071605T4AUT

AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING LEVEL 5

ENG/OS/AUT/CC/3/5/A

APPLY AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING SCIENCE PRINCIPLES

SUMMUTIVE EXAM

JULY, 2025

NYANDARUA NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC

WRITTEN ASSESSMENT

AT L6 25J

TIME:3HOURS

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

This paper consists of two sections; section A and Section B.

Answer ALL questions in Section A

Maximum marks for each part of a question are as shown.

Candidates should answer the questions in English

 SECTION A: 40 MARKS

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN THIS SECTION

1. Heat can flow from one place to another in different ways. Outline THREE modes through
which heat is transferred. (3 Marks)

2. If the volume of a given fluid is 10 m3 and its mass is 100,000 g. Calculate the density of the
fluid. (4 Marks)

3. Resolving forces involves breaking down a force into components that are easier to work with.
Outline the TWO methods of resolving. (2 Marks)

4. Newton's laws of motion, formulated by Sir Isaac Newton, are three physical laws that
together laid the foundation for classical mechanics. State TWO Newton’s laws of motion.

(4Marks)

5. When carrying out a material testing for a brake the dynamic coefficient of friction between
the material and steel was found to be 0.91. Calculate the normal force when the frictional force
is 0.728 kN. (4 Marks)

6. A piston head weighs 10 kN, its diameter is 1.2 m. Determine the value of its pressure at the

head. (4 Marks)

7. In the context of physics and mechanics, frictional forces have several disadvantages, Outline

TWO disadvantages of frictional forces. (4 Marks)

8. The study of mechanics, understanding the nature and characteristics of forces is fundamental.
Outline THREE characteristics of a force. (3 Marks)

9. A car of mass 800 kg is climbing an incline at 10° to the horizontal. Determine the increase in
potential energy of the car as it moves a distance of 50 m up the incline. (4 Marks)

10. In many practical applications, such as mechanical design, understanding how objects
interact through friction is crucial. State FOUR laws of dry friction. (4 Marks)

11. Calculate the power required to lift a mass through a height of 20 m in 40 s if the force
required is 9234 N. (4 Marks)

SECTION B: 60 MARKS

THIS SECTION CONSISTS OF FOUR (4) QUESTIONS. ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS.

12. a. Machines are fundamental tools in engineering and everyday life that make tasks easier by
magnifying force, changing the direction of force, or increasing the distance over which a force
act. Define: the following terms in relation to machines:

i. Machine;

ii. Mechanical advantage (MA);

iii. Velocity ratio (VR);

iv. Efficiency. (4 Marks)

b. A mechanical technician found out that a lifting machine has velocity ratio of 50. When tests
were carried out on the machine, he found that an effort of 180 N lifted a load of 2000 N while
an effort of 300 N lifted a load of 5000 Determine:

i. The law of the machine, assuming it to be linear;

ii. The effort when lifting the maximum safe load of 10,000 N;

iii. Mechanical advantage when lifting the maximum safe load of 10,000 N;

iv. Efficiency when lifting the maximum safe load of 10,000 N. (16 Marks )
13. a. Pressure is a fundamental concept in fluid mechanics and is critical in many engineering
applications. Explain the following terms as applied to pressure:

i. Absolute pressure;

ii. Gauge pressure. (4 Marks)

b. A tank contains water to a depth of 750 mm. Calculate the pressure:

i. at a depth of 300 mm;

ii. at the base of the tank.

Take the density of water as 1000 kg/m3

and the gravitational acceleration as 9.8m/s² (7 Marks)

c. A motor vehicle of mass 1250kg is braked from a speed of 108km/h and comes to rest with
uniform retardation after travelling a distance of 150 m. Determine:

i. The magnitude of the braking force;

ii. The time taken by the vehicle to come to rest. (9 Marks)

14. a. Measurement of temperature requires various devices which are suitable for different
contexts and applications. Outline THREE temperature measuring devices commonly used.

(3 Marks)

b. Neon gas has a volume of 2,000 ml with a pressure of 1.8atm. However, the pressure
decreased to 1.3 atm; determine the new volume of the neon gas. (3 Marks)

c. A uniform beam, 4m long, is simply supported at two points A and B, point A being 0.5m
from the left-hand end and point B 1.5m from the right-hand side. The beam carries loads of 600
N at the left-hand end, 800 N at its center and 400 N at the right -hand end.

i. Determine the magnitude of the support reactions at A and B;

ii. Determine the point where the load of 800 N will be applied to make the support reactions
equal. (14 Marks)

15. a. A metal block lined with Ferodo and having a mass of 4.8kg requires a horizontal pull of
17 N to move it at a steady speed along a horizontal steel surface. Calculate the coefficient
friction for Ferodo on steel. (5marks)

b. Levers are one of the six classic simple machines and have been used since ancient times to
perform work more efficiently. Explain the THREE classes of levers. (6 Marks)

c. A lorry having a mass of 1.5 t is travelling along a level road at 72 km/h. When the brakes are
applied, the speed decreases to 18 km/h. Determine how much the kinetic energy of the lorry is
reduced. (9 Marks)