Science and Engineering Academy

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What does engineering mean to you and how does it affect your life?

          Engineering is defined as the use of mathematics, science, and technology to create products and systems that improve the world. But to me, it's so much more than a simple sentence of mere words. Engineering is about solving problems creatively. Engineering is practically anything and everything. It's a way to leave a mark on this world. Whether it being a better designed but already invented contraption, or something completely new and innovative, people will remember you, or at the very least use something you made everyday. That's what engineering means to me.

          Engineering affects my everyday life, because it makes my life what it is. The desks I sit in at school, the cars I sit in to go places, the house I live in, the bed I sleep in, and many others were all designed through engineering. Someone had to sit down and think about what would make everyone's life better. All those engineers have made us live the way we do. We can travel to wherever we want, using a bridge, or a plane, a boat, or any other sorts of means of transport are all designed by engineers. Engineering has affected my everyday life, for the better, by being almost every part of the map. 

           All in all, engineering is much more than we realize. When someone says engineering, many people think computer engineering, electrical engineering, or green engineering. However, what many do not realize is that engineering is all around us. Everything has been designed for the better by an engineer. If it weren't for engineering, there would be no technology advances, and we'd be living like animals in the jungle or plains. 

Chapter 1 Questions

Why do humans design?

Humans design in order to improve their daily life by solving problems, and helping them adapt.

Who are design professionals and how do they contribute to society?

Design professionals are those who work on designing items, including professions like engineering, architecture, and graphic designer. They contribute to society by bringing new products into the market, and they are responsible for everything you have.

How did the Industrial Revolution shape the world as we know it?

The Industrial Revolution shifted the world to lean more towards designing nonagricultural products. This involved cities to become much more popular and thus made the world the way it is today.

How were the early engineering societies established?

They were established due to engineering becoming much more popular, and machine tools and interchangeable parts were in massive demand.

Why did engineering societies develop standards?

Standards were used to set everything the same no matter where you are in the world, because it became quite a problem when not everyone was using the same thing and you had to hunt for the parts you were looking for. 

What are the greatest engineering achievements of the twentieth century?

The greatest achievements were mainly based around electricity, with things like the internet, computers, and of course, electricity, itself.

What are the modern engineering professions?

Modern engineering professions include civil, mechanical, industrial, electrical, and computer engineering.

What is the relationship between science and technology?

In a sense, technology was achieved due to science, however they took a different approach to the world than scientists. Many scientists' questions are why, while those who work with technology such as engineers, ask how does this work and how can I make it better? 

How does technological design impact the world?

Technological design has mainly been benefiting the world by making everyday life easier, however each design has come with a downside.

What is an ethical design dilemma?

An ethical design dilemma is when designers have to worry about what they're creating because what they make shapes the whole world. 

Chapter 15 Questions

What is human factors (ergonomics)?

Ergonomics is the application of the knowledge about human physical characteristics, behavior, and abilities to design products, systems, or environments, for safety and effective use. 

Why is it necessary to understand human factors to be a successful designer/engineer?

It is necessary to understand human factors to be a successful designer or engineer, because it allows you to pick a specific audience to target as well as advertise, and keeps it safe and efficient for the intended user.

How is anthropometric data used during the design process?

Anthropometric data is used during the design process, for accurate measurements to make the product comfortable, efficient, and safe for the intended user. 

How are principles of human physical characteristics, behavior, and abilities applied during the design process?

The principles of human physical characteristics, behavior, and abilities are applied during the design process in order to keep the product safe, so that no part of the body is kept at an awkward position that can leave injuries, and allows them to understand what feels natural to keep the product comfortable. 

How can universal design principles help everyone?

Universal design principles help everyone because a universal design is made to benefit everyone, so the principles applied behind it are used to benefit or help practically everyone unless specifically designed for a target audience, especially one that's part of the minority. 

What steps are used to do human factors design?

