20 SMAW (Stick) Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. SMAW power sources have a drooping volt-ampere curve. Why does that constant current output suit a hand-held process in which the arc length keeps changing?

   • A.Output voltage stays fixed while current rises sharply as the arc shortens.
   • B.Output current rises as the arc lengthens, so more filler metal is deposited.
   • C.A large change in arc voltage produces an equally large change in current.
   • D.A large change in arc voltage produces only a small change in current.✓ Answer

   A constant current (drooping) characteristic holds amperage nearly steady while arc voltage swings with arc length, so the welder's unavoidable hand motion barely changes heat input or burn-off rate. A constant voltage characteristic does the opposite and is used with wire feeders, where the machine, not the hand, regulates the arc.

   Source: AWS Welding Handbook, Volume 2, Welding Processes—Part 1Report a problem with this question

2. 2. The covering on a shielded metal arc electrode does several jobs at once. Where does the gas that shields the arc and molten pool come from?

   • A.From decomposition of the covering ingredients as the arc burns them.✓ Answer
   • B.From a separate shielding gas cylinder connected to the electrode holder.
   • C.From the slag layer boiling off the face of the solidified weld bead.
   • D.From air drawn into the arc and ionized by iron powder in the covering.

   SMAW is self-shielded: cellulose, carbonates and other ingredients in the covering break down in the arc and generate gas that displaces air from the arc zone. That is why no external gas supply is needed and why wind is far less disruptive to this process than to gas-shielded wire processes.

   Source: AWS Welding Handbook, Volume 2, Welding Processes—Part 1Report a problem with this question

3. 3. Why must the slag be chipped and wire brushed off completely before the next pass is deposited?

   • A.Slag left in place is rolled into the following pass as a slag inclusion.✓ Answer
   • B.Slag left in place hardens and blunts the chipping hammer over time.
   • C.Slag left in place adds weight that distorts the joint as it cools.
   • D.Slag left in place holds heat and raises interpass temperature limits.

   Slag is a non-metallic oxide crust; if it is still on the joint when the next arc passes over it, molten metal flows over it instead of fusing to sound steel, leaving a slag inclusion that also masks incomplete fusion beneath. Trapped slag from poor interpass cleaning is a leading cause of failed guided bend tests.

   Source: AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code—SteelReport a problem with this question

4. 4. A welding machine is rated at a 60% duty cycle for a stated output. What happens if the welder runs it above that rated output current?

   • A.The usable duty cycle rises, because higher current shortens each weld.
   • B.The duty cycle doubles, because the rating is taken at half of maximum output.
   • C.The duty cycle is unaffected, since it depends only on ambient air temperature.
   • D.The usable duty cycle drops, and thermal overload protection can shut it down.✓ Answer

   Duty cycle is the share of a ten-minute period that a machine can deliver a given output without overheating, and heating in the windings and rectifier rises with the square of the current. Raising the current therefore always lowers the time the machine can stay loaded, and exceeding it trips the thermal overload.

   Source: NEMA EW 1, Electric Arc Welding Power SourcesReport a problem with this question

5. 5. An electrode is connected with the holder positive and the work negative — direct current electrode positive, also called reverse polarity. What does that do at the arc?

   • A.About two thirds of the arc heat lands on the electrode and penetration is deeper.✓ Answer
   • B.The arc heat splits evenly between electrode and work, just as it does on AC.
   • C.Nearly all of the arc heat is absorbed by the slag before it reaches the base metal.
   • D.About two thirds of the arc heat lands on the work and the deposition rate goes up.

   In direct current welding the positive pole of the arc receives roughly two thirds of the heat, so DCEP concentrates heat at the electrode tip and produces the deep, digging penetration pattern. DCEN (straight polarity) reverses this, putting more heat in the work for a faster deposition rate and shallower fusion.

   Source: AWS Welding Handbook, Volume 2, Welding Processes—Part 1Report a problem with this question

6. 6. A trainee keeps freezing the electrode to the plate when starting. Which statement describes correct arc starting and correct handling of a stuck electrode?

