Engineering Design Process
What is the first step of the engineering design process?
Define/identify the problem.
A requirement that a successful design should meet is called what?
A criterion.
What do we call a group of interacting components that work together as a whole?
A system.
What type of model is an engineer using when they build a smaller-scale version of a bridge?
A physical model
What are the three common states of matter? Bonus points if you list all four!
Solid, liquid, and gas (and plasma)
Engineers have several possible solutions to a problem. What should they do before deciding which solution is best?
Compare/evaluate the solutions based on the criteria and constraints.
A new phone case must cost less than $10 to manufacture. The $10 limit is an example of what?
A constraint.
Why is it important to study the interactions between different parts of a system?
Because changing one part can affect other parts/the parts are interrelated.
What type of model is especially useful for running simulations and observing what happens when variables change?
A computer model.
Which subatomic particle has a negative charge?
Electron
An engineer tests a prototype and discovers that it does not meet one of the design requirements. What should the engineer do next?
Modify/improve the design and test it again.
A company chooses a stronger material for a bicycle helmet even though it makes the helmet more expensive. What type of engineering decision is this?
A tradeoff.
What type of system can exchange both matter and energy with its surroundings?
An open system.
What does it mean to optimize an engineering solution?
To improve the solution so it best meets the desired criteria while staying within its constraints.
A student measures an object to have a mass of 50 g and a volume of 10 mL. What is its density?
5 g/mL
Why do engineers often test multiple versions of a design instead of stopping after the first successful prototype?
To optimize the solution/find the design that best meets the criteria and constraints.
Students are designing a solar-powered oven. It must reach at least 80°C, weigh less than 5 kg, and cost no more than $40. Give one criterion and one constraint.
Criterion: reaching at least 80°C. Constraint: weighing less than 5 kg OR costing no more than $40.
What is the key difference between a closed system and an isolated system?
A closed system can exchange energy but not matter; an isolated system exchanges neither matter nor energy
Why might scientists study the same system at several different scales?
Different scales can reveal different interactions, patterns, or information about the system.
Is melting ice a physical change or a chemical change?
Physical
A company develops a new reusable water bottle. Testing shows that it leaks when dropped. What part of the engineering design process would help address this problem?
Redesigning/improving the solution based on test results.
Engineers can make a bridge stronger by adding more steel, but doing so increases its cost and weight. Why might they choose not to make the bridge as strong as physically possible?
They must balance competing criteria and constraints/make tradeoffs.
A sealed bottle of water can absorb heat from the room, but no water can enter or leave the bottle. What type of system does this represent?
A closed system
Engineers want to improve insulation that keeps a cooler cold. Their first design uses a 1-cm-thick insulating layer. Testing shows too much heat enters the cooler. Give one reasonable way they could optimize the design.
Increase/change the insulation, such as using a thicker layer or a better insulating material.
A student repeats an experiment three times and gets nearly the same result each time, but the results are far from the accepted value. Are the results precise, accurate, both, or neither?
Precise but not accurate.