Are You Smarter than an Undergraduate? January 2026

Question 1: What is the purpose of curing concrete?

To reduce shrinkage cracks

To keep the concrete surface moist

To allow hydration of cement

All of the above

Question 2: The time-varying waveform in alternating current (AC) is typically a __________.

Square wave

Sine wave

Sawtooth wave

Constant value

Question 3: The shear strength of soil is primarily governed by ___________.

Permeability and porosity

Cohesion and internal friction angle

Void ratio and unit weight

Compaction effort

Question 4: In refrigeration, the refrigerant absorbs heat in the _____________.

Condenser

Evaporator

Compressor

Expansion valve

Question 5: Which crystal structure is common in most steels at room temperature?

Hexagonal close-packed (HCP)

Body-centered cubic (BCC)

Face-centered cubic (FCC)

Amorphous

Question 6: Flow is considered turbulent when Reynolds number exceeds approximately _______________.

500

1000

4000

10,000

Stick with what works. Kick off the year with questions held together by engineering logic and maybe a little duct tape.