ASVAB · Materials and Shop Safety

What is plywood?

Correct answer

An engineered wood made of thin layers (plies) of wood glued together, usually with grains alternating for strength

  1. A A type of metal
  2. B A plastic sheet
  3. C An engineered wood made of thin layers (plies) of wood glued together, usually with grains alternating for strength
  4. D A solid piece of natural wood

Why this is the answer

PLYWOOD is an ENGINEERED WOOD made of thin layers ('plies' or veneers) of wood GLUED together, with the grain of each layer usually ALTERNATING (perpendicular) to the next for strength and resistance to warping/splitting. ASVAB Shop Information tests materials. The cross-grain layering makes plywood strong in multiple directions and more dimensionally stable than solid wood. Other engineered woods: MDF (medium-density fiberboard), particleboard, OSB. Knowing plywood is layered, glued wood with alternating grain (for strength) is commonly tested.
Source: ASVAB Shop Information — Plywood

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About this topic: Materials and Shop Safety

Materials and shop safety questions cover common materials — hardwood versus softwood, steel versus aluminium, plastics — and the safety practices that go with them: eye protection, guards, ventilation and safe handling of blades and chemicals. This is one of 11 Shop Information questions on materials and shop safety, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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