FAA Aviation Physics Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Which law states that a body remains in a state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force?
• What happens to lift as the speed of an airfoil increases?
• Which of the following increases drag on an aircraft?
• If a ramp has a mechanical advantage of 9 and is 36 meters long, what is its height off the ground?
• How does the medium affect sound transmission?
• Which statement correctly describes the relationship between heat and temperature?
• How is the speed of sound in the atmosphere affected?
• What principle explains the relationship between pressure and volume of a confined gas?
• Which statement best describes absolute zero?
• What is the purpose of vertical stabilizers on an aircraft?
• What is lift in aviation physics?
• Why do sound waves travel faster in water than in air?
• How fast was I going if I drove 75 miles in 1.5 hours?
• What aspect of wing design contributes primarily to lateral stability in flight?
• What is ground effect?
• Which of the following best describes the term 'frequency' in relation to sound waves?
• What type of energy conversion occurs when work is done?
• What is the dew point?
• What role does a wing's camber play in generating lift?
• What type of drag increases with airspeed?
• Which phenomenon occurs when sound waves reflect off a surface?
• Which of the following combinations represents the types of simple machines?
• What are the three methods of heat transfer?
• What is the purpose of a yoke in the cockpit?
• How much force is produced by 1,000 psi of hydraulic pressure acting on a piston whose area is 20 square inches?
• In the hydraulic system, if the pressure is 2000 PSI on a piston area of 2 square inches, what is the force exerted?
• How much work is done when a force of 5 N is applied to a shopping cart over a distance of 16 meters?
• What does the term "absolute humidity" refer to?
• What happens to the pressure of a gas if its volume is halved while keeping the temperature constant?
• If an object's acceleration is zero, what does this indicate about its motion?
• If a car accelerates at a rate of 30 m/s² for 3 seconds starting from 5 m/s, what is its final speed?
• What type of drag is caused by the shape of the aircraft?
• What happens to the pressure exerted by a fluid when it moves through a constriction?
• How does a forward center of gravity impact an aircraft's stability?
• How much work input is required to lower a 120-pound weight from the top of a 3-foot table to the floor?
• What role does angle of attack play in lift generation?
• What principle explains that the pressure exerted by a gas is inversely proportional to its volume, given constant temperature?
• What could be a potential effect of an aft center of gravity on an aircraft?
• What is aerodynamic stability?
• What is the primary purpose of stall strips on an airplane wing?
• What is the approximate speed of sound in dry air at 20 degrees Celsius?
• What is the standard sea level atmospheric pressure in inches of mercury?
• What unit is used to measure work done in physics?
• Which of the following best describes how acceleration is calculated?
• Which variable must remain constant in Boyle's Law regarding a gas?
• How is the aspect ratio of a wing defined?
• If the temperature of a confined liquid is held constant and its pressure is tripled, what will happen to the volume?
• In which scenario might you expect a higher absolute humidity?
• What is the purpose of wing dihedral in aircraft design?
• What term describes the ratio of the water vapor it contains to the maximum amount it could hold at a given temperature and pressure?
• If a significant part of a stall strip is missing from an airplane wing, what is a likely consequence?
• Which force opposes lift when an aircraft is in flight?
• Which statement best describes the use of hydraulic systems in aviation?
• What does absolute humidity refer to in a mixture of air and water?
• How does weight distribution influence an aircraft's turn performance?
• What happens to air pressure as altitude increases?
• What factor most significantly affects the speed of sound in the atmosphere?
• Why is it important to monitor airspeed during flight?
• What is the significance of the angle of attack in aviation?
• What is the primary influence of temperature on air density at altitude?
• What effect does induced drag have on aircraft flying close to the ground?
• In terms of flight, what does the term 'load factor' refer to?
• What determines the mechanical advantage of a gear train?
• What is meant by the term absolute humidity?
• Which aircraft component primarily affects lateral stability?
• What is the total force produced by an actuating cylinder with a piston area of 3 square inches operating at 1000 PSI?
• If the fluid pressure is 800 PSI in a 1/2 inch line supplying an actuating cylinder with a piston area of 10 square inches, what is the force exerted on the piston?
• What is the typical temperature at which water freezes in Celsius?
• What is the primary effect of a misaligned control surface?
• In terms of gases, which term describes the amount of water vapor present relative to its maximum possible amount?
• What force must be applied to roll a 120-pound barrel up an inclined plane 9 feet long and 3 feet high?
• Which frequency of sound waves is least likely to be heard by humans?
• What is the consequence of uneven weight distribution in an aircraft?
