Liquid Penetrant Testing Level 1 (PT-1) Practice Exam

Which condition will affect the rate and the extent a liquid penetrant will enter cracks and fissures?

1. Environmental temperature

2. Surface condition of the specimen

3. Type of penetrant used

4. Amount of penetrant applied

The correct answer is: Surface condition of the specimen

The surface condition of the specimen is critical in determining how effectively a liquid penetrant will enter cracks and fissures. Factors such as roughness, cleanliness, and smoothness can significantly influence the penetrant's ability to spread and seep into defects. A rough or contaminated surface can hinder the penetrant's access to openings, while a clean and appropriately finished surface allows for better penetrant absorption. Environmental temperature can also impact the penetrant's viscosity and surface tension, but it primarily alters the properties of the penetrant itself rather than the interaction between the penetrant and the surface features of the specimen. The type of penetrant used is important, but it is the interaction with the surface that ultimately governs infiltration. Although the amount of penetrant applied matters to some extent, it is less about quantity and more about how conducive the surface condition is for effective penetration into the defects that matters most in this context.