First step is to investigate and research, where you identify the problem and you begin to take on different angles and perspectives. Then you generate as many solutions to this problem as possible, as there are no wrong answers. After that, you evaluate and consider each solution and design until you pick one that best fits the parameters, as well as other important characteristics. From there you build a prototype following the blueprint. After that comes testing, to see if this design is the best it can be. Lastly, you evaluate the design again and see what you can make better, 

How is a design evaluated for safety, comfort, and effective human use?

A design is evaluated for safety, comfort, and effective human use, by first considering if the measurements will fit the target audience, and then having the prototype tested by those especially of the target audience. After observing several different people use it, it should be clear as to what could be potential dangers.  

Soma Cube Instructions Feedback

Positive:

  • Cool names for pieces
  • Labeling the spots made it easer to understand the placement
  • Completed the cube
Negative:
  • Should have drawn the blocks with colors and in the position they need to be in.
  • Too many words; words aren't efficient 

Homasote Field Trip Questions

1. Where is the Homasote Plant located? 

The Homasote Plant is located in West Trenton, New Jersey.

2. How many tons of paper does the Homasote company recycle each day?

The Homasote company can recycle about 100 tons of paper a day if at maximum capacity.

3. At what temperature does the pupler heat the pulp?

The pulper heats the pulp to about 140°F.

4. How far is the radius of Homasote recycling paper suppliers?

The Homasote recycling paper suppliers range from places between Pennsylvania and Delaware.

5. Is wax used in their products?

Wax is in Homasote to add moisture resistance.

6. Where does their new additive come from?

Their new additive comes from cellulose fiber.

7. What was your impression and perspective/comments on the trip?

I found the trip to be rather interesting. Walking around a plant was something I hadn't done before. Although it was nothing like I imagined it to be, I think it is a good experience to really understand how factories and plants like these work. Of course, it had some downsides, it didn't look very pleasing with the dim lighting and rather old building. The smell was almost unbearable. I'm sure many would not appreciate this kind of experience, however I found it interesting and much needed to grasp the factory and plant work life which is one many lead.

Resource and Recovery Field Trip Questions

1. Why was the landfill covered with a tarp?

The tarp is needed to keep the odor down so it does not.

2. What role do the falcons play in the resource and recovery process?

The falcons are to keep the amount of pests down.

3. What year was the resource and recovery Eco-Complex built?

The resource and recovery Eco-complex was built in 1988.

4. Please list and describe the steps in the resource and recovery process
The trash is brought in and sorted.

Trash is put into landfill with tarp on top and begins to decompose
Gases, especially methane, is brought into a vacuum and is used to power the complex.
Bio solids as waste are used as fertilizer
5. What types of waste are are collected at the Resource and Recovery Complex?
All types of waste are collected, but not all go into the landfill.
6. Please list and describe what functions are controlled via computer control systems in the greenhouse/hydroponics lab.
The important function that is controlled via computer control system is the temperature. The windows are controlled depending on how warm or how cold it is as well as the heater. The rails as well were computer controlled in order to move the plants with more ease.
7. What items did you see grow hydroponically?
The main items were orchids and basil. Fern was also grown hydroponically.
8. List the types of engineering involved in the resource and recovery complex systems.
The types of engineering involved is green engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, and computer engineering.
9. How many mega-watts are produced by the turbine?
The turbines produce 7 mega-watts.
10. Which gas is harvested from the landfills?
Methane is used to power the plant.
11. Describe in detail the process of water collection from the landfill.
Water waste is brought in through pipes into the water treatment plant.
12. Describe the solid waste treatment center we visited in our final stop on the field trip.
Biosolids were cleansed and mixed with wood chips. Then there is a slow nitrogen release and soon the product is odorless.
13. What were the names of the three presenters who spoke with us?
 The three presenters were Kevin Stark, Russel Wright, and Marshall.
14. Please describe the issues that developed from the Deitz & Watson factory fire.
The odors had leaked and many people were complaining about the smell. The rotten meat had to be brought into the landfill, making it easier for the smell to spread.
15. Please list a minimum of five ways the resource and recovery complex positively impacts the environment.
1.) Keeps air pollution down
2.) The plant powers itself and even powers another company during the summer through a renewable resource
3.) Creates a use for human waste
4.) Keeps toxic waste away from the landfill
5.) Grows crops through hydroponics