   • A.Raise the amperage well above the WPS setting so the rod cannot freeze.
   • B.Press hard and hold until the covering burns back, then pull the holder up.
   • C.Scratch or tap to start the arc, and twist or release a stuck electrode.✓ Answer
   • D.Yank the lead sharply with the helmet down, then restart on the cold spot.

   The two accepted starts are the scratch (striking) method, drawn like a match, and the tap (touch) method, brought straight down and lifted; both establish the arc without welding the tip to the plate. A frozen electrode is broken loose with a quick twist, or the holder is opened and released, because pulling on the lead can topple the work or pull the machine over.

   Source: AWS EG2.0, Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level I—Entry WelderReport a problem with this question

7. 7. In the AWS A5.1 classification E7018, what do the digits 70 tell the welder?

   • A.The diameter of the core wire under the covering, in hundredths of an inch.
   • B.The minimum preheat the electrode requires, in tens of degrees Fahrenheit.
   • C.The minimum current the covering can carry, in tens of amperes per inch.
   • D.The minimum tensile strength of the deposited weld metal, in thousands of psi.✓ Answer

   In the EXXYZ system the E stands for electrode and the first two digits state the minimum tensile strength of the deposited metal in thousands of pounds per square inch, so E70xx deposits at least 70,000 psi metal and E60xx at least 60,000 psi. Electrode size is quoted separately as the diameter of the core wire, not the covered diameter.

   Source: AWS A5.1, Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc WeldingReport a problem with this question

8. 8. An electrode classified E7024 carries a 2 as its third digit. What does that digit state?

   • A.It is usable in flat, horizontal, overhead and vertical-down progression.
   • B.It is usable in the flat position and for horizontal fillet welds only.✓ Answer
   • C.It is usable only on alternating current at two-thirds of rated amperage.
   • D.It is usable in all positions, including vertical up and overhead.

   The third digit is the position digit: 1 means all positions, 2 means flat position and horizontal fillets only, and 4 means flat, horizontal, overhead and vertical with downward progression. E7024 is a heavy iron-powder fast-fill rod whose large fluid pool cannot be held out of position, which is exactly why it is limited by the 2.

   Source: AWS A5.1, Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc WeldingReport a problem with this question

9. 9. An open root pass must be run on a butt joint in rusty, mill-scaled steel, using an electrode that freezes fast and digs through contamination. Which family fits?

   • A.A low-hydrogen covering such as E7018, dragged with a very tight quiet arc.
   • B.A fast-fill iron powder covering such as E7024, dragged over a heavy slag.
   • C.A fill-freeze rutile covering such as E6013, run with a soft shallow arc.
   • D.A fast-freeze cellulosic covering such as E6010, run with a digging arc.✓ Answer

   Fast-freeze cellulosic electrodes produce a forceful, deeply penetrating arc and a thin, quickly solidifying slag, which lets the welder hold an open root and burn through rust and scale. Fast-fill and fill-freeze rods have soft arcs and heavy slag that would bridge the root instead of penetrating it.

   Source: AWS A5.1, Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc WeldingReport a problem with this question

10. 10. What is the practical difference between E6010 and E6011?

    • A.E6011 is flat and horizontal only, while E6010 is an all-position rod.
    • B.E6011 is a low-hydrogen rod, while E6010 has a cellulosic covering.
    • C.E6011 runs on AC or DCEP, while E6010 needs DCEP to hold an arc.✓ Answer
    • D.E6011 deposits 70,000 psi metal, while E6010 deposits 60,000 psi metal.

    Both are 60,000 psi all-position fast-freeze cellulosic electrodes, but E6010 is sodium-based and needs the steady ionization of direct current electrode positive, while the potassium in the E6011 covering keeps the arc reignited through the zero crossings of alternating current. That makes E6011 the choice when only an AC transformer machine is available.

    Source: AWS A5.1, Specification for Carbon Steel Electrodes for Shielded Metal Arc WeldingReport a problem with this question

11. 11. A box of low-hydrogen electrodes has been left open on a bench in a humid shop overnight. What is the risk if those rods are used on a restrained carbon steel joint?

