NEIEP Mechanics Practice Exam

What is the capacity of a dumbwaiter with a 9 sqft floor area and a rated capacity of 10.5 lbs/ft3?

1. 300 lbs

2. 378 lbs

3. 450 lbs

4. 500 lbs

The correct answer is: 378 lbs

To find the capacity of the dumbwaiter, you need to calculate the volume it can hold and then determine its weight capacity based on its rated capacity per cubic foot. The first step is to compute the volume of the dumbwaiter. Since the floor area is given as 9 square feet, if we assume a standard height for a dumbwaiter (for example, 6 feet), the volume can be calculated as follows: Volume = Floor Area × Height Volume = 9 sq ft × 6 ft Volume = 54 cubic feet. Next, the rated capacity is provided as 10.5 lbs/ft³. This means that for each cubic foot, the dumbwaiter can hold a weight of 10.5 pounds. Therefore, the total capacity in terms of weight can be determined by multiplying the volume by the rated weight capacity: Total Capacity = Volume × Rated Capacity Total Capacity = 54 ft³ × 10.5 lbs/ft³ Total Capacity = 567 lbs. However, the answer options provided do not reflect this direct calculation; instead, it's possible to notice a discrepancy in the height assumption, or there may be a need to consider only a portion of the total space used, which