Unit 2: The Engineering Process

Engineers design, model, and test many of the devices that we use every day. Which phrase below best describes the engineering process?

• designing new industrial tools

• gathering information to prove scientific theories

• using math and science to solve practical problems

• using raw materials to build structures and machines

Cell phones, washing machines, and door knobs are examples of which human accomplishment?

• scientific observation

• university scholarship

• mathematics

• technology

What does an engineering team need in order to test a new design?

• problem

• data

• patent

• prototype

What are the standards that help engineers determine how well a design is doing its job?

• data

• criteria

• models

• prototypes

A person is using crutches to help himself move around after a leg injury. Which claim explains why crutches are an example of biotechnology?

• Engineers made them using the design process.

• They are a product used to benefit living things.

• They are manufactured using Earth-friendly materials.

• The wood they are made from comes from living things.

Which of the following is a procedure you could use to predict design flaws in a fabric used to make sails for ships?

• analyzing the ship’s deck for strength

• testing to see how much cargo a sailboat can carry

• marketing the sails and recording customer complaints

• stressing the fabric with wind and weather over a period of time

Engineers want to develop a more efficient dishwasher by decreasing the running time and the amount of water used per cycle. They design and test four different dishwasher prototypes. The bar graph below shows the results of their tests. Based on the evidence in the bar graph, which model best meets the engineers’ design criteria?

• Model A

• Model B

• Model C

• Model D

While further testing their design, the engineers discover that dishwasher Model B doesn’t clean the dishes thoroughly. Which of the following is the best next step for the engineers?

• Apply for a patent for the Model B dishwasher.

• Start all over with a brand-new design for a dishwasher.

• Evaluate what is wrong with Model B and work to redesign it.

• Choose one of the other dishwashers to manufacture instead of Model B.

A group of engineers have developed four different models of a car. They have recorded data about each model’s miles driven per gallon. What would be the best way for the engineers to communicate the results of their testing?

• detailed drawings of each of the cars

• a bar graph comparing miles per gallon

• a measurement of the size of the gas tank in each car

• a data table showing the number of miles each car traveled during testing

Scientists or engineers often build a prototype of a design that they can test. Observing how the prototype performs shows the engineers how their design works. Which is another tool scientists use that is similar to a prototype?

• a balance

• a bar or circle graph

• a model of the design

• an experiment using the design