CPS Mechanical Aptitude and Principles 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Water flowing through a hose is forced into a narrower nozzle. What happens to the water's speed at the nozzle?
- It slows down
- It speeds up (Correct answer)
- It stops
- It stays the same
Correct answer: It speeds up
When fluid passes from a wide pipe into a narrow opening, its velocity increases (continuity principle).
Question 2: Two people carry a load on a pole between them. To make one person bear more weight, the load should be moved how?
- Toward the middle
- Closer to that person (Correct answer)
- Farther from that person
- Lifted higher
Correct answer: Closer to that person
Moving the load closer to one person shortens that person's lever arm, placing more weight on them.
Question 3: What is the mechanical advantage of a pulley system with four supporting rope segments?
- 1
- 2
- 4 (Correct answer)
- 8
Correct answer: 4
Mechanical advantage of a block and tackle equals the number of rope segments supporting the load, here four.
Question 4: A bimetallic strip bends when heated because the two metals do what?
- Melt at the same rate
- Expand by different amounts (Correct answer)
- Become magnetic
- Conduct electricity
Correct answer: Expand by different amounts
The two metals expand at different rates when heated, causing the strip to bend.
Question 5: If a wrench handle is made longer, the force you can apply to turn a bolt does what?
- Decreases
- Increases (Correct answer)
- Stays the same
- Becomes zero
Correct answer: Increases
A longer handle increases the lever arm, multiplying the torque applied to the bolt.
Question 6: Which of these would float in water?
- A solid steel block
- A sealed empty plastic bottle (Correct answer)
- A brick
- A lead weight
Correct answer: A sealed empty plastic bottle
A sealed empty bottle is less dense than water because of the trapped air, so it floats.
Question 7: In a system of meshed gears, two gears that touch directly will rotate in which directions relative to each other?
- The same direction
- Opposite directions (Correct answer)
- They lock up
- Randomly
Correct answer: Opposite directions
Directly meshed gears always turn in opposite directions to each other.
CPS Mechanical Aptitude and Principles 3
Water flowing through a hose is forced into a narrower nozzle.
What happens to the water's speed at the nozzle?