Identify common hydraulic/pneumatic schematic symbols for a pump, actuator, and check valve.

• A. Pump symbol shows flow path from reservoir to actuator; actuator symbol shows piston and rod; check valve shows a ball or poppet with a direction arrow restricting flow
• B. Pump symbol shows arrows inside a circle; actuator symbol shows a valve; check valve shows a ball and spring
• C. Pump symbol shows a reservoir; actuator symbol shows a rotor; check valve shows a diagonal line
• D. Pump symbol shows a simple square; actuator symbol shows nothing; check valve shows a triangle

Answer: (A)

In hydraulic and pneumatic diagrams, the most recognizable elements are the energy source, the actuator that converts fluid power into motion, and the one-way control that protects or directs flow. A pump is depicted as the source that pushes fluid from a reservoir toward the actuator, signaling the direction and availability of flow. The actuator is typically shown as a cylinder with a piston and rod, illustrating linear motion driven by the pressurized fluid. A check valve is a one-way device that often uses a ball or poppet against a seat, sometimes with a spring, and it includes a direction cue showing that flow is allowed in only one direction.

This combination matches how these components are normally represented: flow from reservoir to actuator for the pump, a piston-and-rod symbol for the actuator, and a ball/poppet (often with a spring) for the check valve, indicating one-way flow. Other options mix in symbols that aren’t standard for these parts—like depicting the pump with arrows inside a circle (more typical of other symbols or confusing the pump with a motor), or showing the actuator as a valve or a rotor, or using nonstandard check-valve graphics—so they don’t align with common schematic conventions.