Free UA apprenticeship mechanical reasoning practice
Mechanical aptitude is named in several UA locals' test announcements, alongside math. It does not test trade knowledge: you are asked which way a gear turns, which lever needs less effort, or what water does in a pipe, and everyday physics is enough to reason it out. This section uses our diagram questions on gears, levers, pulleys and hydraulics, plus questions on water, pressure and heat that come up in piping work.
Try a free timed sample
6 questions against a 4-minute clock. The timing is our own practice pace — UA locals set their own tests and time limits.
Two open tanks are joined by a pipe at the bottom. Tank A is wide and Tank B is narrow. When the water stops moving, where will it settle?
Worked examples
Two more mechanical reasoning questions with the answer and explanation. Try each before opening the answer. For a longer set across every section, see our free UA aptitude sample questions.
Question 1. A hose is used as a siphon to empty a tank over its side. For water to keep flowing, where must the open end of the hose be?
- Above the top of the tank
- Below the water surface in the tank
- Level with the water surface in the tank
Show the answer
B: Below the water surface in the tank. A siphon only runs while the outlet is lower than the surface of the water it is drawing from. The longer, lower leg holds more weight of water, which keeps pulling the flow over the top. Raise the outlet to the level of the surface and the flow stops.
Question 2. The same load is lifted by the two arrangements shown. Which one needs less force on the rope?
- Arrangement A
- Arrangement B
- Both take the same force
Show the answer
B: Arrangement B. Count the rope sections actually holding the load up. A has 1 and B has 2, and the weight is shared between them, so arrangement B needs less force. The catch is rope: the easier one has to be pulled 2 times as far.
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These are original practice questions written to reflect what UA locals publicly describe about their apprenticeship aptitude tests. They are not official questions, and this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the United Association, any UA local or any JATC. Formats vary by local — always check your local's notice.