Mechanical Engineering
What is a simple machine and give me 3 examples of one.
What is a lever, pulley, inclined plane, wheel and axle, wedge, and screw.
What is the purpose of foundation in a building?
What is stability provided by transferring the load of the structure to the ground.
What is the purpose of a circuit breaker?
What is a protective device that automatically interrupts the flow of electricity in a circuit when an overcurrent or short circuit occurs. Circuit breakers protect electrical systems and prevent damage to equipment and reduce the risk of fires.
What's the role of a catalyst in a chemical process?
What is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. Lower required activation energy.
What is a satellite? *Bonus* How does it remain in orbit?
What is an object placed into orbit around the Earth or another celestial body.
Remains in orbit due to the balance between centripetal force and inertia.
What's Newton's second law of motion?
What is the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration.
What are 3 of the 5 main branches of civil engineering?
What are Structural, Geotechnical, Transportation, Environmental, and Water Resource Engineering.
What is a transformer and what is its function?
What is an electrical device that transfers electrical energy between two or more circuits through electromagnetic induction.
What's the difference between a homogeneous and heterogeneous reaction?
What is
Homogeneous- Occur in a single phase
Heterogeneous- Involve more than one phase.
What is a rocket and how does it work?
What is a vehicle designed to propel itself by expelling exhaust gases at high speed from a rocket engine.
What are the differences between AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current) motors?
AC motors are powered by alternating current, which changes direction periodically. They're used in applications where speed needs to be easily controlled.
DC motors are powered by direct current, which flows in one direction. They're typically used in applications requiring precise speed control.
What are 3 of the 5 key properties of concrete?
What are Compressive Strength, Tensile Weakness, Durability, Workability, and Curing.
What's the purpose of grounding?
What is providing a safe path for electrical current to return to the ground in the event of a fault, such as a short circuit.
Name 3 examples of a separation process.
What are distillation, filtration, crystallization, extraction, & membrane separation.
What are 2 of the 4 main forces acting on an aircraft during flight?
What are lift, weight, thrust, and drag.
What is a gear ratio?
What is the ratio between the number of teeth on two meshing gears. It determines the speed and torque output of a gear system.
What's the difference between tensile and compressive strength?
What is
Tensile- The maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched or pulled before breaking.
Compressive- The maximum stress that a material can withstand while being compressed before it crushes or fails.
What is Ohm's Law?
What is law stating that current flowing through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points and inversely proportional to the resistance.
What are the 3 methods of heat transfer?
What is conduction, convection, & radiation.
What is the difference aerodynamics and propulsion?
What is
Aerodynamics- Study of the behavior of air as it flows around an object. Deals with lift, drag, and other forces.
Propulsion- The mechanisms used to move an object through the air or space. Provide thrust necessary for flight.
What's the difference between force and torque?
Force is a push or pull that causes an object to move or change its motion (measured in Newtons N).
Torque is the measure of the rotational force applied to an object around an axis (measured in newton-meters Nm).
What is a culvert and why is it used?
What is a tunnel or pipe that allows water to pass under a road, railway, or embankment. They're essential for managing stormwater and preventing flooding or erosion in transportation infrastructure.
What's the difference between a synchronous and asynchronous motor?
What is
Synchronous- Rotates at a speed that is synchronized with the frequency of the supply current.
Asynchronous (Induction Motor)- Operates at a speed lower than the supply frequency.
What is fluid dynamics and how is it applied in chemical engineering?
What is the study of how fluids (liquids and gases) move. It helps optimize flow rates, minimize energy consumption, and predict pressure drops in systems.
What's the difference between a jet engine and a rocket engine?
What is
Jet engine- Draws in air, mixes it with fuel, ignites the mixture, and expels the exhaust gases to generate thrust.
Rocket engine- Carries both fuel and an oxidizer, making it capable of operating in space where there is no air.