Physics U1L1 GCW

Which activity would more likely be

performed by engineers than by scientists?

• explaining how forces impact matter

• collecting data and developing theories

• applying scientific principles to design a

  structure

• investigating a phenomenon to understand

  how it works

Which phrase describes a risk of an

engineering design?

• a disadvantage of a solution

• a favorable effect of a solution

• an advantage that may happen

• a cost that may or may not happen

A product designer is deciding whether to

use wood or plastic for a knife handle. Which

sentence describes a tradeoff involved in this

decision?

• Plastic is the best solution because it is

  more durable.

• Wood is the best solution because it is

  easier to hold and looks better.

• Wood is good for knives that are used to

  cut with precision or are given as gifts.

• Plastic is good for knives that are used a lot

  even though it can sometimes be slippery.

A community uses a stretch of road to walk

to and from a school and shopping center.

Community members are concerned for

safety, so they decide to build a sidewalk.

Which statement describes a possible

constraint for the sidewalk project?

• The sidewalk should encourage people to

  walk instead of drive.

• The sidewalk can cost no more than

  $100,000 to design and construct.

• The sidewalk should have a design that is

  considered visually pleasing by residents.

• The sidewalk will be surrounded by native

  plants to minimize its impact on local

  wildlife.

An engineer is working on two different

projects. In the first project, cost is a

criterion. In the second project, cost is a

constraint. Which statement would best help

to explain this?

• In the first project, the cost of the project is

  minimized, while in the second project, the

  cost is maximized.

• In the first project, the cost of the project is

  maximized, while in the second project, the

  cost is minimized.

• In the first project, cost is a limitation on

  the design, while in the second project, low

  cost is a desirable feature.

• In the first project, low cost is a desirable

  feature, while in the second project, low

  cost is a limitation on the design.

Which phrase best describes a cost-benefit

analysis?

• an analysis of the environmental cost of a

  solution

• an analysis of the cost of repeating the

  design process

• an analysis of the pros and cons of a

  proposed solution

• an analysis of the likelihood of finding an

  optimal solution

After a problem or need is identified, which

step in the engineering design process should

be taken?

• design solutions

• optimize solutions

• define the problem

• implement solution

A retention pond in a community is having

problems with mosquito control because of

stagnant water. Engineers have designed

three prototypes to solve this problem. The

final design needs to circulate the water

enough to reduce mosquito nesting and be

both energy efficient and aesthetically

pleasing. Which tests should engineers

complete on the prototypes to break down

the problem into smaller, more manageable

problems to solve?

• amount of water output from the fountain

  and the amount of energy used

• volume of water circulated by the fountain

  and the amount of water output

• amount of energy used, volume of water

  circulated by the fountain, and the amount

  of water output

• how aesthetically pleasing the fountain is,

  amount of energy used, and the level of

  relaxing sound given off

Which step is used by engineers to optimize

a solution?

• repeating the design process and making

  changes

• identifying the benefits of the first design

  that works

• using any material that is easily available to

  reduce cost

• identifying and managing risks after the

  design has been built

A city hires engineers to design a bridge over

a river as part of a major civil engineering

project. They brainstorm several different

designs. How should the solutions be

evaluated?

• only criteria

• level of creativity

• detail of the design

• criteria and constraints