PT Level II practice: review by topic

3 sample questions with answers

These are original practice questions written to the four PT topics below. They are not ASNT exam items. Cover the answer, pick one, then read why.

1. Review PT principles

A machined part is shot-peened or sanded before penetrant testing, and the procedure warns against it. What is the concern?

• A. Abrasive work makes the part too clean
• B. It can smear metal over surface openings, so penetrant cannot enter a real discontinuity
• C. It leaves the part magnetized
• D. It changes the color of the penetrant

Answer: B. Penetrant works only if it can reach an opening at the surface. Peening, blasting and sanding can close the mouth of a tight crack, so a real discontinuity may give no indication. Cleaning methods that remove material, such as etching, are used for that reason where the procedure calls for it. Option A is not a problem: a clean surface is the goal. Option C belongs to MT. Option D has no basis.

2. Inspection procedures and standards

A part was examined and repaired by grinding. Before it is examined again, the procedure calls for a full cleaning rather than just re-applying penetrant. Why?

• A. Old penetrant and developer residue can fill or cover openings and give a false clear result
• B. The first examination used up the penetrant's sensitivity in the part
• C. Developer cannot be applied twice
• D. The cleaning step is only for the paperwork

Answer: A. Residue from the first pass can stay in a discontinuity or sit over it, which blocks fresh penetrant and can hide a real indication. The same residue can also give a misleading background. Option B has no basis. Option C is wrong: developer is simply a layer. Option D confuses a process control with a record.

3. Inspection and evaluation of indications

Which entries make an examination record useful to a second qualified person reviewing it later?

• A. Only the words "accepted" or "rejected"
• B. The part, the procedure and materials used, where each indication was and what it looked like, and the decision with the document that supplied it
• C. A photo with no location
• D. The inspector's overall impression

Answer: B. A record should let someone else follow the examination without you: what was tested, how, what was seen and where, and the decision with the document behind it. A bare result (A) cannot be checked. A photo with no location (C) cannot be tied to the part. An impression (D) is not evidence.

Organize practice under the four published headings

The PT General outline lists four topic headings, and ASNT publishes no percentage weights for them. Our course expands them into five modules, giving indication interpretation and records their own focused treatment, so you cover every heading in depth. The number of modules is a course design choice, not an exam weighting.

For the exam format and a method-selection walkthrough, use the PT Level II exam guide. The free General check is not a replacement for sector-specific or employer practical assessment.

Use an error log with a reason column

Write down the topic and the reason you chose your answer before opening the explanation. When you review, compare that reason with the explanation rather than recording only the correct option.

1. Identify the assumption that changed: surface condition, process order, method, viewing condition, indication class or document.
2. Review the relevant lesson, then explain the corrected decision in your own words.
3. Write one condition that would change the decision. For example, ask whether a different part surface would affect method choice, without inventing a new acceptance rule.
4. Return to practice after reviewing the topic. Keep the original mistake in the log so repeated errors stay visible.

For a second round of practice, the penetrant testing quiz gives you 18 PT Level 2 questions with explained answers and a score under the same four topics. To see how PT practice compares with the other methods, read free UT, MT and PT practice.

The goal is to explain the process without the answer choices in front of you. A higher score from remembering a repeated item gives less information about what you can apply to a different situation.

Treat interpretation and acceptance as separate steps

An indication description and an accept-or-reject decision answer different questions. In study notes, first record what is observed and whether the process conditions support interpretation. Then identify the document that supplies acceptance criteria. A remembered size limit from another procedure is not a substitute for that document.

Use the PT process-control and indication workflow when your mistakes involve heavy background, uncertain observations or an evaluation made before checking the process. That guide complements the method-choice material rather than repeating it.

Read the free result as a starting point

The check is untimed, needs no signup and explains each answer. Its ten questions help select a study topic; they do not cover every possible task or establish practical competence. A result is not a forecast of your exam outcome. Combine it with your error log and a review of all four topic areas.

Keep examination preparation separate from eligibility and certification. The requirements guide, ASNT versus employer certification guide and exam-day guide cover those next steps.

Practice questions by topic

The free 10-question check scores you by topic. Use the list below to pick what to drill next, under ASNT's four published PT General headings, then work process order and indication drills on the topics you missed.

• Review PT principles: question 1 above, the public PT sample and the capillary action guide. The penetrant testing quiz has a group on principles.
• Selection of the appropriate PT method: the quiz group on penetrant type and removal method, the removal methods guide and the visible vs fluorescent guide.
• Inspection and evaluation of indications: question 3 above and the process-control and indication workflow. The quiz has drawn indications to classify.
• Inspection procedures and standards: question 2 above, the developer types guide and the dwell time guide.

Free vs paid PT practice

The free check, the sample lesson, the 18-question quiz and the questions above are free and need no card. The full course adds timed practice exams, a lesson for each published topic and a study plan built from your exam date. Start with the free tools, and move to the course when your error log shows the same topics coming back.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a free PT Level 2 practice test? On this page, which has 3 original sample questions with explained answers, and in the free 10-question check and the 18-question quiz. None needs a signup.

Are these ASNT exam questions? No. They are original practice written to ASNT's published topics.

How many questions is the free PT check? Ten, untimed, with an explanation for each answer and a score by topic. It is a sample, not a prediction of your exam result.

Should I memorize dwell times and light levels? Use your own written procedure for values. Practice should train you to explain why a step is needed and what changes if it is skipped.

Sources

Show the list

This routine follows Angle Beam's PT modules on principles, method selection, interpretation, sizing and records, and procedures and process control. Outline checked 19 October 2026.

• ASNT NDT Level II examinations, published PT topics and formats.
• ASNT NDT Level II program, certification program requirements.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by ASNT.