NATE Exam: Air Conditioning and Heat
Pumps
Which of the following factors affects a customer's level of comfort?
a. Air movement
b. Humidity
c. Temperature
d. All of the above - ANSd (All of the above: air movement, humidity, temperature)
A cooling load calculation estimates the sensible heat gain of a structure. The maximum
sensible capacity of a cooling-only system should be within ____% of this calculated value.
a. ±10%
b. +10%
c. +15%
d. +30% - ANSc (+15%)
The maximum sensible cooling capacity of a heat pump should be within ____% of the
calculated sensible heat gain of a structure with a large heating load.
a. ±10%
b. +15%
c. -25%
d. +25% - ANSd (+25%)
The combined output of a heat pump and its auxiliary heat should not exceed the calculated
heat loss of a home by more than ____%.
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 25% - ANSb (15%)
What amount of auxiliary electric heat is needed when the output of a heat pump on a design
day equals 18,800 Btuh and the heat loss of a home is 29,700 Btuh?
a. 2.1 kWh
b. 3.2 kWh
c. 5.0 kWh
,d. 10.9 kWh
Note: 3,413 Btu/kW - ANSb (3.2 kWh)
The three processes that transfer heat energy are conduction, convection, and ____.
a. concentration
b. radiation
c. refraction
d. static pressure - ANSb (radiation)
Heat transfer that occurs when substances of different temperatures are in contact with each
other is called ____.
a. concentration
b. conduction
c. convection
d. radiation - ANSb (conduction)
What effect does raising the pressure in a sealed system have on refrigerant?
a. It becomes more difficult to subcool the liquid refrigerant
b. It becomes more difficult to superheat the refrigerant vapor
c. The refrigerant's boiling point decreases
d. The refrigerant's boiling point increases - ANSd (The refrigerant's boiling point increases)
What is the primary danger to people near an accidental refrigerant release or spill?
a. Blurred vision caused by the refrigerant vapor coming in contact with the eyes
b. Changes in weather patterns caused by global warming
c. Damage to the food chain caused by decreased ozone levels in the stratosphere
d. Suffocation caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air - ANSd (Suffocation
caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air)
The maximum temperature at which refrigerant may be stored is ____°F when the container is
no more than ____% full of liquid by volume.
a. 120°F, 60%
b. 125°F, 60%
c. 125°F, 80%
d. 135°F, 80% - ANSc (125°F, 80%)
Boiling of the refrigerant occurs in which system component?
, a. Compressor
b. Condenser
c. Evaporator
d. Metering device - ANSc (Evaporator)
Why is superheat necessary in a system that utilizes hermetic compressors?
a. It ensures that dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur
b. It increases system capacity
c. It prevents liquid refrigerant from gassing the metering device
d. Superheat is necessary only when open compressors are being used - ANSa (It ensures that
dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur)
When the heat load on an evaporator increases, what is the effect on the system?
a. Suction pressure decreases and discharge pressure increases
b. Suction pressure increases and discharge pressure decreases
c. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both decrease
d. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both increase - ANSd (Suction pressure and
discharge pressure both increase)
What type of energy is transferred when work is done in the condenser?
a. Latent heat energy
b. Sensible heat energy
c. Both latent and sensible heat energy
d. Neither latent nor sensible heat energy - ANSc (Both latent and sensible heat energy)
What is the primary function performed by a thermal expansion valve?
a. It maintains the correct superheat in the hot vapor leaving the compressor
b. It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator
c. It maintains the proper subcooling level in the liquid refrigerant
d. It prevents flash vapor bubbles from developing in refrigerant entering the evaporator - ANSb
(It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator)
Which component pumps refrigerant through the system and raises the vapor temperature?
a. Accumulator
b. Compressor
c. Condenser
d. Evaporator - ANSb (Compressor)
How are hermetic compressor motors cooled?
Pumps
Which of the following factors affects a customer's level of comfort?
a. Air movement
b. Humidity
c. Temperature
d. All of the above - ANSd (All of the above: air movement, humidity, temperature)
A cooling load calculation estimates the sensible heat gain of a structure. The maximum
sensible capacity of a cooling-only system should be within ____% of this calculated value.
a. ±10%
b. +10%
c. +15%
d. +30% - ANSc (+15%)
The maximum sensible cooling capacity of a heat pump should be within ____% of the
calculated sensible heat gain of a structure with a large heating load.
a. ±10%
b. +15%
c. -25%
d. +25% - ANSd (+25%)
The combined output of a heat pump and its auxiliary heat should not exceed the calculated
heat loss of a home by more than ____%.
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 25% - ANSb (15%)
What amount of auxiliary electric heat is needed when the output of a heat pump on a design
day equals 18,800 Btuh and the heat loss of a home is 29,700 Btuh?
a. 2.1 kWh
b. 3.2 kWh
c. 5.0 kWh
,d. 10.9 kWh
Note: 3,413 Btu/kW - ANSb (3.2 kWh)
The three processes that transfer heat energy are conduction, convection, and ____.
a. concentration
b. radiation
c. refraction
d. static pressure - ANSb (radiation)
Heat transfer that occurs when substances of different temperatures are in contact with each
other is called ____.
a. concentration
b. conduction
c. convection
d. radiation - ANSb (conduction)
What effect does raising the pressure in a sealed system have on refrigerant?
a. It becomes more difficult to subcool the liquid refrigerant
b. It becomes more difficult to superheat the refrigerant vapor
c. The refrigerant's boiling point decreases
d. The refrigerant's boiling point increases - ANSd (The refrigerant's boiling point increases)
What is the primary danger to people near an accidental refrigerant release or spill?
a. Blurred vision caused by the refrigerant vapor coming in contact with the eyes
b. Changes in weather patterns caused by global warming
c. Damage to the food chain caused by decreased ozone levels in the stratosphere
d. Suffocation caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air - ANSd (Suffocation
caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air)
The maximum temperature at which refrigerant may be stored is ____°F when the container is
no more than ____% full of liquid by volume.
a. 120°F, 60%
b. 125°F, 60%
c. 125°F, 80%
d. 135°F, 80% - ANSc (125°F, 80%)
Boiling of the refrigerant occurs in which system component?
, a. Compressor
b. Condenser
c. Evaporator
d. Metering device - ANSc (Evaporator)
Why is superheat necessary in a system that utilizes hermetic compressors?
a. It ensures that dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur
b. It increases system capacity
c. It prevents liquid refrigerant from gassing the metering device
d. Superheat is necessary only when open compressors are being used - ANSa (It ensures that
dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur)
When the heat load on an evaporator increases, what is the effect on the system?
a. Suction pressure decreases and discharge pressure increases
b. Suction pressure increases and discharge pressure decreases
c. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both decrease
d. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both increase - ANSd (Suction pressure and
discharge pressure both increase)
What type of energy is transferred when work is done in the condenser?
a. Latent heat energy
b. Sensible heat energy
c. Both latent and sensible heat energy
d. Neither latent nor sensible heat energy - ANSc (Both latent and sensible heat energy)
What is the primary function performed by a thermal expansion valve?
a. It maintains the correct superheat in the hot vapor leaving the compressor
b. It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator
c. It maintains the proper subcooling level in the liquid refrigerant
d. It prevents flash vapor bubbles from developing in refrigerant entering the evaporator - ANSb
(It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator)
Which component pumps refrigerant through the system and raises the vapor temperature?
a. Accumulator
b. Compressor
c. Condenser
d. Evaporator - ANSb (Compressor)
How are hermetic compressor motors cooled?
