Midterm Science revision G5

Engineers use a design process to invent or improve machines. What is the first step in this design process?

• Make a prototype of the design.

• Make a graph to show how well the design worked.

• Keep notes and drawings of the design throughout the process.

• Identify a need or problem to be solved.

A student team designs a device to meet a human need. Then the students build a prototype.

Which of these best describes the purpose of a prototype?

• to develop ideas for a solution

• to show how the design will look

• to test the quality of the conclusions

• to see whether it meets design criteria

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

• Data

• Criteria

• Models

• Prototypes

Why should engineers test their designs?

• to find ways to improve their designs

• to make them smaller and more compact

• to change the design to be more profitable

• to discover solutions to problems that have not yet occurred

What is the purpose of a prototype?

• to gather data

• to test a design

• to identify a problem

• to communicate results

Why do scientists follow the design process?

• to find solutions to problems

• to understand how Earth formed

• to practice making measurements

• to use the same solution for every problem.

An endoscope is a probe that doctors use to examine parts of the body from the inside.

Which scientific word describes an endoscope?

• Inquiry

• Technology

• Knowledge

• Observation

Which is the correct definition of a tradeoff?

• Giving up one feature to gain another

• Changing a design feature due to people's needs

• Making sure a design gives people everything they want

• Adding many features to a design

The objects on Maria’s shelves are disorganized and often fall to the floor. She thinks of four ways to solve this problem and numbers her designs 1, 2, 3, and 4. For each design, she builds a prototype and tests it. She records data on how well each design meets her criteria.

Which design best meets Maria’s criteria?

• design 1

• design 2

• design 3

• design 4

An engineer designed four braces to offer comfort and support for people who have had knee surgery. The table shows the results from a survey of 100 people who tried the four prototype braces.

Which conclusion can be made from the information in the table?

• Brace A is preferred by a majority of the people surveyed.

• Brace C would be the best choice for comfort and support.

• Brace B would most likely keep people from becoming injured again.

• Brace D is the brace that can most likely be improved by further design.