Science Review MP #1

Kailyn, Kiara, and Antonio are all researchers at a marine biology center. Can you guess who used technology to assist with their research?

• Kailyn discussed a new formula for sustainable fish feed with different colleagues.

• Kiara performed an experiment in a laboratory setting.

• Antonio measured the weight of a fish sample on a digital scale.

• Kailyn determined whether to investigate a new fish species' impact on the ecosystem.

Answer explanation

Technology helps scientists by allowing them to measure the mass of chemicals on a digital scale.

Antonio, Kailyn, and Hazel are part of the city council's youth team. They have been tasked with the project of designing a new community center in their locality. They are unsure about the initial step in the engineering design process. Can you guide them?

• Build and test a prototype of the community center.

• Identify the problem or need for a new community center.

• Communicate the results of the process via the city council meeting.

• Determine the constraints and criteria of the community center design.

Answer explanation

The first step in the engineering design process is to identify the problem or need.

Darianny, Airam, and Antonio are on a camping trip. They notice that their solar-powered lantern is receiving less sunlight due to the overcast weather. How would this affect their lantern's energy system?

• Less sunlight would cause the lantern's system to use another type of energy.

• Less sunlight would reduce the amount of energy the lantern's system could store.

• Less sunlight would cause the lantern's system to increase the amount of energy stored.

• Less sunlight would help keep the lantern's system cooler so that it could run more efficiently.

Answer explanation

Removing the energy source would reduce the system's energy storage capacity.

Malaki, Demi, and Kiara are working on a school project about different professions. They are having a discussion about the profession of engineering while trying to fix a broken toy car. Can you help them out? Which of these best describes the profession of engineering?

• It is the use of science and math to solve problems.

• It is a tool designed to solve a problem.

• It is an area of study that relates to space exploration.

• It is an area of study that relates to non-living materials.

Answer explanation

Engineering is the application of science and math to solve problems.

Picture this! Ja'Khai, Moeez, Kaylee, Kailyn, Aicha, and their team of creative engineers are working on a project to develop a compact, functional model of a solar-powered heating and cooling system for their community center. Can you guess the reason behind their project?

• Are they doing this to ensure the model can be accommodated in small spaces like their community center's workshop?

• Or, are they aiming to present a working prototype at their community's annual science fair?

• Perhaps, they are interested in observing how modifications in one part of the system influence the other parts. What's your take?

• Or, are they simply trying to ensure that all the initially planned features are retained?

Answer explanation

The purpose of building this model is to test how changes in one part of the system affect other parts.

Ja'Khai, Cesar, and Bryan were observing a plant in their garden. They noticed that the plant uses the carbon dioxide they exhale to produce oxygen, which they then inhale. Their friend, Kailyn, joined them and asked, 'How would you describe this ecosystem?'

• The plant makes up a natural system that does not have any output.

• The humans are a mechanical system and carbon dioxide is an output.

• The output of the humans' system is the input for the plant's system.

• The input for both the humans' and the plant's systems is carbon dioxide.

Answer explanation

The snail's system produces carbon dioxide, which serves as the input for the algae's system.

Malaki, Ja'Khai, Assie, Cesar, and Kiara are planning a community service project. They are gathering tools, materials, volunteers, and creating a schedule. What would you call these preparations in engineering terms?

• inputs

• outputs

• feedback

• systems theory

Answer explanation

The components added by an engineer to a system are called inputs. Inputs provide information, material, energy, or other resources to the system.

Kiara, Angie, Oliver, and their team are working on a project for their architecture class. They are designing a hospital for a rural community but are unsure about the correct order of steps to follow in the architectural design process. Can you guide them?

• First, they report the results; then identify a need; carry out research and brainstorm solutions; finally, build and test a prototype of the hospital.

• First, they identify a need; then carry out research and brainstorm solutions; build and test a prototype of the hospital; finally, report the results.

• First, they build and test a prototype of the hospital; then report the results; identify a need; finally, carry out research and brainstorm solutions.

• First, they carry out research and brainstorm solutions; then build and test a prototype of the hospital; report the results; finally, identify a need.

Answer explanation

The correct order of steps in the engineering design process is to identify a need, carry out research and brainstorm solutions, build and test a prototype, and finally report the results.

Ja'Khai, Assie, and Rasul are part of a research team at a leading marine exploration company. They have been given a challenging task to develop a compact and robust underwater communication device that can function efficiently under the sea. However, they only have a month to complete this task. What constraint will they be facing when designing this device?

• Size

• Durability

• Time for design

• Resistance to water

Answer explanation

The engineer will face the constraint of resistance to water when designing the phone. It needs to be able to work underwater and be durable.

Ivan, Angie, Assie, Cesar, and Dilan are working on a project to construct a scale model of the Eiffel Tower for their architecture class. They are eager to start constructing, but they realize there's a crucial step they need to complete first. What is that step?

• A. They need to create a list of materials they will need.

• B. They need to precisely define the problem they are solving.

• C. They need to create a list of potential challenges they might face.

• D. Their solution should address many different aspects of tower construction.

Answer explanation

Before an engineering solution is considered useful, the problem must be precisely defined.