NATIONAL CERTIFICATE: ENGINEERING SCIENCE-340/S03 3 HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN SECTION A AND CHOOSE ANY FOUR FROM B

SECTION A

QUESTION 1

a. State the prefix multiplier of

i. 10-9 ii. 109 iii. 102 (3 marks)

b. State any two imperial units of mass. (2 marks)

QUESTION 2

Calculate the pressure in Pa given that the manometer reading of mercury is 780 mm.
Take relative density of mercury as 13.6 (5 marks)

QUESTION 3

a. Define the following stability terms

i. Unstable equilibrium ii. Neutral equilibrium iii. Stable (3 marks)

b. Define torque and couple with suitable diagram. (2 marks)

QUESTION 4

Use the analytical method to find the resultant of the system of forces at a point on the
roof truss. (5 marks)

5 kN 4 kN

3 kN 55o 30o

70o

5 kN
QUESTION 5

Calculate the volume of an alloy made up of two metals M 1 and M2. The alloy weighs
60N. The relative densities of the metals are 1.4 and 0.8 respectively. (5 marks)

QUESTION 6

A chisel of mass 0.5 kg and specific heat capacity of 420 J /kg K is heated to 450oC. It is
then quenched on 5 kg of oil of specific heat capacity of 2 kJ/kg K. The oil is at 15oC.
Calculate the final temperature of the mixture. (5 marks)

QUESTION 7

a. State the principle of conservation of energy. (2 marks)

b. Calculate the work done by a torque of 27.5 kNm when it turns through 150 o.
(3 marks)

QUESTION 8

The angular speed of a flywheel increases from 450 rev/min to 65 rev/min. If the
maximum acceleration of a flywheel is limited to 0.5 rad/s 2, calculate the time taken for
the increase in speed. (5 marks)

SECTION B

QUESTION 1

a. State any three factors that affect the value of the coefficient of friction on a
horizontal plane. (3 marks)
b. A load of 51 kg is pulled along a level floor by a force inclined at an angle α to the
floor. The coefficient of friction between load and floor is 0.3. If the pull is to be
300 N, find the angle α which the force must make with the horizontal. If the pull
is to be the least possible, find its value. (12 marks)
 QUESTION 2

a. Calculate the reaction RA and RB if the beam weighs 650 N which is simply
supported at A and B. (10 marks)

500 N 300 N 700 N 1 300 N

UDL =120 N/m

A B

2m 1m 3m 1m 2m 1m

b. The figure below shows a wheel of mass 15 kg and radius 1 m being pulled by a
horizontal force F against a step 0.4 m high. Calculate minimum force to
overcome the step. (5 marks)

QUESTION 3

a. The effort E required to raise a load of weight W kN by means of a winch is given

by the law P = 1.4W + 0.6.
Calculate:
 i. Limiting mechanical advantage (2 marks)
ii. Limiting efficiency if the velocity ratio is 30. (4 marks)

b. A worm and wheel lifting mechanism has a double start worm driving a wheel
with 60 teeth. The effort wheel has a diameter of 150 mm and the load drum is
250 mm. if an effort of 18 N is needed to raise a load of 225 N. determine:
i. Velocity ratio (3 marks)
ii. Mechanical advantage (3 marks)

QUESTION 4

a. A duralumin piston slides in a cast iron cylinder at 20 oC. at this temperature

there is uniform radial clearance of 0.13 mm and the piston diameter is 100 mm.
determine the area of the gap at 20oC. For duralumin, α = 22.5 x 10 -6/oC and for
cast iron, α = 10 x 10-6/oC. (7 marks)
b. i. Calculate the total heat energy required to convert 12 kg of water at 20 oC to
wet steam with dryness fraction of 0.8 at s.t.p. latent heat of vaporisation of
steam is 2 260 kJ/kgK. Specific heat capacity of water is 4.2 kJ/kgK. (5 marks)

ii. If the heat is supplied at a rate of 4 kW, determine also the time taken to heat
the water. (3 marks)

QUESTION 5

a. A rigid block AB of weight 800 N hangs on three equally spaced vertical wires,
two of steel and one of aluminium. The wires also support a load P acting at the
mid of block. The diameter of steel wire is 2 mm and of aluminium is 4 mm. What
load P can be supported if the allowable stress in steel wire is 220 MPa and in
aluminium is 80 MPa? Young’s Modulus of elasticity of steel is 210 GPa and of
aluminium is 70 GPa. (8 marks)
 b. In an experiment to determine the modulus of rigidity of a sample rectangular
block of rubber measuring 300 mm x 200 mm x 20 mm, was firmly fastened to a
vertical wall as shown below. It projected a distance of 200 mm from the wall. It
was found that when a downward force of 48 N is applied, a vertical deflection of
2 mm was obtained as shown. Determine the modulus of rigidity. (7 marks)
200 mm

2 mm

300 mm

48 N

QUESTION 6

a. In an overhead travelling crane, the winding drum is driven by an electric motor

through gearing. If the crane lifts a load of 15 t at a constant speed of 0.1 m/s,
calculate the power required at the motor. Allow 6 kW for losses between motor
and load. If the motor exerts a constant torque of 750 Nm, what should be the
motor speed in rev/min? (9 marks)

b. (i). A 400 t train attains 120 km/h from rest on a gradient of 1 in 100. The
constant tractive effort is 240 kN and the average track resistance is 110 N/t.
Find the momentum of the train at its maximum speed. (3 marks)

(ii) Find the time taken to reach the maximum speed (2 marks)