________ bearings are a type of rolling-element bearing used when the shaft is loaded in a radial direction with little axial loading.

• A. Radial
• B. Thrust
• C. Angular contact
• D. Needle

Answer: (A)

Radial bearings are designed to support loads directed perpendicular to the shaft, i.e., radial loads, while resisting only small axial forces. When the shaft experiences mainly radial loading with little along-axis (axial) load, this type of bearing is the most suitable because its geometry is optimized for transmitting those sideways forces and it offers low resistance to axial movement. Thrust bearings specifically carry axial loads along the shaft, so they wouldn’t fit a scenario with minimal axial loading. Angular contact bearings can handle a combination of radial and axial loads, which isn’t necessary here if the axial component is small. Needle bearings are a form of radial bearing with slender rollers for high radial loads in tight spaces, but they’re still used for radial loads rather than to accommodate significant axial loads. Therefore, the best match is radial bearings.