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CORE EXAM

Exam Information

cope – Tests a candidate’s general knowledge, construction knowledge, and HVACR specific knowledge in the areas of safety, tools, bas

onstruction, basic science, achieving desired conditions, taking measurements, and basic electricity.

Qualifications

This exam is designed for technicians in the HVAC/R industry. This exam is a requirement for

most installation or service specialty certifications.

Test Specifications 

Closed Book 1.5 Hour Time limit 50 Questions Passing Score: Pass/Fail

Listed are the percentages of questions that will be in each section of the Core exam.

Section Area Description Section

Percentage

Section Area Description Section

Percentage

Safety 18% Achieving Desired Conditions 14% 

Tools 10%  Taking Temp. and Humidity Measurements 14% 

Basic Construction 8%  Basic Electricity 26% 

Using Basic Science 10% 

Industry References

he reference materials list below will be helpful in preparing for this exam. These materials may not contain all of the information necessary to be compo pass the exam.

American National Standards Institute (ANSI) / Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manuals – Latest Edition.

o Manuals “D” “J” “QI” – Quality Installation, and “S”

ACCA Manuals “T” and “RS” – Latest Editions

ACCA Residential Duct Diagnostics and Repair – Latest Edition

AHRI-Hydronics Section – IBO/RAH – Latest Edition

International Code Council – Latest Editions

o Mechanical, Plumbing, Energy Conservation, and Residential

Uniform Mechanical Code – Latest Edition with Addendum

Specification of Energy-Efficient Installation and Maintenance Practices for Residential HVAC Systems developed by Consortium for En

Efficiency (CEE) – Latest Edition with Addendum

ASHRAE Standard-62.2 – Latest Edition with Addendum

ANSI//ASHRAE Standard- 152-2004 – Latest Edition with Addendum

ENGERY STAR™ Home Sealing Standards – Latest Edition with Addendum

Duct Calculators – Sheet Metal, Ductboard, and Flexible Duct

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, Inc. (SMACNA) Manuals

o HVAC Duct Construction Standards –Metal and Flexible

Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, Inc. (SMACNA) Manuals

o Fibrous Glass Duct Construction Standards, Residential Comfort System Installation Standards Manual, and HVAC Air Duct Leakage

Manual

Air Diffusion Council Flexible Duct Performance & Installation Standards

 North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) Manuals

o Fibrous Glass Duct Construction Standards and A Guide to Insulated Air Duct Systems

International Fuel Gas Code – Latest Edition with Addendum

 National Fuel Gas Code – Latest Edition with Addendum

Generally accepted HVACR textbooks

Generally accepted construction textbooks

OSHA safety standards

 National Fire Protection Association – Latest Editions

o Gas, Oil, and Electric

Passing Score Development Process

he passing scores for the NATE tests were established using a systematic procedure (a Passing Score Study). This procedure employed the judgment of

xperienced HVAC professionals and educators representing various HVAC specialties and geographical areas. The passing scores were set using criteriaefining competent performance. The passing score for different test forms may vary slightly due to the comparative difficulty of the test questions.

Exam Copyrights

All testing documents and questions are the copyrighted property of North American Technician Excellence Inc.-NATE. It is forbidden under federalopyright law to copy, reproduce, record, distribute or display these documents or questions by any means, in whole or part, without written permission fro

NATE. Doing so may subject you to severe civil and/or criminal penalties, including imprisonment and/or fines for criminal violations.

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Core - Merged

NATE Core

Safety Complying with Government Regulations

Transportation regulations for hazardous materialsHealth and safety regs for hazardous materialsEnvironmental regs for hazardous materials

Personal Safety and Work PracticesRegs concerning confined spaces, hard hats, etc.

Safety with hand toolsUsing ladders and scaffoldsRefrigerant in confined spacesSafe driving practicesClothing, safety equipment, and hard hatsSafety glassesHearing protectionSafe practices in repairUsing warning symbolsSafe handling of hazardous materialsSafety within confined spacesSafe practices in troubleshooting and repair

Personal Safety Around Moving Machinery

BlowersPulleysClothing requirementsCondenser fans

Electrical SafetyOverview of electrical safetyGrounding-GFI requirements outdoor extension cordsPersonal protection

Safe Brazing and Soldering PracticesOverview of safetyOxygen and acetylene safetyUsing purging gases-Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide, etcFire extinguishersDocumentation for hazardous materials - MSDS

Safe Handling of ContainersDisposalSecuring containers for transportSignage and documentation for containersProper storageProper container filling

Understanding HazmatSignage for hazardous materialsSecuring hazardous materials for transportDocumentation for hazardous materials - MSDSWorker requirements for HAZMAT training

Tools Tools

Tools & Scales - Basic Math MeasurementRulers, compass, square, protractor, etc.

Improvised measuring techniques

Basic scale drawings

Measurements - inches, feet, centimeters, millimeters, etc.

Understanding tolerances

Fabrication ToolsScrewdrivers and nut drivers

Wrenches, pliers, and allen wrenches

Socket sets

Levels and squares

Tool maintenance and care

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Core - Merged

Saws and files

Drills, countersink, reamers, and bits

Punches, taps, and dies

Hammers

Metal tools - metal snips, sheers, benders, breaks, hand formers, calipers, rulers, stapler, etc.