Engineering Current Event

The article, "Light-bending silicon chip shows projector potential", talks about new ways to project images. Currently, our projectors use bulky and expensive lenses to display an image. However, with this new chip it would eliminate a lot of the cost and the unnecessary bulk of our traditional projectors. This new chip uses the coherence of light to bend light waves without any mechanical movement. In order to project the image, it changes the timing of the charged light waves where the waves will converge and amplify the strength at certain points. When they combine coherently in the air, they will form a single light beam and a spot on the screen. The mechanism isn't even slow in the slightest and keeps up with projectors. Although this one is made of silicon, the team is saying other semi-conductors can be used each better at projecting different things. The silicon is especially useful for infrared light. They are also looking to implement this into phones but lots of other products as well considering it cuts the cost by a significant amount. All in all, this new technology will lead to much cheaper electronics in the future. 


I chose this article because I had found it interesting. Whenever new technology shows up, it always grabs my interest because I find it hard to imagine that you can further perfect certain technologies. I thought our projectors were fine as they were but this article brought up ways to improve it. I never really noticed how bulky lenses can be and how much larger or more expensive it makes it. Each new technology that appears brings us closer to the future many of us imagine. One where our current technology is cheap and affordable. But there would be further advanced technology, like something from out of a sci-fi movie. That's why I chose this article. 


The full article is here.

Chapter 16 Questions

Why must we account for variability in designs?

Engineers must account for variability in design to make sure parts fit and fasten together correctly. 

How are absolute and relative graphs constructed and why are they useful?

Absolute graphs are plotted using the actual numbers. Relative graphs are plotted through relative values. They are useful in which absolute graphs show you the data while relative graphs allow you to see the comparison of prices easier. 

What are four main uses for spreadsheet software?

The four main uses for spreadsheet software is organization of data/information, calculations, graphing, and statistics. 

Which scientist in the seventeenth century revolutionized math and science?

The scientist in the seventeenth century that revolutionized math and science was Sir Isaac Newton.

What are some important examples of static structures human beings use, and what is the sum of all the forces in a static structure?

Examples of static structures human beings use are buildings, bridges, furniture, cars, and planes. The sum of all forces equal zero in a static structure. 

What is a rate of change and how is it useful in studying dynamics?

Rates of change are essentially calculus. It is useful in studying dynamics as they successfully describe objects in motion. 

What are some examples of both natural and human-made oscillatory behavior?

Natural oscillatory behavior includes light, sound, and water waves. Human-made oscillatory behavior includes pendulums, electronic crystal oscillators, and springs. 

What is one of the most widely used mathematical functions in science and engineering? 

One of the most widely used mathematical functions in science and engineering is exponential functions.

Production Systems

1. What aspects of lean production were evident in Gung Ho?

In Gung Ho, you saw aspects of lean production through the Japanese workers. The Japanese was shown to be highly skilled, and it went to show especially that the workers worked for the company, not themselves.

2. What was the cultural business philosophy of the Japanese? Give examples from the video.

The business philosophy of the Japanese involved putting the company at the top of the priority list. An example comes from when that philosophy was put on the American workers. Many complained that they had absolutely zero time for their family, thus the company was at the top of the priority list.

3. Name one aspect/philosophy the Japanese implemented from the Americans in the video "Gung Ho".

The Japanese loosened up a little on their very tight idea that the company comes first. Workers were allowed to have some personal time.

4. What was the most amount of cars the Japanese produced in one month?

The most amount of cars the Japanese produced in a single month was 15,000 cars. 

5. The main character "Hunt", what role did the Japanese hire him for?

The Japanese hired him to connect the gap between the Japanese and American. He was in charge of managing the workers.

6. Name one aspect/philosophy the Americans implemented from the Japanese in the video "Gung Ho".

The Americans took from the Japanese the idea of working harder and becoming more skilled at what they do. 


