Oilers/Plant Tenders (HHC) Civil Service Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Oilers/Plant Tenders Exam with our comprehensive quiz. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations to excel in your civil service test. Start your preparation now!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What type of oil is typically used in hydraulic systems?

Synthetic oil
Vegetable oil
Mineral oil
Animal fat

The correct answer is: Synthetic oil

Hydraulic systems commonly use mineral oil due to its properties that make it well-suited for this application. Mineral oil has excellent lubricating qualities, a high flash point, and is generally more stable under varying temperature conditions, which is essential in the high-pressure environment of hydraulic systems. While synthetic oils can also be used in hydraulic systems and offer benefits such as better performance in extreme temperatures and enhanced oxidation stability, they are not the typical choice for general hydraulic applications. This makes synthetic oil an option rather than the standard type. Vegetable oils are typically not used because they can degrade and may not provide the necessary lubrication over time, while animal fats are unsuitable for hydraulic systems due to their low stability and tendency to solidify or degrade, especially under heat and pressure. Therefore, mineral oil remains the standard and most widely utilized oil in hydraulic systems.