PUMP OPS PREP COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Modern fire department pumpers are equipped with a:
A. rotary pump as their main pump.
B. centrifugal pump as their main pump.
C. hand operated pump as their main pump.
D. positive displacement pump as their main pump..
Answer: B. centrifugal pump as their main pump.
◍ Which of the following statements about positive displacement pumps is
MOST accurate?
A. They are the main pumps on most fire apparatus.
B. They have no practical use in the modern fire service.
C. They serve as the backup pumps on modern fire apparatus.
D. They are used as priming devices to get water into the centrifugal pump
during drafting operations..
Answer: D. They are used as priming devices to get water into the
centrifugal pump during drafting operations.
◍ What provides for the movement of the water through a piston pump?
A. A piston that moves back and forth inside a cylinder
B. Multiple impellers for each stage mounted within a single housing
C. Two gears that rotate in a tightly meshed pattern inside a water-tight case
D. A rapidly revolving disk that throws water introduced at its center toward
the outer edge of the disk.
Answer: A. A piston that moves back and forth inside a cylinder
◍ The simplest of all fire apparatus pumps from the standpoint of design is
the:
, A. inline pump.
B. piston pump.
C. rotary pump.
D. centrifugal pump..
Answer: C. rotary pump.
◍ The rotary gear pump consists of:
A. a piston that moves back and forth inside a cylinder.
B. multiple impellers for each stage mounted within a single housing.
C. two gears that rotate in a tightly meshed pattern inside a water-tight case.
D. a rapidly revolving disk that throws water introduced at its center toward
the outer edge of the disk..
Answer: C. two gears that rotate in a tightly meshed pattern inside a
water-tight case.
◍ The total amount of water that can be pumped by a rotary gear pump
depends on the speed of rotation and the size of the:
A. pistons.
B. gear teeth
C. pockets in the gears.
D. diameter of the gears..
Answer: C. pockets in the gears.
◍ Which of the following is one of the most common types of pumps used to
prime centrifugal pumps?
A. Piston pumps
B. Multistage pumps
C. Single-stage pumps
D. Rotary vane pumps.
Answer: D. Rotary vane pumps
◍ In a rotary vane pump,:
A. a piston moves back and forth inside a cylinder.
B. the rotor is mounted off-center inside the housing.
C. multiple impellers for each stage are mounted within a single housing.
, D. a rapidly revolving disk throws water introduced at its center toward the
outer edge of the disk..
Answer: B. the rotor is mounted off-center inside the housing.
◍ Which of the following statements about centrifugal pumps is MOST
accurate?
A. They are used as priming pumps.
B. They are not used as the main pump on apparatus.
C. They pump a definite amount of water with each revolution.
D. They do not pump a definite amount of water with each revolution..
Answer: D. They do not pump a definite amount of water with each
revolution.
◍ The centrifugal pump imparts pump______ to the water and converts it to
pressure within itself.
A. velocity
B. viscosity
C. turbidity
D. turgidity.
Answer: A. velocity
◍ The operation of a centrifugal pump is based on the fact that:
A. a piston moves back and forth inside a cylinder.
B. the rotor is mounted off-center inside the housing.
C. multiple impellers for each stage are mounted within a single housing.
D. a rapidly revolving disk throws water introduced at its center toward the
outer edges of the disk..
Answer: D. a rapidly revolving disk throws water introduced at its center
toward the outer edges of the disk.
◍ What part of the centrifugal pump transmits energy in the form of velocity
to the water?
A. Eye
B. Casing
C. Volute
STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Modern fire department pumpers are equipped with a:
A. rotary pump as their main pump.
B. centrifugal pump as their main pump.
C. hand operated pump as their main pump.
D. positive displacement pump as their main pump..
Answer: B. centrifugal pump as their main pump.
◍ Which of the following statements about positive displacement pumps is
MOST accurate?
A. They are the main pumps on most fire apparatus.
B. They have no practical use in the modern fire service.
C. They serve as the backup pumps on modern fire apparatus.
D. They are used as priming devices to get water into the centrifugal pump
during drafting operations..
Answer: D. They are used as priming devices to get water into the
centrifugal pump during drafting operations.
◍ What provides for the movement of the water through a piston pump?
A. A piston that moves back and forth inside a cylinder
B. Multiple impellers for each stage mounted within a single housing
C. Two gears that rotate in a tightly meshed pattern inside a water-tight case
D. A rapidly revolving disk that throws water introduced at its center toward
the outer edge of the disk.
Answer: A. A piston that moves back and forth inside a cylinder
◍ The simplest of all fire apparatus pumps from the standpoint of design is
the:
, A. inline pump.
B. piston pump.
C. rotary pump.
D. centrifugal pump..
Answer: C. rotary pump.
◍ The rotary gear pump consists of:
A. a piston that moves back and forth inside a cylinder.
B. multiple impellers for each stage mounted within a single housing.
C. two gears that rotate in a tightly meshed pattern inside a water-tight case.
D. a rapidly revolving disk that throws water introduced at its center toward
the outer edge of the disk..
Answer: C. two gears that rotate in a tightly meshed pattern inside a
water-tight case.
◍ The total amount of water that can be pumped by a rotary gear pump
depends on the speed of rotation and the size of the:
A. pistons.
B. gear teeth
C. pockets in the gears.
D. diameter of the gears..
Answer: C. pockets in the gears.
◍ Which of the following is one of the most common types of pumps used to
prime centrifugal pumps?
A. Piston pumps
B. Multistage pumps
C. Single-stage pumps
D. Rotary vane pumps.
Answer: D. Rotary vane pumps
◍ In a rotary vane pump,:
A. a piston moves back and forth inside a cylinder.
B. the rotor is mounted off-center inside the housing.
C. multiple impellers for each stage are mounted within a single housing.
, D. a rapidly revolving disk throws water introduced at its center toward the
outer edge of the disk..
Answer: B. the rotor is mounted off-center inside the housing.
◍ Which of the following statements about centrifugal pumps is MOST
accurate?
A. They are used as priming pumps.
B. They are not used as the main pump on apparatus.
C. They pump a definite amount of water with each revolution.
D. They do not pump a definite amount of water with each revolution..
Answer: D. They do not pump a definite amount of water with each
revolution.
◍ The centrifugal pump imparts pump______ to the water and converts it to
pressure within itself.
A. velocity
B. viscosity
C. turbidity
D. turgidity.
Answer: A. velocity
◍ The operation of a centrifugal pump is based on the fact that:
A. a piston moves back and forth inside a cylinder.
B. the rotor is mounted off-center inside the housing.
C. multiple impellers for each stage are mounted within a single housing.
D. a rapidly revolving disk throws water introduced at its center toward the
outer edges of the disk..
Answer: D. a rapidly revolving disk throws water introduced at its center
toward the outer edges of the disk.
◍ What part of the centrifugal pump transmits energy in the form of velocity
to the water?
A. Eye
B. Casing
C. Volute
