ASVAB Mechanical Comprehension Practice Test

 ASVAB Mechanical Comprehension Practice Test:  Crush This Section

The Mechanical Comprehension section of the ASVAB tests your understanding of mechanical principles, physical laws, and how various machines work. Crushing this section requires focused preparation, practice, and a clear strategy. Here's a guide to mastering the Mechanical Comprehension section, along with a practice test at the end.

What Does the Mechanical Comprehension Section Cover?

This section evaluates your knowledge of, Basic Physics Principles: Gravity, friction, and energy transfer.

Simple Machines: Inclined planes, pulleys, levers, gears, and screws.

Forces and Motion: Newton's laws, acceleration, and velocity.

Hydraulics and Pressure: Understanding fluid systems and pressure principles.

Mechanical Tools and Systems: Recognizing how tools and machines function.

You'll encounter diagrams and scenarios that require you to identify forces, calculate movements, or explain how a mechanism works.

Strategies to Ace the Mechanical Comprehension Section

Understand Basic Mechanical Concepts: Study principles like force, work, power, and the relationships between them.

Memorize Key Formulas:

• Work = Force × Distance
• Power = Work ÷ Time
• Pressure = Force ÷ Area
• Torque = Force × Lever Arm Distance

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Visualize Scenarios: Practice interpreting diagrams of machines or systems, as the ASVAB often asks questions based on illustrations.

Sample Questions for Mechanical Comprehension

Here’s a practice test with questions similar to those you might encounter. Attempt these and review the explanations afterward.

Lever and Fulcrum

If a lever has a fulcrum in the middle (a first-class lever) and the force applied on one end is 50 lbs, what weight on the other end would balance the lever if it is 5 feet from the fulcrum and the applied force is 10 feet from the fulcrum?

A) 10 lbs
B) 25 lbs
C) 50 lbs
D) 100 lbs

Ans: B) 25 lbs
Torque must be equal on both sides: $50 \, \text{lbs} \times 10 \, \text{ft} = X \times 5 \, \text{ft}$. Solve for $X$.

Inclined Plane

A box weighing 100 lbs is pushed up an inclined plane that is 10 feet long and 2 feet high. What is the mechanical advantage of the inclined plane?

A) 2
B) 5
C) 10
D) 20

Ans: B) 5
Mechanical advantage = Length of plane ÷ Height = $10 \, \text{ft} / 2 \, \text{ft} = 5$.

Pulley System

A block-and-tackle pulley system has three supporting ropes. If you lift a 120-lb weight with this system, what is the force required (ignoring friction)?

A) 30 lbs
B) 40 lbs
C) 60 lbs
D) 120 lbs

Ans: B) 40 lbs
The force is divided by the number of supporting ropes: $120 \, \text{lbs} / 3 = 40 \, \text{lbs}$.

Mastering the concepts and practicing consistently, you’ll be well-prepared to excel in the Mechanical Comprehension section and improve your overall ASVAB score!