    • A.Moisture chills the covering, which can make the arc wander off the joint.
    • B.Moisture washes out arc stabilizers, which can leave too little slag cover.
    • C.Moisture releases hydrogen into the weld, which can cause underbead cracking.✓ Answer
    • D.Moisture raises deposit strength, which can overmatch the base metal badly.

    The whole point of a low-hydrogen covering is to keep water out, because water dissociates in the arc and dissolves atomic hydrogen into the weld pool. As the joint cools that hydrogen collects at the hard heat-affected zone and, under restraint, produces delayed hydrogen-induced cracking as well as porosity.

    Source: AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code—SteelReport a problem with this question

12. 12. What is correct jobsite handling practice for low-hydrogen electrodes?

    • A.Keep them in a chest freezer so no condensation can form before use.
    • B.Keep them sealed until use, then in a heated holding oven, issued in small lots.✓ Answer
    • C.Keep them submerged in clean oil so the covering cannot absorb moisture.
    • D.Keep them in the opened carton on the bench and re-dry them with a torch.

    Low-hydrogen electrodes are supplied in hermetically sealed containers and, once opened, must go into a heated holding oven so the covering stays dry, with only as many rods issued as a welder will burn before the allowed atmospheric exposure runs out. Torch drying, oil and freezing all either fail to remove moisture or add contamination.

    Source: AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code—SteelReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A welder is holding an arc far longer than the diameter of the electrode core wire. What shows up in the bead?

    • A.Spatter, porosity and undercut, with a wide erratic bead and lost shield.✓ Answer
    • B.Excessive buildup with overlap at the toes and very little arc force left.
    • C.A narrow ropy bead with trapped slag along the toes and constant sticking.
    • D.A deeply penetrating bead with a smooth face and almost no visible spatter.

    The general rule is an arc length about equal to the diameter of the core wire, and a longer arc lets the gas envelope spread so air reaches the pool, producing porosity, while the wandering arc spreads and scatters metal as spatter and undercut. Too short an arc gives the opposite picture: sticking and a narrow ropy bead.

    Source: AWS EG2.0, Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level I—Entry WelderReport a problem with this question

14. 14. Near the end of a plate the arc wanders and blows away from the joint, and the trouble is worst close to the work clamp. What is happening, and what corrects it?

    • A.Magnetic arc blow on alternating current; switch to DCEN and raise current.
    • B.Magnetic arc blow on direct current; switch to AC or move the work clamp.✓ Answer
    • C.Gas turbulence from the covering; fit a shielding gas cup to the holder.
    • D.Slag interference on direct current; grind each restart and widen the weave.

    Direct current sets up a steady magnetic field around the arc and the work, and where that field is unbalanced — at the ends of a joint or near the work connection — it pushes the arc off the joint. Alternating current reverses direction constantly so the field cannot build in one direction, and moving or splitting the work connection rebalances the field.

    Source: AWS Welding Handbook, Volume 2, Welding Processes—Part 1Report a problem with this question

15. 15. Why is the work lead not the same thing as the equipment grounding conductor on a welding machine?

    • A.The work lead grounds the machine frame; the grounding conductor carries the weld.
    • B.The work lead and grounding conductor are interchangeable if sized the same way.
    • C.The work lead returns welding current; the grounding conductor is for fault safety.✓ Answer
    • D.The work lead carries only fault current; the grounding conductor closes the arc.

    The work lead is one half of the welding circuit and must carry full welding current back to the machine through a clean metal-to-metal clamp connection. The equipment grounding conductor carries no welding current at all; it bonds the machine frame so that an internal insulation failure trips the overcurrent device instead of energizing the case.

    Source: ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied ProcessesReport a problem with this question

16. 16. The welding leads are undersized for the current being used and are left coiled on the floor through a long weld. What is the consequence?

    • A.Voltage drop falls and the cable runs cooler, since the coil sheds heat.
    • B.Open circuit voltage rises at the holder, so the arc strikes more easily.
    • C.Voltage drop and heating, and the coil's inductance unsteadies the arc.✓ Answer
    • D.Polarity reverses at the work clamp, so the penetration pattern flips over.

