01
Reason through motion
Follow moving parts and compare how a change affects the rest of a mechanism.
Understand how things work
Mechanical Comprehension Test
Can you predict how a mechanism moves, where a force acts or which setup is more stable? Put everyday physics into practice with a timed, diagram-based test.
70questions
30minutes
↗illustrated tasks
✓account required
Sign up and take the test→
70 questions · 30-minute timer · score and answer review
01
Turn a diagram into a working explanation
Mechanical comprehension is about reasoning through a physical situation: recognising the parts, tracing cause and effect, and choosing what should happen. This test focuses on that kind of problem rather than a general personality profile.
02
Check practical intuition
Use ideas about force, balance and physical behaviour in illustrated situations.
03
Review your answers
See your number of correct answers and inspect the responses marked as mistakes.
02
What kinds of problems will you meet?
Short questions use drawings and everyday situations. You do not need to build a machine; you need to read what the illustration tells you.
1
Motion and transmission
Trace the direction of gears, wheels and connected moving parts.
2
Forces and balance
Compare lever arms, supports and the effect of a load.
3
Physical behaviour
Reason about liquids, pressure, heat and other familiar physical effects.
4
Spatial relationships
Notice position, contact and geometry before deciding what follows.
03
Try the reasoning, not a memorised answer
These two learning examples illustrate the kind of reasoning involved. They are not a preview of the questions in your timed session.
Two simple gears touch directly. If one turns clockwise, what happens to the other?
Show the explanation +
It turns counterclockwise. At the contact point, the teeth push each other in opposite rotational directions.
The same load is lifted with a lever. What does moving the effort farther from the fulcrum change?
Show the explanation +
A longer effort arm reduces the force needed for the same turning effect, assuming the load position stays fixed. You trade a longer movement for less force.
∑
What your score means
The session contains 70 questions and has a 30-minute timer. Each correct answer contributes one point; the reported result is the total number correct, not an IQ value.
- 1Read each question and its diagram, then choose a response.
- 2Use the question navigation to revisit a task before finishing.
- 3At the end, review your correct-answer total and the answers marked as mistakes.
✓
Before you begin
- Choose a quiet setting and allow the full 30 minutes.
- Use a screen large enough to read diagrams and labels comfortably.
- Follow the arrows, supports and contact points rather than the apparent size of the picture.
- If a task is difficult, use the navigation to move on and return later.
Who is this test for?
For curious learners, students exploring technical subjects and people who enjoy practical reasoning. Explore how you understand mechanisms and physical situations, then choose topics for further practice.
FAQ
Mechanical comprehension FAQ
How many questions are there, and how long does it take?+
The BrainApps session has 70 questions and a 30-minute timer. Set aside uninterrupted time before starting.
Is mechanical comprehension the same as IQ?+
No. This task set focuses on physical and mechanical reasoning. The reported number is the count of correct responses, not a general IQ estimate.
Do I need an engineering degree?+
No formal qualification is needed to try the session. Familiarity with basic physics can help, but the task is to reason through the depicted situation.
Can I see which answers I got wrong?+
Yes. The result view includes your correct-answer total and an option to review the answers marked as mistakes.
Do I need to register?+
Yes. The landing page is public; the start button directs visitors without an account to registration. Sign in if you already have a BrainApps account.
How can I practise mechanical comprehension?+
Review the tasks you missed: identify the supports, direction of movement and forces involved. Draw a simple diagram and explain why the mechanism works that way. Then try applying the same principle to a different situation.
Explore other ways of reasoning
70 questions
Sign up and take the test→
Look past the picture. Follow the mechanism.
Take the session, review your answers and choose one physical principle to practise next.