erospace engineering
What is the invisible force pulling everything down toward the ground?
WHAT is gravity?
Named after a famous Scottish inventor, this is the standard unit of measurement used to show how much electrical power an appliance consumes.
What is a watt?
This classic, semi-circular bridge design works by pushing weight outward against the structural walls on either side.
What is an arch bridge?
This chemical element is commonly added to city drinking water pools to kill dangerous bacteria and keep the water safe to drink.
What is chlorine?
This elastic coiled wire can stretch or compress to absorb shocks, store energy, or push parts back into place.
What is a spring?
This forward-pushing force is created by an airplane's propellers or jet engines.
What is thrust?
This basic term refers to the electrical pressure or "push" that forces charges to move through a circuit, usually provided by a battery.
What is voltage.
This type of force refers to the stretching or pulling apart of a structural material, which steel cables are excellent at resisting.
What is tension?
This is the main force of nature that water engineers rely on to pull water downhill through city pipes and aqueducts without needing electric pumps.
What is gravity?
This type of joint or hinge allows a robotic arm or car wheel to tilt and rotate in multiple directions at the same time, behaving like a human shoulder.
What is a ball and socket joint?
Aerospace engineers rely heavily on this geometric shape for building structural frames because it cannot deform without changing its side lengths.
What is a triangle?
This 3-letter acronym refers to a special type of tiny light bulb that is incredibly energy-efficient and used in modern TVs, flashlights, and holiday lights.
What is an LED? (LIght Emitting Diode)
Because concrete is weak when pulled apart, engineers add long steel mesh or rods inside it to create this stronger, combined material.
What us reinforced concrete?
These are the grated metal openings seen on city street corners that swallow up rainwater to prevent roads from turning into rivers.
What are storm drains?
This high-pressure wave is created in front of an aircraft or spacecraft the exact moment it breaks the sound barrier.
What is a SHOCKWAVE?
This type of material, usually made from silicon, is neither a perfect conductor nor a perfect insulator, making it the perfect building block for computer chips.
What is a semiconductor?
This type of physical force refers to the squeezing, crushing, or pressing down on a material, which stone and concrete are naturally great at handling.
This term describes the entire geographic area of land where all the rain that falls drains into the exact same local river or lake.
What is a watershed?
This specialized instrument uses a spinning wheel or optical lasers to measure an aircraft's orientation and keep it stable.
WHAT is a gyroscope.
These mathematical components—like AND, OR, and NOT—are the basic building blocks of computer chips that make decisions based on electrical inputs.
What are logic gates?
This is the heavy, rigid retaining wall built at the very end of a bridge to support the dirt bank and keep the bridge connected to the road.
What is an abutment?
Plumbers use this specific 2-word chemical measurement scale to check if a pool or drinking water source is too acidic or too basic.
What is the pH scale?