Sanjurjo physcis final

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