NATE Exam Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps
Exam Questions with 100% Correct Answers
d (All of the above: air movement, humidity, temperature)
Which of the following factors affects a customer's level of comfort?
a. Air movement
b. Humidity
c. Temperature
d. All of the above
c (+15%)
A cooling load calculation estimates the sensible heat gain of a structure. The maximum sensible
capacity of a cooling-only system should be within ____% of this calculated value.
a. ±10%
b. +10%
c. +15%
d. +30%
d (+25%)
The maximum sensible cooling capacity of a heat pump should be within ____% of the calculated
sensible heat gain of a structure with a large heating load.
a. ±10%
b. +15%
c. -25%
d. +25%
b (15%)
The combined output of a heat pump and its auxiliary heat should not exceed the calculated heat loss
of a home by more than ____%.
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 25%
b (3.2 kWh)
What amount of auxiliary electric heat is needed when the output of a heat pump on a design day
equals 18,800 Btuh and the heat loss of a home is 29,700 Btuh?
a. 2.1 kWh
b. 3.2 kWh
c. 5.0 kWh
d. 10.9 kWh
Note: 3,413 Btu/kW
b (radiation)
The three processes that transfer heat energy are conduction, convection, and ____.
,a. concentration
b. radiation
c. refraction
d. static pressure
b (conduction)
Heat transfer that occurs when substances of different temperatures are in contact with each other is
called ____.
a. concentration
b. conduction
c. convection
d. radiation
d (The refrigerant's boiling point increases)
What effect does raising the pressure in a sealed system have on refrigerant?
a. It becomes more difficult to subcool the liquid refrigerant
b. It becomes more difficult to superheat the refrigerant vapor
c. The refrigerant's boiling point decreases
d. The refrigerant's boiling point increases
d (Suffocation caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air)
What is the primary danger to people near an accidental refrigerant release or spill?
a. Blurred vision caused by the refrigerant vapor coming in contact with the eyes
b. Changes in weather patterns caused by global warming
c. Damage to the food chain caused by decreased ozone levels in the stratosphere
d. Suffocation caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air
c (125°F, 80%)
The maximum temperature at which refrigerant may be stored is ____°F when the container is no
more than ____% full of liquid by volume.
a. 120°F, 60%
b. 125°F, 60%
c. 125°F, 80%
d. 135°F, 80%
c (Evaporator)
Boiling of the refrigerant occurs in which system component?
a. Compressor
b. Condenser
c. Evaporator
d. Metering device
a (It ensures that dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur)
Why is superheat necessary in a system that utilizes hermetic compressors?
a. It ensures that dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur
, b. It increases system capacity
c. It prevents liquid refrigerant from gassing the metering device
d. Superheat is necessary only when open compressors are being used
d (Suction pressure and discharge pressure both increase)
When the heat load on an evaporator increases, what is the effect on the system?
a. Suction pressure decreases and discharge pressure increases
b. Suction pressure increases and discharge pressure decreases
c. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both decrease
d. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both increase
c (Both latent and sensible heat energy)
What type of energy is transferred when work is done in the condenser?
a. Latent heat energy
b. Sensible heat energy
c. Both latent and sensible heat energy
d. Neither latent nor sensible heat energy
b (It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator)
What is the primary function performed by a thermal expansion valve?
a. It maintains the correct superheat in the hot vapor leaving the compressor
b. It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator
c. It maintains the proper subcooling level in the liquid refrigerant
d. It prevents flash vapor bubbles from developing in refrigerant entering the evaporator
b (Compressor)
Which component pumps refrigerant through the system and raises the vapor temperature?
a. Accumulator
b. Compressor
c. Condenser
d. Evaporator
c (With suction vapor drawn from the evaporator)
How are hermetic compressor motors cooled?
a. With air drawn around the compressor shell by the condenser fan
b. With water circulated through tubing wrapped around the compressor shell
c. With suction vapor drawn from the evaporator
d. With a combination of air and water
a (exhibit low refrigerant density at low suction)
Heat pump compressors sometimes run hotter than compressors used in cooling-only units because
heat pump compressors ____.
a. exhibit low refrigerant density at low suction pressures during the heating cycle
b. pump liquid refrigerant during the cooling cycle
c. must prevent ice formation during the defrost cycle
Exam Questions with 100% Correct Answers
d (All of the above: air movement, humidity, temperature)
Which of the following factors affects a customer's level of comfort?
