axle uses two different diameter wheels mounted to a connecting axle. Force is applied to the larger wheel and large movements of this wheel result in small movements in the smaller wheel. Because a larger movement distance is being translated to a smaller distance, force is increased with a mechanical advantage equal to the ratio of the diameters of the wheels. An example of a wheel and axle is the steering wheel of a car.
Which of the following enables heat transfer from the cylinder heads to the coolant?
water jacket
A water jacket is a coolant-filled casing that allows heat transfer from the engine block and cylinder heads to the liquid coolant.
In the food chain, omnivores may be which of the following?
secondary or tertiary consumers
Secondary or tertiary consumers may be omnivores.
Sound travels fastest through which of the following media?
metal
The speed of a sound wave will vary with the medium. Sound travels fastest through media that has particles that are very close together, like metal. Thus, it travels faster through water than through air and doesn't travel at all through a vacuum (there are no particles in empty space to vibrate).
This tool is a(n) __________.
outside 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.
Another name for a reciprocating engine is a(n):
piston engine
A reciprocating engine is an engine whose crankshaft is turned by pistons moving up and down in a cylinder.
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 surfaces would have the lowest coefficient of friction?
ice
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.