1. Which of the following best describes a constraint in an engineering project?
- A. A desired feature that would be nice to have but is not essential for the project's core function.
- B. A measure of how successful the final product is at meeting its performance targets.
- C. A restriction or limit, such as budget or material type, that the design must operate within.
- D. The target audience or specific group of users for the engineered product.
2. An engineering team is designing a new solar-powered car for a race. Which of the following is an example of a constraint?
- A. The car must be able to reach a top speed of 60 mph.
- B. The total cost of all parts cannot exceed $10,000.
- C. The car's battery must be fully charged by its solar panels in 4 hours of sunlight.
- D. The car should be able to complete the 100-mile race without stopping.
3. When designing a new bicycle helmet, which of the following is best classified as a constraint?
- A. It must be visually appealing to the target demographic of young adults.
- B. It must survive an impact from a 2-meter drop onto concrete without cracking.
- C. It must have at least 10 vents to provide adequate ventilation to keep the rider cool.
- D. It must be manufactured using materials that cost less than $20 per unit.
4. In a successful engineering design, what is the typical relationship between criteria and constraints?
- A. Criteria are ignored in favor of meeting all constraints.
- B. Constraints are treated as flexible suggestions that can be exceeded to meet criteria.
- C. A balance is found where performance goals are met without violating physical limits.
- D. Criteria and constraints are separate and do not influence each other.
5. In the context of engineering design, what is the primary role of a criterion?
- A. To list the available materials and budget for the project.
- B. To describe the physical limitations, such as size and weight.
- C. To define the specific performance goals a solution must achieve.
- D. To document the steps of the manufacturing process.
6. How does using smooth bearings in a hand-crank generator improve its efficiency?
- A. They increase the generator's mass.
- B. They reduce energy loss from friction.
- C. They generate additional magnetic fields.
- D. They allow for a longer crank arm to be used.
7. In a system where a hand crank is used to charge a battery, what is the main energy conversion the system is designed to facilitate?
- A. Thermal to electrical energy
- B. Kinetic to potential energy
- C. Potential to kinetic energy
- D. Electrical to light energy
8. In most mechanical systems, what is the primary way that energy is unintentionally lost during transfer?
- A. It is converted into light and sound.
- B. It dissipates as heat due to friction.
- C. It is destroyed and ceases to exist.
- D. It is converted into additional mass.
9. A student designs a hand-cranked device to power a small light bulb. After turning the crank for a minute, they notice the gears feel warm. What is the most accurate scientific conclusion from this observation?
- A. The system is generating more energy than the bulb can use.
- B. The device is working at 100% efficiency.
- C. Some kinetic energy is being converted to thermal energy instead of electrical energy.
- D. The warmth indicates that the battery is fully charged.
10. Why is it impossible for a real-world hand-crank generator to convert 100% of the user's kinetic energy into stored potential energy in a battery?
- A. The law of conservation of energy does not apply to man-made systems.
- B. Users can never turn the crank fast enough to achieve perfect efficiency.
- C. Some energy is always unavoidably dissipated as heat due to friction and electrical resistance in the components.
- D. Batteries can only store chemical potential energy, not kinetic energy directly.