NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Welder
Examination Practice Exam 2026 | 100
Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam Prep &
Study Guide
1. What is the primary purpose of a welding procedure specification (WPS)?
A. To calculate employee wages
B. To specify approved welding variables and procedures
C. To identify the welder's personal tools
D. To schedule maintenance work
Answer: To specify approved welding variables and procedures
Rationale: A WPS provides the essential parameters and requirements that must
be followed to produce sound, consistent welds.
2. Which welding process uses a continuously fed consumable wire electrode
and shielding gas?
A. SMAW
B. GTAW
C. GMAW
D. Oxyfuel welding
,Answer: GMAW
Rationale: Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) uses a continuously supplied wire
electrode and normally uses an external shielding gas.
3. What does SMAW stand for?
A. Shielded Metal Arc Welding
B. Standard Mechanical Arc Welding
C. Shielded Mechanical Alloy Welding
D. Submerged Metal Arc Welding
Answer: Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Rationale: SMAW is commonly called stick welding and uses a flux-coated
consumable electrode.
4. What is the primary function of the flux coating on an SMAW electrode?
A. Increase the weight of the electrode
B. Produce shielding and help clean the weld
C. Cool the electrode immediately
D. Prevent electrical conductivity
Answer: Produce shielding and help clean the weld
Rationale: Electrode flux generates shielding gases and slag while helping
remove contaminants from the weld area.
5. Which welding process uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode?
A. SMAW
B. GMAW
C. GTAW
D. FCAW
Answer: GTAW
,Rationale: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) uses a nonconsumable tungsten
electrode to establish the arc.
6. What is another common name for GTAW?
A. Stick welding
B. TIG welding
C. MIG welding
D. Submerged arc welding
Answer: TIG welding
Rationale: GTAW is commonly known as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding.
7. What is the main purpose of shielding gas in arc welding?
A. Increase electrical resistance
B. Protect the molten weld pool from atmospheric contamination
C. Harden the electrode
D. Remove all slag mechanically
Answer: Protect the molten weld pool from atmospheric contamination
Rationale: Oxygen, nitrogen, and moisture from the atmosphere can cause
porosity, embrittlement, and other weld defects.
8. Which gas is commonly used as a shielding gas for GTAW?
A. Oxygen
B. Argon
C. Hydrogen
D. Chlorine
Answer: Argon
Rationale: Argon is widely used for GTAW because it provides stable arc
characteristics and effective shielding.
9. What is porosity in a weld?
, A. Excessive weld reinforcement
B. Gas pockets trapped in the weld metal
C. A crack at the weld toe
D. A groove melted into the base metal
Answer: Gas pockets trapped in the weld metal
Rationale: Porosity results when gases become trapped in solidifying weld metal
and can reduce weld quality.
10.What is undercut?
A. A crack inside the weld
B. A groove melted into the base metal adjacent to the weld
C. Excessive penetration
D. Weld metal extending beyond the joint
Answer: A groove melted into the base metal adjacent to the weld
Rationale: Undercutting removes base metal along the weld toe or edge and can
create a stress concentration.
11.What is lack of fusion?
A. Excessive weld reinforcement
B. Failure of weld metal to properly fuse with the base metal or previous weld
bead
C. Gas trapped inside the weld
D. Excessive electrode coating
Answer: Failure of weld metal to properly fuse with the base metal or previous
weld bead
Rationale: Proper fusion requires sufficient heat and technique to melt and bond
the required surfaces.
12.What is incomplete penetration?
Examination Practice Exam 2026 | 100
Questions & Answers with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam Prep &
Study Guide
1. What is the primary purpose of a welding procedure specification (WPS)?
A. To calculate employee wages
B. To specify approved welding variables and procedures
C. To identify the welder's personal tools
D. To schedule maintenance work
Answer: To specify approved welding variables and procedures
Rationale: A WPS provides the essential parameters and requirements that must
be followed to produce sound, consistent welds.
2. Which welding process uses a continuously fed consumable wire electrode
and shielding gas?
A. SMAW
B. GTAW
C. GMAW
D. Oxyfuel welding
,Answer: GMAW
Rationale: Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) uses a continuously supplied wire
electrode and normally uses an external shielding gas.
3. What does SMAW stand for?
A. Shielded Metal Arc Welding
B. Standard Mechanical Arc Welding
C. Shielded Mechanical Alloy Welding
D. Submerged Metal Arc Welding
Answer: Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Rationale: SMAW is commonly called stick welding and uses a flux-coated
consumable electrode.
4. What is the primary function of the flux coating on an SMAW electrode?
A. Increase the weight of the electrode
B. Produce shielding and help clean the weld
C. Cool the electrode immediately
D. Prevent electrical conductivity
Answer: Produce shielding and help clean the weld
Rationale: Electrode flux generates shielding gases and slag while helping
remove contaminants from the weld area.
5. Which welding process uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode?
A. SMAW
B. GMAW
C. GTAW
D. FCAW
Answer: GTAW
,Rationale: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) uses a nonconsumable tungsten
electrode to establish the arc.
6. What is another common name for GTAW?
A. Stick welding
B. TIG welding
C. MIG welding
D. Submerged arc welding
Answer: TIG welding
Rationale: GTAW is commonly known as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding.
7. What is the main purpose of shielding gas in arc welding?
A. Increase electrical resistance
B. Protect the molten weld pool from atmospheric contamination
C. Harden the electrode
D. Remove all slag mechanically
Answer: Protect the molten weld pool from atmospheric contamination
Rationale: Oxygen, nitrogen, and moisture from the atmosphere can cause
porosity, embrittlement, and other weld defects.
8. Which gas is commonly used as a shielding gas for GTAW?
A. Oxygen
B. Argon
C. Hydrogen
D. Chlorine
Answer: Argon
Rationale: Argon is widely used for GTAW because it provides stable arc
characteristics and effective shielding.
9. What is porosity in a weld?
, A. Excessive weld reinforcement
B. Gas pockets trapped in the weld metal
C. A crack at the weld toe
D. A groove melted into the base metal
Answer: Gas pockets trapped in the weld metal
Rationale: Porosity results when gases become trapped in solidifying weld metal
and can reduce weld quality.
10.What is undercut?
A. A crack inside the weld
B. A groove melted into the base metal adjacent to the weld
C. Excessive penetration
D. Weld metal extending beyond the joint
Answer: A groove melted into the base metal adjacent to the weld
Rationale: Undercutting removes base metal along the weld toe or edge and can
create a stress concentration.
11.What is lack of fusion?
A. Excessive weld reinforcement
B. Failure of weld metal to properly fuse with the base metal or previous weld
bead
C. Gas trapped inside the weld
D. Excessive electrode coating
Answer: Failure of weld metal to properly fuse with the base metal or previous
weld bead
Rationale: Proper fusion requires sufficient heat and technique to melt and bond
the required surfaces.
12.What is incomplete penetration?
