Fundamentals of Engineering

Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam Review

This screencast describes what information is available on LearnChemE’s FE and PE Exam Review pages.

About the FE Exam:

The FE exam is a computer-based test. Visit the NCEES FE website or the NCEES YouTube channel for details. An electronic reference booklet of equations and constants is supplied at the beginning of the exam. Register or log in to MyNCEES to download your free copy of the FE Reference Handbook. The 6-hour chemical engineering F.E. exam consists of 110 questions over these topic areas: mathematics; probability and statistics; engineering sciences; materials science; chemistry and biology; fluid mechanics/dynamics; thermodynamics; material/energy balances; heat transfer; mass transfer and separation; solids handling; chemical reaction engineering; economics; process design; process control; safety, health and environment; and ethics and professional practice.

Learn Studying Skills:

How to Study: Part 1 – suggestions on how to study based on the psychology literature on learning: part 1 discusses practice testing.
How to Study: Part 2 – suggestions on how to study based on the psychology literature on learning: part 2 discusses distributed practice and interleaved practice.
How to Study: Part 3 – suggestions on how to study based on the psychology literature on learning: part 3 discusses how to improve retention and what approaches to avoid.
How to Study using Screencasts – suggestions on how to study using screencasts based on the psychology literature on learning.
How to Study and Take Exams – PDF discussing study techniques

FE Exam Studying Resources:

FE Exam YouTube playlist

Chemical Engineering Self-Study Modules listed by topic

Screencasts, interactive simulations, and self-study modules listed by exam topic:

Click on any of the exam topics below to view the relevant information.

Mathematics (6-9 questions)

Differential equations

Algebra

Accuracy, precision, and significant figures

Probability and statistics (4-6 questions)

Probability distributions

Hypothesis testing and design of experiments

Measures of central tendencies and dispersions

Regression and curve fitting

Engineering sciences (4-6 questions)

Work, energy, and power

Materials science (4-6 questions)

Chemical, electrical, mechanical, and physical properties

Chemistry and Biology (7-11 questions)

Organic chemistry

Biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology

Bioprocessing

Fluid mechanics/dynamics (8-12 questions)

Fluid properties

Dimensionless numbers

Mechanical energy balance

Bernoulli equation

Laminar and turbulent flow

Flow measurement

Pumps, turbines, and compressors

Compressible flow and non-newtonian fluids

Thermodynamics (8-12 questions)

Thermodynamic laws

Thermodynamic processes

Cyclic processes and efficiency

Chemical equilibrium

Heats of reaction and mixing

Material/energy balances (10-15 questions)

Steady-state mass balance

Unsteady-state mass balance

Steady-state energy balance

Unsteady-state energy balance

Recycle/bypass processes

Reactive systems

Heat transfer (8-12 questions)

Conductive heat transfer

Convective heat transfer

Radiation heat transfer

Heat transfer coefficients

Heat transfer equipment, operation, and design

Mass transfer and separation (8-12 questions)

Molecular diffusion

Convective mass transfer

Separation systems

Equilibrium stage methods

Humidification, drying, and evaporation

Chemical reaction engineering (7-11 questions)

Reaction rates and order

Rate constant

Conversion, yield, and selectivity

Type of reactions

Reactor types

Catalysis

Economics (4-6 questions)

Time vale of money

Economic analyses

Project selection

Process design (7-11 questions)

Process flow diagrams and piping and instrumentation diagrams

Equipment and facilities cost estimation

Process design and optimization

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