ASVAB: Mechanical Comprehension
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
The wheel of a car has a diameter of 16 inches and moves a smaller wheel of 4 inches. What is
the mechanical advantage gained by the system?
a.)1:4
b.)4:1
c.)1:2
d.)2:1 - CORRECT ANSWER - b.)4:1
A lever
a.)Reduces resistance
b.)Multiplies force and changes direction
c.)Transmits power from one object to another
d.)Cannot move in the reverse direction - CORRECT ANSWER - b.)Multiplies force and
changes direction
Tension can best be called
a.)A weight
b.)A force
c.)A movement
d.)A direction - CORRECT ANSWER - b.)A force
Which of the following wedges generates the greatest amount of force.
a.)11" long and 4" high
b.)9" long and 4" high
c.)7" long and 4" high
,d.)5" long and 4" high - CORRECT ANSWER - a.)11" long and 4" high
You're trying to replace a flat. How much torque are you applying to a wheel nut if you're
applying 40 pounds with a wrench measuring 9"?
a.)4 ft-lb
b.)30 ft-lb
c.)53 ft-lb
d.)360 ft-lb - CORRECT ANSWER - *Torque is calculated by multiplying force (in
pounds) and length (in feet). Thus, 40 pounds multiplied by .75 feet gives us 30 ft-lb of torque.
1 ft=12 in
Divide 9 in by 12 ft=.75ft
b.)30 ft-lb
Which of the following situations requires overcoming the least amount of kinetic friction?
a.)Pushing an empty refrigerator box down a path
b.)Pushing a refrigerator in its box down a path
c.)Pushing an empty refrigerator box down an icy path
d.)Pushing a refrigerator in its box down an icy path - CORRECT ANSWER - c.)Pushing
an empty refrigerator box down an icy path
What measures how much force is applied to an object in order to rotate it?
a.)Torque
b.)Friction
c.)Pressure
d.)Vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a.)Torque
Which of the following is NOT a unit of power?
a.)Watt
b.)Horsepower
, c.)Volt-ampere
d.)Newton - CORRECT ANSWER - d.)Newton
What is the potential energy of a 4 lb. book held 50 feet in the air?
a.)1,960 J
b.)268 J
c.)200 J
d.)27 J - CORRECT ANSWER - *Potential energy is calculated by multiplying mass (in
kilograms), acceleration due to gravity, and height (in meters). Thus, the potential energy of the
book is 268.128 J: 1.8 kilograms multiplied by 15.2 meters multiplied by 9.8 m/s2.
b.)268 J
When a machine compounds the force you use, it gives you a(n)
a.)Mechanical advantage
b.)Output advantage
c.)Mechanical leverage
d.)Output leverage - CORRECT ANSWER - a.)Mechanical advantage
Which of the following is an example of potential energy?
a.)Rain falling
b.)A bowling ball rolling
c.)A slinky at the top of stairs
d.)A person walking down a hill - CORRECT ANSWER - c.)A slinky at the top of stairs
*Potential energy is energy that can be converted to movement, like a diver ABOUT to jump.
Potential energy is dependent on an object's position. For example, a diver at the top of a tall cliff
has considerable potential energy. Potential energy is measured in joules (J).
UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions and
CORRECT Answers
The wheel of a car has a diameter of 16 inches and moves a smaller wheel of 4 inches. What is
the mechanical advantage gained by the system?
a.)1:4
b.)4:1
c.)1:2
d.)2:1 - CORRECT ANSWER - b.)4:1
A lever
a.)Reduces resistance
b.)Multiplies force and changes direction
c.)Transmits power from one object to another
d.)Cannot move in the reverse direction - CORRECT ANSWER - b.)Multiplies force and
changes direction
Tension can best be called
a.)A weight
b.)A force
c.)A movement
d.)A direction - CORRECT ANSWER - b.)A force
Which of the following wedges generates the greatest amount of force.
a.)11" long and 4" high
b.)9" long and 4" high
c.)7" long and 4" high
,d.)5" long and 4" high - CORRECT ANSWER - a.)11" long and 4" high
You're trying to replace a flat. How much torque are you applying to a wheel nut if you're
applying 40 pounds with a wrench measuring 9"?
a.)4 ft-lb
b.)30 ft-lb
c.)53 ft-lb
d.)360 ft-lb - CORRECT ANSWER - *Torque is calculated by multiplying force (in
pounds) and length (in feet). Thus, 40 pounds multiplied by .75 feet gives us 30 ft-lb of torque.
1 ft=12 in
Divide 9 in by 12 ft=.75ft
b.)30 ft-lb
Which of the following situations requires overcoming the least amount of kinetic friction?
a.)Pushing an empty refrigerator box down a path
b.)Pushing a refrigerator in its box down a path
c.)Pushing an empty refrigerator box down an icy path
d.)Pushing a refrigerator in its box down an icy path - CORRECT ANSWER - c.)Pushing
an empty refrigerator box down an icy path
What measures how much force is applied to an object in order to rotate it?
a.)Torque
b.)Friction
c.)Pressure
d.)Vector - CORRECT ANSWER - a.)Torque
Which of the following is NOT a unit of power?
a.)Watt
b.)Horsepower
, c.)Volt-ampere
d.)Newton - CORRECT ANSWER - d.)Newton
What is the potential energy of a 4 lb. book held 50 feet in the air?
a.)1,960 J
b.)268 J
c.)200 J
d.)27 J - CORRECT ANSWER - *Potential energy is calculated by multiplying mass (in
kilograms), acceleration due to gravity, and height (in meters). Thus, the potential energy of the
book is 268.128 J: 1.8 kilograms multiplied by 15.2 meters multiplied by 9.8 m/s2.
b.)268 J
When a machine compounds the force you use, it gives you a(n)
a.)Mechanical advantage
b.)Output advantage
c.)Mechanical leverage
d.)Output leverage - CORRECT ANSWER - a.)Mechanical advantage
Which of the following is an example of potential energy?
a.)Rain falling
b.)A bowling ball rolling
c.)A slinky at the top of stairs
d.)A person walking down a hill - CORRECT ANSWER - c.)A slinky at the top of stairs
*Potential energy is energy that can be converted to movement, like a diver ABOUT to jump.
Potential energy is dependent on an object's position. For example, a diver at the top of a tall cliff
has considerable potential energy. Potential energy is measured in joules (J).