Tubing Tools Benders - spring, lever, etc.Flaring toolsTube cuttersSwaging tools

ReamersBasic Construction 

Plans and SpecificationsConstructionMaterialsLayout

Plumbing (Piping) LayoutsConstructionMaterialsLayout

Room Specs - Clear Span & Ceiling HeightsConstructionMaterials

LayoutRoofingConstructionMaterialsLayout

Ceilings ConstructionMaterialsLayout

WallsConstructionMaterialsLayout

Floors

ConstructionMaterialsLayout

FenestrationConstructionMaterialsLayout

Girders & TrussesConstructionMaterialsLayout

ChimneysConstruction

MaterialsLayoutUsing Basic Science 

Chemistry BasicsProperties of matterHow chemicals react with each otherRole of chemistry at the jobsiteOxidation and combustionWeight and density of materials

Electrons in Electricity Fundamental electrical conceptsElectrical charge

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ConductorsInsulatorsDielectrics

Electrical Basic TermsVoltage

 Amps - milliamps, microamps, etc.Resistance - Ohm's, megohms, etc.Power - watts

MagnetismMagnetic principles in electricity

Magnetic components - coilsMagnetic components - transformer

 AC and DC CircuitsSimple DC circuitBasic control and loadsPolarityOhm's Law in DC circuitsIntroduction to AC circuitsEffects of AC on controls and loads

Basic Circuit AnalysisDifference between AC & DC powerSeries circuitsParallel circuitsOhm's LawCurrent distribution in multiple load circuitsComplex circuits

Electricity - Generation and DistributionIntro to electrical distributionTransformer distributionImpact of available electrical power on equipment

Solid State ElectronicsIntroduction to basic solid state componentsOverview of solid state devices in HVACSolid state sensing devicesIntroduction to basic solid state componentsFundamental solid state circuits

Pressure Measurements

Overview of pressure systemsPressure laws and pressure measurement terminologyTemperature vs. PressureGas laws

Mathematics Arithmetic

Whole numbers - add, subtract, multiply and divide

Fractions - add, subtract, multiply and divide

Decimals - add, subtract, multiply and divide

Percentages, ratios, and proportions

Rounding off of values

Interpolation

Calculators

Combined calculationsMixed numbers

Conversion of number forms

Using sequences and series to predict results

 AlgebraBasic linear single variable equations

Using basic algebra in problem solving

Transposing formulas

GeometryGeometric figures used in HVAC - points, lines, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombuses, squares, trapezoids, etc.

Units of measurement. Typical computations using geometry. The right triangle. 30-60-90, 45-45-90.

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Parallels and perpendiculars

Concepts of three-dimensional figures. Drawing three-dimensional objects. Computations with three dim shapes.

Estimating areas, perimeters, and volumes of irregular figures

Graphs, Charts & TablesIntroduction to basic graphs, plots, and tabular data

Graphs and tables used in instruction sheets

Blueprint reading

MechanicsSimple machines - levers, gears, etc.Conservation of energy

Complex machines - how mechanisms workBasics of fluid mechanics

Gas LawsGas laws

Electrical Load TypesCapacitive - momentary and continuousInductive - momentary and continuousResistive - momentary and continuous

PowerElectrical power formulae - conversion of powerIntroduction to power factor

 Achieving Desired Conditions Temperature

Role of temperature in comfortRegional temperature considerations and comfortHumidity

Role of humidity in comfort Adjusting system performance for humidity control

 Air QualityVentilation -comfort

 Air cleaning for comfortVentilation - comfortOdor control

SoundEquipment source

 Airflow sourceEquipment

 AirflowTaking Temp & Humidity Measurements 

Physical Measurements - Temperature & HeatLatent heatSensible heatTemperatureFundamentals of humidityConvectionConductionRadiationBTU - Definition and use

Thermometers Liquid column thermometers

Mechanical thermometersElectronic thermometersInfrared thermometersGauge / meter calibrationRecording thermometers - digital and analogDry bulb and wet bulb Delta T

Humidity Measurement and Calcualtions Sling psychrometerWet and dry bulb thermometersElectronic humidity measurementGauge / meter calibrationUsing psychrometric chart

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Humidity probes attachments for use with metersEnthalpy

Basic Electricity Symbols

Introduction to basic symbolsUse of symbols in diagramsSymbol standards

Field Wiring DiagramsBasics of field diagram layoutUse of field diagrams

Pictorial DiagramsBasics of pictorial diagram layoutsUse of pictorial diagrams

Schematic (Ladder) DiagramsBasics of schematic (ladder) diagram layoutsReading schematics for determining sequencesReading schematics for wiring connections

Single Phase MotorsTypesComponentsOperating principlesTorque characteristicsTapped multi-speedSelecting single phase motors

Three Phase MotorsTypesRotationComponentsOperating principlesSelecting multi-phase motorsTorque characteristics

Variable Speed Motors Variable speed motors - ECM, BPM, and VSIM

 Actuator MotorsOverview of damper motorsDual positionProportional

Digital Electrical MetersIdentify meters and instrumentsDigital electrical meters - use and setupsVoltage measurementsResistance measurements

 Amperage measurementsUse with temperature probesMeter calibration and maintenanceRMS - correction and meter typesMillivolt measurementsMilliampere measurements