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Engineers Do That???
100
What the 'S' in STEM stands for.
What is science?
FACT: Science is 1) knowledge about the natural world that is based on facts learned through experiments and observation; 2) an area of study that deals with the natural world such as biology or physics; and 3) a subject that is formally studied such as the science of linguistics.
100
What the 'T' in STEM stands for.
What is Technology?
FACT: Technology is the use of knowledge to invent new devices or tools. Throughout history, technology has made people's lives easier.
For example, the invention of the printing press made it possible for information to be more readily shared. The invention of the steam engine allowed industry to develop more rapidly.
100
What the 'E' in STEM stands for.
What is Engineering?
FACT: Engineers solve problems using science and math, harnessing the forces and materials in nature. They find ways to make dreams a reality by drawing on their skills which include creativity, curiosity, organization and logic, and clear and concise problem formulation.
100
What the 'M' in STEM stands for.
What is Math?
FACT: The Sumerians in southern Mesopotamia, which is part of modern-day Iraq, developed the first school of mathematics in about 3000 BCE (Before the Christian Era). Did you know math became an organized science about 2500 BCE thanks to the ancient Greeks? People understood geometry and algebra by about 2000 BCE.
100
A project is being constructed to help improve the public health of a village in Ecuador where people do not have access to this essential part of daily living.
What is water or (water supply, clean water) project?
FACT: Did you know that nearly 30% of the people on earth do not have access to clean, safe drinking water? As mentioned in M for 500, EWB Portland Maine has worked on 12 water supply projects in various countries including Ghana, India, Ethiopia, and Ecuador, as well as in Central America.
200
A science class you would take to study living things.
What is Biology?
FACT: Biology recognizes the cell as the basic unit of life, genes as the basic unit of heredity, and evolution as the engine that propels the creation and extinction of species.
200
This is the worldwide computer network.
What is the Internet?
FACT: The Internet has changed business, education, government, healthcare, and even the ways in which we interact with our loved ones—it has become one of the key drivers of social evolution. The changes in social communication are of particular significance.
200
I design grading, drainage, and pavement for roadways.
What is a Civil Engineer?
FACT: There are several areas of study within civil engineering, including geotechnical, architectural, structural, construction, forensic, environmental, coastal, and offshore engineering.
200
3.1415926535
What is Pi?
FACT: Pi is the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet, and is used to represent the most widely known mathematical constant. By definition, pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. In other words, pi equals the circumference divided by the diameter (π = c/d).
EXTRA CREDIT: What day did pi day occur this year?
Answer: 3.14.2023
200
In developing countries, these are often installed so that village residents have toilets.
What are Latrines?
FACT: EWB Portland Maine installed composting latrines as part of their Ethiopia school project. The composting latrines are designed so that liquid and solid waste are collected in barrels below the latrine. The waste is broken down over time and forms compost that can safely be used as fertilizer.
300
A science class you would take to learn about forces and motion.
What is Physics?
FACT: Physics is the description of our world in mathematical language.
A famous physics equation is Einstein's Theory of Relativity: e=mc2, where e=kinetic energy, m=mass, and c=speed of light.
300
This Microsoft software program uses spreadsheets to organize numbers and data with formulas and functions.
What is Excel?
FACT: Excel is a handy software that can be used to store and organize data. Its features and formulas allow you to use make sense of your data. For example, you could use a spreadsheet to track your monthly costs and automatically see totals and averages.
300
I make sure bridges and buildings don't collapse.
What is a Structural Engineer? or What is a Geotechnical Engineer?
FACT: Structural engineers design the constructed world around us including bridges, tunnels, buildings, and power plants; they ensure the technical details in architects’ plans will work in practice. Geotechnical engineers design the foundations for those structures.
300
Collecting rainwater from a roof is a great way to get water. This is the area for a school roof that is 20 ft x 50 ft.
What is 1000 Square Feet? or What is 1000 SF?
FACT: The increasing water demand globally has resulted in the search for alternatives for water supply. Globally, harvesting of rainwater, particularly from roofs, is classified as one of the best methods to address water scarcity situations for human use.