• Which of the following conditions leads to the highest lift generation on an airfoil?
• Which flight condition is most likely to cause a stall?
• Which of the following is a common application of simple machines?
• What formula is used to find the amount of work done when an object is moved across a floor?
• Which principle explains the thrust produced by a jet engine?
• What method can be used to calculate the mechanical advantage of an inclined plane?
• What is the total work input to move a mobile hoist with a constant force of 70 lbs over a distance of 12 feet?
• What role does atmospheric pressure play in aviation?
• Which force opposes the forward motion of an aircraft?
• A wing with a high aspect ratio compared to a low aspect ratio wing will have what characteristic?
• In a double actuating cylinder system with 3000 PSI, what is the total force exerted by a piston with a surface area of three square inches on the extension side?
• What is the term used for the temperature at which humid air becomes saturated?
• What is the equation to calculate speed?
• How does increasing the pressure affect the boiling point of a liquid?
• In a simple machine, what does 'mechanical advantage' refer to?
• What is the function of stall strips on an airplane wing?
• What is the process called when heat energy is transferred through electromagnetic waves?
• What is the effect of wing design on stall angle?
• What is the primary consequence of increasing wing surface area?
• Which scenario contributes to increased landing speed for an aircraft?
• What is critical engine-out speed?
• What is induced drag primarily associated with?
• How is heat transferred through liquids and gases?
• Under which conditions will the rate of flow of a liquid through a metering orifice be greatest, all other factors being equal?
• What is meant by the density of air?
• What is the term for the ratio of water vapor present in the atmosphere to the amount that would be present if the air were saturated?
• What is drag in aviation?
• Using the formula for power, what would be the time required if 500 Joules of work is done with a force of 50 N exerted?
• Why would you use a single pulley if it requires the same amount of effort force as no pulleys?
• Which of the following is NOT a method of heat transfer?
• What is the Celsius equivalent of 50 degrees Fahrenheit?
• What factor is most likely to decrease an aircraft's climb rate?
• How does increasing the surface area of the wings affect drag?
• Which variable is NOT a factor in the equation for lift?
• How can the presence of vortices affect aircraft performance?
• Which factor most significantly affects the speed of sound in the atmosphere?
• How does ascents or descents affect an aircraft's weight?
• How does the boiling point of a given liquid vary?
• What is the mechanical advantage (MA) of an inclined plane with a slope of 28 m and a height of 7 m?
• What primarily determines the pitch of a sound?
• Which atmospheric condition increases the likelihood of stalls during flight?
• What is the impact of increasing the load on a pulley system with a constant force applied?
• What is the equation for calculating work in a scenario involving force and distance?
• How does wing design interact with airflow at low speeds?
• How does temperature affect the performance of an aircraft engine?
• What factors are necessary to determine power in a mechanical system?
• Which mixture will weigh the least?
• If the pressure of a confined liquid is tripled while its temperature remains constant, what happens to its volume?
• At what temperature does sound travel fastest in air?
• Which of the 1st class levers below has the load that will be easiest to lift?
• Which of the following describes the use of spoilers on wings?
• What is the purpose of a gearbox in an aircraft system?
• What is the calculated acceleration if a car stops from 35 m/s in 3 seconds?
• Which of the following is an example of a first-class lever?
• What principle explains that temperature is directly proportional to the kinetic energy of molecules?
• What is the force exerted on a piston with an area of 10 square inches at a fluid pressure of 800 psi?
• What is Newton's First Law of Motion?
• What happens to lift when an aircraft increases its velocity?
• What are the two primary advantages of using simple machines to perform work?
• What impact does reducing lift have on aircraft maneuverability?
• How does load factor affect stall speed?
• How do you describe the characteristics of a low stall speed wing?
• What factors are considered when calculating stall speed?
• How does temperature affect air density?
• What are the main sources of parasitic drag in an aircraft?
• What aerodynamic effect does a climb have on thrust requirements?
• What does the term "balanced forces" refer to in aviation physics?
• How many cubic inches of fluid are expelled from a piston with an area of 20 square inches moving 5 inches?
• Which of the following is not a method of heat transfer?
• What is meant by the fulcrum of a lever?
• What term describes the measure of how much a medium obstructs sound waves?
• What is the significance of the Reynolds number in aviation?
• What is the function of flaps on an aircraft?
• What is the difference between static and dynamic pressure?
• What term describes the actual amount of water vapor in a mixture of air and water?
• What principle allows a lever to reduce the effort force needed to lift a load?
