Engineering Design
Identify the first step of the engineering design process.
Define the problem
The force that resists motion between two surfaces in contact.
Friction
Property describing a material’s ability to resist deformation.
Strength
Device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Generator
Type of graph best used to show the frequency of data values.
Histogram
Document used to explain constraints, criteria, and the problem.
Design brief
Equation used to calculate work.
Work = Force × Distance
Difference between ductile and brittle materials.
Ductile materials deform plastically; brittle materials fracture suddenly
Unit of electrical power.
Watt (W)
The average of a data set.
Mean
How trade‑offs influence design decisions.
Trade‑offs balance performance, cost, safety, and constraints
Moment created by a force acting at a distance.
Torque
Why alloys are often stronger than pure metals.
Alloys disrupt crystal structures and prevent dislocation motion
Law stating energy cannot be created or destroyed.
Law of Conservation of Energy
Type of control system that uses feedback.
Closed‑loop system
Purpose of a decision matrix.
Objectively compares solutions using weighted criteria
Free‑body diagram purpose.
Shows all forces acting on an object
Test used to determine material hardness.
Rockwell or Brinell hardness test
Difference between series and parallel circuits.
Series shares voltage; parallel shares current
Sensor used to measure rotation or angular position.
Potentiometer or rotary encoder
How optimization differs from iteration.
Optimization selects the best possible solution; iteration improves versions over time
Calculate mechanical advantage of a pulley system.
MA = Output force ÷ Input force
How heat treatment affects material properties.
Alters grain structure to improve hardness, strength, or toughness
Calculate efficiency of a system.
Efficiency = (Useful output ÷ Input) × 100%
Why standard deviation is important in engineering analysis.
It measures variability, helping assess reliability and consistency