Chapter 6 and 7 Questions

Ammeter: meter that measures a current in amps and milliamps

Equivalent Circuit: has the same amount of resistance as the original circuit, but with only one resistor

Kirchhoff's Voltage Law: Each component in a series circuit may have a different voltage drop. When the individual voltage drops are added, the sum is equal to  to the applied voltage

Parallel Circuit: Circuit with one or more paths for the current

Series Circuit: Circuit with only one path for the current

Total Capacitance: combined value of all the capacitors in a a circuit

Total Resistance: sum of all individual resistances in a circuits

Total Voltage Drop: equal to the applied voltage

Voltage Drop: the amount of voltage measured across each component 

Voltmeter: used to measure voltage drops

1. There is only one path in a series circuit, while there a parallel circuit has several.

2.Every part of a series circuit carries the same amount of current.

3. An ammeter is always connected in series with components of an electrical circuit.

4. A voltmeter is always connected in parallel to components of an electrical circuit.

5. What does Rt stand for?

Rt stands for total resistance.

6. Draw the symbol for Ohms.

 Ω

7. Give the Ohm's law formula for finding the amount of current flow in an electrical circuit.

I = E/R

8. If you had three resistors connected in series, each with a value of 30 Ohms, how much total resistance would you have?

You would have 90 ohms of total resistance.

9. How much current will flow in a circuit having 24-V power supply, a 200 Ohms resistor,and a 2200 Ohms resistor in series?

The amount of current that will flow is 0.1 A

10. If a series circuit has four capacitors, two with a capacitance of 60 uF and two with a capacitance of 30 uf, what is the total capacitance of the circuit?

The total capacitance of the circuit is 1/10 uF

11. What is polarity?

Polarity is when there is a positive and a negative pole

12. To find the voltage drop across a resistor, we can use a voltmeter to measure its value, or we can use Ohm's law. 

13. Why should you never use continuity tester on a live circuit?

The tester is only used to check if there is  is a continuous path through a wire. The continuity tester can also explode and be very dangerous.



Conductance (G): The opposite of the ability that electrons flow in a circuit

Parallel Circuit: a circuit with 2 or more paths

1. How many branches are there in a parallel circuit?

 The number of branches is the same as the number of loads.

2. In a parallel circuit, how much of the total current will flow in the path of least resistance?

c. All of the total current

3. What is the total resistance in a circuit having a 150-ohm, 50-ohm, and 75-ohm resistor connected in parallel?

The total resistance is 25 ohms.

4. Show the formulas you used to get the answer to question number 3.

1/RT= 1/R1+1/R2=1/R3

5. How can you check if the answer to question number 3 is correct?

You can use a voltmeter.

6. The voltage in a parallel circuit is equal across all branches.

7. When you measure the current in a circuit, you may get different results that if you solved the problem using the formula. Why?

You can get different results because the voltmeter may not be as accurate considering the way it is used to measure the current.

8. If a parallel circuit has three branches, each branch has  a capacitor, and the capacitors' values are 30 uF, 50 uF, and 75 uF, what is the total capacitance of the circuit?

The total capacitance of the circuit is 155 uF. 


Chapter 5 Questions

1.Why is freehand sketching an important skill for designers, scientists, or engineers?
Freehand sketching is used to get information down quickly, which is important to communicating ideas.
2.Why do engineers and other designers need to document their work?
Documenting work is needed in which it saves countless hours of rediscovery when an engineer returns to a certain task.
3.What different abilities do the right and left hemispheres of the brain offer to artists, designers, or engineers?
The right hemisphere favors simultaneous, holistic, spatial, and relational information processing. The left hemisphere favors linear, verbal, analytical, and logical information processing.
4.What are the six "visual design elements" that can be integrated into an effective design?
The six visual design elements are line, shape and form, value (shading), color, texture, and space.
5.How can you use color to better communicate design ideas?
Color is an important part of our life and affects our emotions heavily. Colors can be used to calm people such as in hospitals, and schools.
6.What drawing techniques can be used to record and present idea in engineering notebooks and design portfolios?
Engineering notebooks can use perspective drawing techniques, isometric drawing techniques, and technical drawing techniques. 
7.How are engineering notebooks and design portfolios developed?
Design portfolios are developed through title page, page numbering, table of contents, page orientation, and page content.