a. Air movement
b. Humidity
c. Temperature
d. All of the above
c (+15%)
A cooling load calculation estimates the sensible heat gain of a structure. The maximum sensible
capacity of a cooling-only system should be within ____% of this calculated value.
a. ±10%
b. +10%
c. +15%
d. +30%
d (+25%)
The maximum sensible cooling capacity of a heat pump should be within ____% of the calculated
sensible heat gain of a structure with a large heating load.
a. ±10%
b. +15%
c. -25%
d. +25%
b (15%)
The combined output of a heat pump and its auxiliary heat should not exceed the calculated heat loss
of a home by more than ____%.
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 20%
d. 25%
b (3.2 kWh)
What amount of auxiliary electric heat is needed when the output of a heat pump on a design day
equals 18,800 Btuh and the heat loss of a home is 29,700 Btuh?
a. 2.1 kWh
b. 3.2 kWh
c. 5.0 kWh
d. 10.9 kWh
Note: 3,413 Btu/kW
b (radiation)
The three processes that transfer heat energy are conduction, convection, and ____.
,a. concentration
b. radiation
c. refraction
d. static pressure
b (conduction)
Heat transfer that occurs when substances of different temperatures are in contact with each other is
called ____.
a. concentration
b. conduction
c. convection
d. radiation
d (The refrigerant's boiling point increases)
What effect does raising the pressure in a sealed system have on refrigerant?
a. It becomes more difficult to subcool the liquid refrigerant
b. It becomes more difficult to superheat the refrigerant vapor
c. The refrigerant's boiling point decreases
d. The refrigerant's boiling point increases
d (Suffocation caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air)
What is the primary danger to people near an accidental refrigerant release or spill?
a. Blurred vision caused by the refrigerant vapor coming in contact with the eyes
b. Changes in weather patterns caused by global warming
c. Damage to the food chain caused by decreased ozone levels in the stratosphere
d. Suffocation caused by the heavier refrigerant displacing oxygen in the air
c (125°F, 80%)
The maximum temperature at which refrigerant may be stored is ____°F when the container is no
more than ____% full of liquid by volume.
a. 120°F, 60%
b. 125°F, 60%
c. 125°F, 80%
d. 135°F, 80%
c (Evaporator)
Boiling of the refrigerant occurs in which system component?
a. Compressor
b. Condenser
c. Evaporator
d. Metering device
a (It ensures that dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur)
Why is superheat necessary in a system that utilizes hermetic compressors?
a. It ensures that dry vapor reaches the compressor so that mechanical damage does not occur
, b. It increases system capacity
c. It prevents liquid refrigerant from gassing the metering device
d. Superheat is necessary only when open compressors are being used
d (Suction pressure and discharge pressure both increase)
When the heat load on an evaporator increases, what is the effect on the system?
a. Suction pressure decreases and discharge pressure increases
b. Suction pressure increases and discharge pressure decreases
c. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both decrease
d. Suction pressure and discharge pressure both increase
c (Both latent and sensible heat energy)
What type of energy is transferred when work is done in the condenser?
a. Latent heat energy
b. Sensible heat energy
c. Both latent and sensible heat energy
d. Neither latent nor sensible heat energy
b (It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator)
What is the primary function performed by a thermal expansion valve?
a. It maintains the correct superheat in the hot vapor leaving the compressor
b. It maintains the correct superheat in the suction vapor leaving the evaporator
c. It maintains the proper subcooling level in the liquid refrigerant
d. It prevents flash vapor bubbles from developing in refrigerant entering the evaporator
b (Compressor)
Which component pumps refrigerant through the system and raises the vapor temperature?
a. Accumulator
b. Compressor
c. Condenser
d. Evaporator
c (With suction vapor drawn from the evaporator)
How are hermetic compressor motors cooled?
a. With air drawn around the compressor shell by the condenser fan
b. With water circulated through tubing wrapped around the compressor shell
c. With suction vapor drawn from the evaporator
d. With a combination of air and water
a (exhibit low refrigerant density at low suction)
Heat pump compressors sometimes run hotter than compressors used in cooling-only units because
heat pump compressors ____.
a. exhibit low refrigerant density at low suction pressures during the heating cycle
b. pump liquid refrigerant during the cooling cycle
c. must prevent ice formation during the defrost cycle