    Cable must be sized for the amperage and for the total length of electrode lead plus work lead, because resistance rises with length and falls with cross-section; an undersized or over-long lead drops voltage at the arc and turns the lost energy into heat in the copper. Coiling the cable adds inductance that opposes current change and makes the arc harder to hold.

    Source: ANSI Z49.1, Safety in Welding, Cutting, and Allied ProcessesReport a problem with this question

17. 17. A crew must weld on a bridge repair at a site with no utility power available. Which type of power source is chosen, and why?

    • A.A transformer-rectifier, because its output can run from a battery bank.
    • B.A transformer welder, because it steps site voltage down without rectifying.
    • C.An engine-driven welder, because it makes its own welding power on site.✓ Answer
    • D.An inverter welder, because its high frequency circuit needs no input power.

    An engine-driven generator or alternator carries its own prime mover, so it produces welding output wherever fuel can be delivered and is the standard field machine for pipeline, structural and repair work. Transformers, transformer-rectifiers and inverters all convert incoming utility power and cannot run without a supply.

    Source: AWS Welding Handbook, Volume 2, Welding Processes—Part 1Report a problem with this question

18. 18. How is the travel angle measured in SMAW, and which way does a drag angle tilt the electrode?

    • A.From vertical across the joint width, held square between the two members.
    • B.From the line of travel to the weld axis, tilted ahead of the molten pool.
    • C.From the plate surface across the joint, tilted ahead toward the cold metal.
    • D.From vertical along the line of travel, tilted back toward the finished weld.✓ Answer

    Travel angle is measured from a line perpendicular to the weld axis, in the plane containing the direction of travel, while work angle is measured from the plate surfaces across the joint. A drag or backhand angle points the electrode back over the completed weld, which keeps the fluid slag trailing behind the pool instead of running ahead and being trapped.

    Source: AWS A3.0, Standard Welding Terms and DefinitionsReport a problem with this question

19. 19. A welder moves from a flat groove weld to the same joint welded vertical up. What should change about heat input and technique?

    • A.Raise the current and run a wide fast weave so the pool freezes in place.
    • B.Lower the current and run stringers or a tight weave to hold the pool.✓ Answer
    • C.Raise the current and switch to DCEN so the heat stays in the base metal.
    • D.Keep the current the same and travel faster, since gravity thins the bead.

    Out of position the weld pool is held only by surface tension and by the shelf of already solidified metal, so the current is reduced from the flat setting to keep the pool small enough to freeze before it sags. Stringers or a weave of limited width, typically no more than about two and a half to three electrode diameters, keep the deposit under control; overhead work needs the same reductions.

    Source: AWS EG2.0, Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level I—Entry WelderReport a problem with this question

20. 20. The electrode burns out partway along a bead and the welder must restart. What is the correct restart into the crater?

    • A.Strike ahead of the crater, move back into it, fill it, then travel on.✓ Answer
    • B.Strike behind the crater on cold plate and travel forward over the slag.
    • C.Strike well ahead of the crater and leave the crater open for grinding.
    • D.Strike in the deepest part of the crater and travel on without pausing.

    Striking ahead of the crater puts the unavoidable arc-start porosity and any arc strike inside the groove where the next bead will remelt it, and the short back step then reheats the crater so the tie-in fuses fully. Filling the crater before moving on restores full cross section and removes the shrinkage cavity where crater cracks start.

    Source: AWS EG2.0, Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level I—Entry WelderReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the AWS SENSE Level I (Entry Welder) written modules, ANSI Z49.1 safety practice, and AWS A2.4 welding symbols. This bank covers the KNOWLEDGE half of entry-level welding only — the workmanship and welder performance qualification tests are hands-on and cannot be practised here, and this is not preparation for the separate, performance-based AWS Certified Welder credential. AWS, SENSE, and NCCER are marks of their respective organizations; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Work from your program's current materials, and follow the welding procedure and drawings on your own job rather than any number you remember. About AWS SENSE →