Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
Knowledge of mechanical and physical principles. It feeds the line scores used for job qualification.
- 15 questions
- 22 minutes
- ~1.5 min per question
- Line scores
- No calculator
- 12 lessons · 23 h
Lessons
12 lessons · 480 practice questions · 96 flashcards- 01Forces and EquilibriumAnalyze translational and rotational equilibrium with vectors, free-body diagrams, Newton laws, friction, moments, and supports.125 min40 questions8 cards
- 02Levers and Mechanical AdvantageIdentify the three lever classes; calculate moment arms, balancing efforts, ideal/actual mechanical advantage, efficiency and input-output travel; distinguish force multiplication from work creation.115 min40 questions8 cards
- 03Gears and Gear TrainsIdentify gear types and shaft connections; predict rotation direction; compute simple, idler and compound speed ratios, ideal torque, efficiency, module and rack displacement.115 min40 questions8 cards
- 04Pulleys and Block-and-Tackle SystemsExplain fixed and movable pulleys and reeving; calculate supporting-strand force, rope travel, work, efficiency, and no-slip belt-drive speed ratios.115 min40 questions8 cards
- 05Inclined Planes, Wedges and ScrewsExplain how ramps, wedges, and screws exchange effort distance for force; calculate ideal/actual advantage, lead, torque, efficiency, and appropriate safety limits.112 min40 questions8 cards
- 06Hydraulics and PneumaticsExplain and calculate fluid pressure, Pascal force transmission, piston travel, flow rate, pneumatic gas compression, actuator components and safe energy control.110 min40 questions8 cards
- 07Pressure, Density and BuoyancyCalculate fluid density, normal pressure, pressure increase with depth, buoyancy from displaced fluid and submerged fractions; distinguish gauge from absolute pressure and resolve realistic floating/sinking problems.115 min40 questions8 cards
- 08Work, Power and EnergyCalculate work from force and displacement, net work, kinetic/potential energy, power, machine efficiency and common mechanical systems; interpret realistic numerical and conceptual problems.115 min40 questions8 cards
- 09Motion and AccelerationInterpret position, distance, displacement, speed, signed velocity, constant acceleration, motion graphs, free fall and short multi-stage motion calculations with explicit unit and sign conventions.120 min40 questions8 cards
- 10FrictionExplain and calculate static and kinetic friction, normal force, traction, inclined-plane forces, work of friction, and ideal sliding/braking problems; interpret friction direction and limits correctly.115 min40 questions8 cards
- 11Springs and Elastic SystemsReason about tension, compression, elastic force and energy, series/parallel systems, static equilibrium, oscillations, spring devices and their idealization limits; solve numerical and conceptual problems.125 min40 questions8 cards
- 12Heat, Materials and ExpansionExplain heat and temperature, thermal expansion and restraint, conduction/convection/radiation, heat capacity and phase change, stress-strain and selected material behavior; solve practical conceptual and numerical problems.118 min40 questions8 cards
Mechanical Comprehension practice tests
6 tests · each 15 questions · 22 min · no question repeats between tests
About this section
Mechanical Comprehension tests how well you apply physical principles to machines and everyday objects. It is not an AFQT subtest, yet it appears in many service composites for mechanical, aviation and combat-related jobs.
This category teaches 12 lessons. You start with forces and equilibrium, then levers and mechanical advantage, gears and gear trains, pulleys and block-and-tackle systems, and inclined planes, wedges and screws. Fluid lessons cover hydraulics and pneumatics, and pressure, density and buoyancy. The rest address work, power and energy, motion and acceleration, friction, springs and elastic systems, and heat, materials and expansion.
MC questions often include a diagram, so sketch forces and directions as you study and ask which way each part will turn, push or move. Each lesson has its own lesson test, which helps you spot the principles that still feel shaky.
Take it with you: the free app
The same 124 lessons, 6,516 questions and 82 timed practice tests on your phone, plus flashcards with spaced review and progress tracking. Free to download, and it works offline.
- Works offline
- Spaced-review flashcards
- Progress for every subtest
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