ENGINEERING MECHANICS (STATICS &
DYNAMICS) 2026 – VERIFIED PRACTICE EXAM
WITH DETAILED SOLUTIONS
1. A force of 100 N acts at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. What is its horizontal
component?
• A) 50 N
• B) 70.7 N
• C) 86.6 N
• D) 100 N
RATIONALE: Horizontal component = F·cos θ = 100 × cos 30° = 100 × 0.866 = 86.6 N
2. The moment of a force about a point is defined as:
• A) Force divided by distance
• B) Force multiplied by time
• C) Force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the point to the line of
action
• D) Force multiplied by displacement
RATIONALE: Moment (torque) M = F × d, where d is the perpendicular distance from the
pivot to the line of action of the force.
3. Three concurrent coplanar forces are in equilibrium. According to Lami's theorem, each
force is proportional to:
• A) The sine of the angle between the other two forces
• B) The sine of the angle opposite to it
• C) The cosine of the angle between the other two
• D) The tangent of the included angle
RATIONALE: Lami's theorem states: F₁/sin α₁ = F₂/sin α₂ = F₃/sin α₃, where each angle is the
one opposite (i.e., between the other two forces).
,4. A body is in static equilibrium when:
• A) ΣF ≠ 0 and ΣM = 0
• B) ΣF = 0 and ΣM ≠ 0
• C) ΣF = 0 and ΣM = 0
• D) The body is at rest only
RATIONALE: For complete static equilibrium, both the sum of all forces and the sum of all
moments about any point must equal zero.
5. The centroid of a triangle lies at:
• A) The midpoint of the base
• B) One-third height from the apex
• C) One-third height from the base
• D) The midpoint of the median
RATIONALE: The centroid of a triangle is located at h/3 from the base (or 2h/3 from the
apex), where h is the total height.
6. The unit of moment of inertia (second moment of area) is:
• A) m²
• B) m³
• C) m⁴
• D) m
RATIONALE: Second moment of area I = ∫y² dA, so units = m² × m² = m⁴.
7. A couple consists of:
• A) Two equal and parallel forces acting in the same direction
• B) Two equal, opposite, and parallel forces
• C) A single force and a moment
, • D) Two unequal forces acting at a point
RATIONALE: A couple is formed by two forces that are equal in magnitude, opposite in
direction, and parallel — producing a pure turning effect (moment) with no net force.
8. The angle of friction is the angle between:
• A) The resultant reaction and the normal reaction
• B) The applied force and the friction force
• C) The inclined surface and the horizontal
• D) The weight and the normal reaction
RATIONALE: The angle of friction φ = arctan(μ), where μ is the coefficient of static friction.
It is the angle between the resultant contact force (R) and the normal reaction (N).
9. Which of the following is a non-concurrent, non-parallel force system?
• A) Collinear forces
• B) Concurrent forces
• C) General force system
• D) Parallel forces
RATIONALE: A general (or non-concurrent, non-parallel) force system is the most general
type where forces neither meet at a point nor are parallel.
10. The Varignon's theorem states that the moment of a resultant force equals:
• A) The product of all forces
• B) The algebraic sum of moments of its components
• C) The vector sum of all forces
• D) The average of moments of components
, RATIONALE: Varignon's Principle: The moment of a resultant of concurrent forces about any
point equals the algebraic sum of the moments of the individual component forces about the
same point.
11. A simply supported beam of span 6 m carries a central point load of 12 kN. The reaction
at each support is:
• A) 12 kN
• B) 8 kN
• C) 6 kN
• D) 3 kN
RATIONALE: For a central load on a simply supported beam, each reaction = W/2 = 12/2 = 6
kN by symmetry.
12. The coefficient of static friction is always:
• A) Less than kinetic friction coefficient
• B) Greater than or equal to kinetic friction coefficient
• C) Equal to the angle of repose
• D) Independent of the normal force
RATIONALE: Static friction must be overcome before motion begins, so μₛ ≥ μₖ always. Once
sliding starts, kinetic friction is slightly less.
13. For a uniformly distributed load (UDL) on a beam, the total load acts at:
• A) The quarter point
• B) The midpoint of the loaded length
• C) The three-quarter point
• D) The end of the beam
RATIONALE: A UDL's resultant force acts at the centroid of the rectangular loading diagram,
which is at the midpoint of the loaded span.
