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Science & Technical
Hard
MC
Mechanical Comprehension
How machines and forces work
Mechanical principles and simple machines: levers, pulleys, gears, force, work and mechanical advantage, plus properties of materials and fluid pressure. Often shown as a diagram you have to reason about.
Duration
~12 min
Length
16 questions
Difficulty
Hard
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Every subtest explained, how the AFQT and line scores work, and how to study.
What to expect
- Four-option questions, many with a diagram of a mechanism.
- On the real paper ASVAB: 25 questions in 19 minutes. Here: 16 questions.
- An explanation with the principle and, where useful, the formula.
What it measures
- Simple machines: levers, pulleys, gears, inclined planes
- Force, work, mechanical advantage and equilibrium
- Fluid pressure and properties of materials
Instructions
- 1Understand mechanical advantage — how machines trade force for distance.
- 2For gears and pulleys, track which way things turn and how speed/force change.
- 3Work = force × distance; pressure = force ÷ area.
Tips
- A longer lever arm or more pulley ropes = less force needed.
- A larger gear turns slower but with more torque.
- Read the diagram carefully before the question.
Format: Technical subtest · mechanics · 4-option MCQ · real test 25 Q / 19 min