Which of the following bearing assemblies can handle a larger load?

• A. Sleeve bearings
• B. Ball bearings
• C. Bronze bearings
• D. None of the above.

Answer: (B)

Ball bearings handle larger loads because they use rolling elements between the inner and outer races. That rolling contact distributes the load across many balls or rollers, which lowers the contact stress and increases the bearing’s load-carrying capacity for a given size. In contrast, sleeve bearings and bronze bearings are plain bearings with sliding contact; they rely on lubrication to reduce friction, but friction and wear rise with load, so for the same dimensions a plain bearing generally can't carry as much load as a ball bearing. Bronze is a solid-bearing material used in sliding applications, which means it doesn’t distribute load the way rolling elements do. So, the option with rolling elements is best for handling larger loads.