Final answer:
A vacuum pump evacuates air to create a partial vacuum, with an O-ring ensuring a tight seal. Upon vacuum pump failure, indications such as loss of pressure, strange noises, or overheating would occur.
Step-by-step explanation:
A vacuum pump is commonly used to remove air and other gases from a space, creating a partial vacuum. The role of an O-ring in a vacuum pump system is to ensure a tight seal, preventing air from re-entering the space that's being evacuated. When the vacuum pump is turned on, it begins to remove air from the connected system, which can result in lower temperatures due to the reduced pressure, an example of which is boiling water at a temperature lower than its usual boiling point under atmospheric pressure.
In the event of a vacuum pump failure, certain indications would occur including a loss of vacuum pressure, inability to achieve a stable vacuum, strange noises emanating from the pump, overheating of the pump, or a failure to start. Any of these signs could indicate a malfunctioning pump, potentially due to issues with internal components like the O-ring or a motor failure.