300
These are installed so that village residents can safely travel across rivers to get to schools, medical clinics, etc.
What are Bridges?
FACT: EWB Portland Maine provided design assistance on a bridge that was transported in pieces from Massachusetts to Haiti, where it was reassembled and installed along a river.
400
Na, K, and Ar are all found in this scientific chart.
What is the Periodic Table? or What is the Periodic Table of Elements?
FACT: The periodic table (also known as the periodic table of elements) is organized so scientists can quickly discern the properties of individual elements such as their mass, electron number, electron configuration, and their unique chemical properties. Metals reside on the left side of the table, while non-metals reside on the right.
400
This piece of technology is portable and uses radio frequency to send and transmit calls and text messages.
What is a cell phone?
FACTS: The first hand-held portable cell phone call was made on April 3, 1973 by Martin Cooper. He called his rival at Bell Labs, Joel Engel, on it to brag about his invention. The phrase cell phone came about based on how areas received cellular service - they were broken up into cells. People send lots of text messages - in 2020, it's estimated that 2.1 trillion text messages were sent!
400
I design fireworks.
What is a Chemical Engineer?
FACT: 4th of July fireworks are made possible by chemical engineers. Fireworks are the result of chemical reactions involving a few key components -- like a fuel source (often charcoal-based black powder), an oxidizer (compounds like nitrates, chlorates that produce oxygen) and a color-producing chemical mixture. The oxidizer breaks down the chemical bonds in the fuel, releasing energy...and KABOOM!
400
A pipeline will be installed from a pump at a pond 1,040 feet to a tank in the center of a village. Each pipe length is 20 feet. How many lengths of pipe are needed.
What is 52?
FACTS: 1,040/20 = 52. EWB Portland Maine has worked on 12 water supply projects in various countries including Ghana, India, Ethiopia, and Ecuador, as well as in Central America.
400
This is the collection and storage of rainwater for human use.
What is Rainwater Harvesting?
FACT: EWB Portland Maine installed a rainwater harvesting system in Dorgobom, Ghana. The system includes pipes which collect rainwater from the roof of the community school and flow by gravity to large tanks which provide potable (drinkable) water for residents during the non-rainy season.
500
These scientists study outer space.
What are Astronauts?
FACT: Did you know two NASA astronauts are from Maine and were in space together on a mission in April 2020? They are Chris Cassidy (York, ME) and Jessica Meir (Caribou, ME).
500
This area of computer science is moving toward the ability to acquire and apply knowledge.
What is AI? or What is Artificial Intelligence?
FACT: Generally speaking, artificial intelligence is an umbrella term used for a branch of computer science. It stands for the ability to acquire and apply knowledge, and perform naturally like a human; examples are planning, problem solving, and reasoning.
An example of using AI is ChatGPT, a natural language processing tool that uses AI to allow human-like conversations and more with a chatbot. The language model can answer questions and assist with tasks such as composing emails, essays, and code.
500
I design BMWs and roller coasters.
What is a Mechanical Engineer?
FACT: Mechanical engineers design power-producing machines, such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines, as well as power-using machines, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Mechanical engineers design other machines inside buildings, such as elevators and escalators.
500
There are 2 tanks which will hold water to be pumped from a pond.
This equation 2 x (Pi R2 x H) yields information about the amount of storage between the 2 tanks.
What is Volume?
FACTS: PiR2 is the area of the bottom of each tank and H is the height. The need for water tanks is as old as civilization. Tanks were used to provide storage of water for use in many applications, drinking water, irrigation agriculture, fire suppression, agricultural farming, both for plants and livestock, chemical manufacturing, food preparation as well as many other uses. Various materials are used for making a water tank including: plastics, fiberglass, concrete, stone, and steel.
500
This is a person with a college degree in engineering.
What is an engineer?
FACT: The word engineer is derived from the Latin root ingenium, meaning "cleverness". Engineers design materials, structures, machines, and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, safety, and cost. Much of the work is applied science, often using information supplied by scientists.