Prepare for the Automotive Service Technician Period 1 exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which term describes a pump that delivers the same volume per cycle regardless of pressure?

A fixed amount of fluid moved per cycle defines a positive displacement pump. In these pumps, a precise volume is trapped and carried with each stroke or cycle, so at a given speed the output flow stays constant even as discharge pressure changes—up until the pump’s pressure limit. When system pressure increases, the pump simply does more work to push that same volume against higher resistance, not by delivering more or less per cycle. This contrasts with dynamic pumps like centrifugal pumps, where the flow rate varies with head and tends to drop as pressure rises. A diaphragm pump is a type of positive displacement pump, so it shares the same fixed-volume-per-cycle behavior; the key term describing this behavior is positive displacement pump.

A fixed amount of fluid moved per cycle defines a positive displacement pump. In these pumps, a precise volume is trapped and carried with each stroke or cycle, so at a given speed the output flow stays constant even as discharge pressure changes—up until the pump’s pressure limit. When system pressure increases, the pump simply does more work to push that same volume against higher resistance, not by delivering more or less per cycle. This contrasts with dynamic pumps like centrifugal pumps, where the flow rate varies with head and tends to drop as pressure rises. A diaphragm pump is a type of positive displacement pump, so it shares the same fixed-volume-per-cycle behavior; the key term describing this behavior is positive displacement pump.