DYNAMICS) 2026 – VERIFIED PRACTICE EXAM
WITH DETAILED SOLUTIONS
1. A force of 100 N acts at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. What is its horizontal
component?
• A) 50 N
• B) 70.7 N
• C) 86.6 N
• D) 100 N
RATIONALE: Horizontal component = F·cos θ = 100 × cos 30° = 100 × 0.866 = 86.6 N
2. The moment of a force about a point is defined as:
• A) Force divided by distance
• B) Force multiplied by time
• C) Force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the point to the line of
action
• D) Force multiplied by displacement
RATIONALE: Moment (torque) M = F × d, where d is the perpendicular distance from the
pivot to the line of action of the force.
3. Three concurrent coplanar forces are in equilibrium. According to Lami's theorem, each
force is proportional to:
• A) The sine of the angle between the other two forces
• B) The sine of the angle opposite to it
• C) The cosine of the angle between the other two
• D) The tangent of the included angle
RATIONALE: Lami's theorem states: F₁/sin α₁ = F₂/sin α₂ = F₃/sin α₃, where each angle is the
one opposite (i.e., between the other two forces).
,4. A body is in static equilibrium when:
• A) ΣF ≠ 0 and ΣM = 0
• B) ΣF = 0 and ΣM ≠ 0
• C) ΣF = 0 and ΣM = 0
• D) The body is at rest only
RATIONALE: For complete static equilibrium, both the sum of all forces and the sum of all
moments about any point must equal zero.
5. The centroid of a triangle lies at:
• A) The midpoint of the base
• B) One-third height from the apex
• C) One-third height from the base
• D) The midpoint of the median
RATIONALE: The centroid of a triangle is located at h/3 from the base (or 2h/3 from the
apex), where h is the total height.
6. The unit of moment of inertia (second moment of area) is:
• A) m²
• B) m³
• C) m⁴
• D) m
RATIONALE: Second moment of area I = ∫y² dA, so units = m² × m² = m⁴.
7. A couple consists of:
• A) Two equal and parallel forces acting in the same direction
• B) Two equal, opposite, and parallel forces
• C) A single force and a moment
, • D) Two unequal forces acting at a point
RATIONALE: A couple is formed by two forces that are equal in magnitude, opposite in
direction, and parallel — producing a pure turning effect (moment) with no net force.
8. The angle of friction is the angle between:
• A) The resultant reaction and the normal reaction
• B) The applied force and the friction force
• C) The inclined surface and the horizontal
• D) The weight and the normal reaction
RATIONALE: The angle of friction φ = arctan(μ), where μ is the coefficient of static friction.
It is the angle between the resultant contact force (R) and the normal reaction (N).
9. Which of the following is a non-concurrent, non-parallel force system?
• A) Collinear forces
• B) Concurrent forces
• C) General force system
• D) Parallel forces
RATIONALE: A general (or non-concurrent, non-parallel) force system is the most general
type where forces neither meet at a point nor are parallel.
10. The Varignon's theorem states that the moment of a resultant force equals:
• A) The product of all forces
• B) The algebraic sum of moments of its components
• C) The vector sum of all forces
• D) The average of moments of components
, RATIONALE: Varignon's Principle: The moment of a resultant of concurrent forces about any
point equals the algebraic sum of the moments of the individual component forces about the
same point.
11. A simply supported beam of span 6 m carries a central point load of 12 kN. The reaction
at each support is:
• A) 12 kN
• B) 8 kN
• C) 6 kN
• D) 3 kN
RATIONALE: For a central load on a simply supported beam, each reaction = W/2 = 12/2 = 6
kN by symmetry.
12. The coefficient of static friction is always:
• A) Less than kinetic friction coefficient
• B) Greater than or equal to kinetic friction coefficient
• C) Equal to the angle of repose
• D) Independent of the normal force
RATIONALE: Static friction must be overcome before motion begins, so μₛ ≥ μₖ always. Once
sliding starts, kinetic friction is slightly less.
13. For a uniformly distributed load (UDL) on a beam, the total load acts at:
• A) The quarter point
• B) The midpoint of the loaded length
• C) The three-quarter point
• D) The end of the beam
RATIONALE: A UDL's resultant force acts at the centroid of the rectangular loading diagram,
which is at the midpoint of the loaded span.