• What is the primary reason for using flaps on an aircraft during approach and landing?
• If an inclined plane has a mechanical advantage of 4 and the length of the slope is 24 m, what is the height of the table?
• According to Bernoulli's principle, what occurs to the pressure of a fluid as its velocity increases?
• What effect does increased air pressure have on the speed of sound?
• What is the term for the force that opposes the motion of the aircraft?
• What is absolute humidity?
• An engine weighing 350 pounds is raised and moved by a mobile hoist. How much work is done if it is lifted 3 feet and moved 12 feet with a constant force of 70 pounds?
• Which aspect of fluid dynamics is crucial for understanding liquid flow in aviation systems?
• As altitude increases, how does the speed of sound change?
• Which atmospheric conditions will cause the true landing speed of an aircraft to be the greatest?
• What must be considered when calculating the force needed to move an object?
• Under which condition will the flow rate of a liquid through an orifice be the greatest?
• What is the primary principle that allows an airplane to fly?
• What is the role of skin friction in aircraft drag?
• In fluid dynamics, what does Bernoulli's principle relate to?
• What does a temperature of absolute zero represent?
• What is the effect of temperature on the speed of sound in the air?
• What force is required to roll a 120-pound barrel up a 9-foot incline plane to a height of 3 feet?
• What effect does a heavier aircraft have on takeoff distance?
• What is the effect of increased negative pressure on an airfoil's upper surface?
• Which unit is commonly used to express pressure in the atmosphere?
• How does humidity affect aircraft performance?
• What happens to the volume of a gas when its temperature is increased while its pressure remains constant?
• What determines the mechanical advantage of an arrangement of ropes and pulleys?
• What is the main function of the ailerons?
• What happens to the pressure on a wing's upper surface as speed increases?
• What happens to lift when the angle of attack increases beyond a critical point?
• When does force increase the effectiveness of a simple machine?
• During which process does the kinetic energy of molecules play a significant role in temperature measurement?
• What does a double acting actuator do in a pneumatic system?
• If both the volume and absolute temperature of a confined gas are doubled, what will happen to the pressure?
• What is the term for the rotational movement around the aircraft's longitudinal axis?
• What is the purpose of a control surface in an aircraft?
• What principle does the law of inertia demonstrate in aviation physics?
• What happens to the pressure of a confined gas when its temperature is increased?
• Which material would sound travel fastest through?
• Which atmospheric characteristic influences the speed of sound?
• What happens to the effort required to lift a load as the fulcrum moves closer to the load?
• How much work did Lindsay do when she applied a 5 N force to a shopping cart for 16 meters?
• In what manner do spoilers affect an aircraft during descent?
• What happens to air pressure as altitude increases?
• If a double acting actuating cylinder in a 3,000 psi system has a piston area of 3 sq in, approximately how much force does it produce when retracting?
• What is the relationship between pressure altitude and true altitude?
• How is work calculated in physics?
• What is the SI unit of pressure?
• If John needs to move a computer cart 18 meters applying a total work of 162J, what force did he apply?
• If a fluid is incompressible and flows through a pipe that narrows, what happens to its speed?
• Which simple machine's mechanical advantage is calculated using the ratio of the radius of the wheel to the radius of the axle?
• If both the volume and absolute temperature of a confined gas are doubled, what happens to the pressure?
• What is Johnny's acceleration if his speed increases from 5 m/s to 25 m/s over 5 seconds?
• How does the design of an airfoil impact its performance?
• If the area of a piston in a hydraulic cylinder is 1.2 square inches and the fluid pressure is 850 PSI, what force is exerted on the piston?
• What is the composition ratio of dry air to water vapor in the atmosphere?
• How does a propeller generate thrust?
• What happens to the pressure of a confined gas if its volume is doubled without adding more gas?
• What happens to lift capabilities when the surface area of an aircraft wing is increased?
• Which factor most directly influences a substance's temperature?
• What is the primary purpose of a control surface like an aileron?
• What is the relationship between work, force, and distance?
• What unit is used to measure work in the International System of Units (SI)?
• In aerodynamics, what causes lift on an airplane wing?
• How much work is required to lower a 120-pound weight from a height of 3 feet?
• What are the three methods of heat transfer?
• Which statement best describes the nature of temperature?
• What is the general formula for calculating the Mechanical Advantage of a pulley system?
• Which type of lever is represented by a wheelbarrow?
• What is the overall effect of high aspect ratio wings on flight performance?
• What is a general disadvantage of using simple machines?
• What is the equation to calculate acceleration of an object?