Engineering Design Process
What’s the first step in the engineering design process?
Identify the problem or need.
In a solar-oven task, name one criterion for success.
Reaches at least 140 °F and melts cheese (nachos).
In the solar oven, sunlight radiation is an input, output, or component?
Input
Discovery of x-rays led to which technology that studies space?
X-ray telescope (science → technology).
Your first solar oven test never reaches 138 °F in 60 minutes. Does it meet the criteria?
No—fails temperature and time criteria.
You’ve brainstormed and selected a solution. What’s the next build-focused step?
Build a prototype.
In a solar-oven task, name one constraint.
Materials ≤ $10, footprint ≤ 24"×24", achieve temp within 60 minutes, use a cardboard box base.
Insulation in the oven is input, output, or component?
Component (control that helps retain energy).
Creation of the x-ray telescope advanced knowledge of what stellar events?
Supernovas (technology → science).
In a solar oven, suggest why adding a clear plastic cover might help the oven meet the temperature requirement.
Reduces convective heat loss while allowing radiation in (greenhouse effect).
Why do teams test a design many times before release?
To improve the overall design by finding strengths/weaknesses and iterating.
A biodegradable egg carton must prevent breakage during shipping. Why must it be tested against constraints?
To verify it meets constraints and improve the design based on results.
Food cooking at the required temperature is input, output, or component?
Output
Using x-ray crystallography helped scientists discover the structure of what molecule?
DNA (technology → science).
In a solar oven, why might covering the outside with silver tape (esp. corners) help?
Reflects/retains energy and seals leaks to reduce losses.
A team creates a small working model of a solar system before scaling up. What’s the purpose?
To test how changes in one part affect other parts of the system.
A design that “looks great” but exceeds cost limits—does it meet the constraints?
No; appearance doesn’t override constraints.
Less sunlight on a solar car affects the system how?
Reduces energy stored/available to the motor (battery charges less).
Knowledge of DNA enabled what forensic tool?
DNA fingerprinting (science → technology).
Given three ball designs scored 0–2 for
“non-toxic,” “inexpensive,” and “highest bounce,”
how do you pick the best overall?
Compare totals across all criteria and choose the highest-scoring design; justify trade-offs.
Put these in order: (A) Conduct research, (B) Test & evaluate, (C) Build a prototype, (D) Brainstorm solutions.
A (conduct research) → D (brainstorm solutions) → C (build a prototype) → B (test& evaluate).
A class oven hits 140 °F at 65 minutes. Which requirement isn’t met?
The time constraint (≤ 60 minutes).
Order the vehicle-pollution sequence from first to last: mine/drill; transport; refine; burn gasoline; emissions released; acid rain forms.
Mine/Drill → Transport → Refine → Burn gasoline → Emissions released → Acid rain forms.
Increased DNA knowledge led to what crop-related technology?
Gene splicing to produce new crops (science → technology).
In a terrarium water-cycle model, identify the energy source and one improvement to model biotic–abiotic interactions.
Energy: the Sun
Improvement: add decomposers/soil microbes or additional abiotic factors (e.g., rocks/minerals) to show cycling.