Common specialist technical principles- Unit 4

Question 1

What is a static load?

Answer 1

A load that does not move. For example a book resting on a table.

Question 2

What is a dynamic load?

Answer 2

A load which does move. For example, a book being dropped on a table.

Question 3

What should designers keep in mind when making a product, in terms of load?

Answer 3

They must make sure that the product can easily withstand the maximum anticipated stress in order to be safe and reliable.

Question 4

What is tension?

Answer 4

Tension occurs when a pulling force is applied to either end of a material. The object will become stretched as it tries to withstand the force of being pulled apart.

Question 5

Define tensile strength.

Answer 5

The ability of a material to resist being pulled apart.

Question 6

What occurs when a pushing force is applied to either end of a material?

Answer 6

Compression.

Question 7

What is torsion?

Answer 7

The two ends of a material rotating in opposite direction.

Question 8

What is bending?

Answer 8

Tension and compression forces on either side of an object’s neutral axis.

Question 9

What is the ability of a material to resist being bent out of shape?

Answer 9

Stiffness.

Question 10

What is shear force?

Answer 10

A force that acts on an object in a direction perpendicular to it’s length.

Question 11

What is an example of shear force?

Answer 11

Wind pushing up against a tree.

Question 12

What does it mean to reinforce a material?

Answer 12

Strengthening a material or object by adding more material to it. Therefore it can better withstand force and stress.

Question 13

Explain how a car tyre is designed to cope with different forces.

Answer 13

Every element of the rubber tyre has been reinforced. The tread is designed to last a long time and expel water. The side wall is layered to resist bumping into kerbs and collapsing under the cars weight. Steel belts are added to resist punctures from sharp objects.

Question 14

What is reinforced concrete made from and what is it’s purpose?

Answer 14

It is made from concrete and steel and is used as a strong construction material.

Question 15

Describe webbing.

Answer 15

A strong fabric woven into strips from yarns. It is used for car seat belts.

Question 16

Why do people laminate paper?

Answer 16

To improve the paper’s strength and flexibility. When paper is laminated in a plastic pouch, it becomes water resistant and less prone to tearing.

Question 17

What is fabric interfacing?

Answer 17

Used in textile garments as an additional layer to specific areas where extra shape/support is needed.

Question 18

What is the difference between fusible and sew-in interfacings?

Answer 18

Fusible is an iron-on interfacing technique. It uses heat to bond it to the surface of the fabric. Sew-in is put between the layers of the fabric and held together by stitching.

Question 19

What is folding and bending?

Answer 19

Material that is manipulated through reshaping can gain physical advantages. The curves of pipes increases the strength of the material while still keeping it lightweight.

Question 20

What are nets?

Answer 20

A flat 2D shape which can be folded to form a 3D object.

Question 21

Define carbon footprint and explain what it means to calculate one.

Answer 21

A carbon footprint is the amount of CO2 emitted during a certain process. Calculating a carbon footprint is a way of estimating the greenhouse gas emissions caused by a product, process, person, event or organisation.

Question 22

Describe ecological footprint.

Answer 22

A measure of the impact of a person’s life on the natural environment by quantifying the amount of the earth’s natural resources they use.

Question 23

What is a social footprint?

Answer 23

A measure of the impact of a company’s social polices.

Question 24

Give examples of company polices which align with a good social footprint.

Answer 24

“Are employees being paid a fair wage?”
“Is health and safety a primary concern?”

Question 25

What do we have in the UK which protects workers’ rights?

Answer 25

We have employment laws which ensure that contracts are always issued. Both parties know what is expected of them and can be held accountable in court if this is violated.

Question 26

What does HSE stand for and what is it’s purpose?

Answer 26

The Health and Safety Executive is an organisation which protects workers and enforces the Health and Safety at Work act.

Question 27

What are the ecological issues with harvesting raw materials?

Answer 27

Harvesting and refining raw materials are detrimental processes to the environment.

Question 28

What are the ecological issues associated with deforestation?

Answer 28

Deforestation is incredibly dangerous for the environment. The term slash and burn refers to the cutting down and setting on fire of trees. This means that the forest will not grow back, and considering 80% of the world’s forests have been cut down since 1990, this is a huge issue.

Question 29

What are the ecological issues associated with mining?

Answer 29

Mining can cause soil erosion, sinkholes, air pollution and water contamination.

Question 30

What are the ecological issues associated with drilling?

Answer 30

Boreholes can be drilled as deep as 12,000 meters, causing destruction for the environment.

Question 31

What are the ecological issues associated with farming?

Answer 31

Agriculture makes up for around 15% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 32

What are product miles?

Answer 32

The amount of CO2 emissions that each component of a product has caused through travelling.

Question 33

What is oceanic pollution?

Answer 33

Due to the increase in industrialisation and consumerism in the past 100 years, ocean waste has become a big problem. Causing devastation to the ecosystems and wildlife in the ocean. Sewage and oil spills also pollute the sea.

Question 34

What is atmospheric pollution?

Answer 34

The increase in industrialisation has caused a huge spike in greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 35

In order of best to worst, list the six Rs.

Answer 35

Refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair and recycle.

Question 36

Describe one of the six Rs, refuse.

Answer 36

Refuse means to completely stop using products which are harmful for the environment. For example, walking instead of driving somewhere.

Question 37

Describe one of the six Rs, rethink.

Answer 37

Rethink means to question if a material or product is really necessary. It is about making informed decisions and redesigning when possible. For example, passengers may consider the impact of travelling by air and choosing a more sustainable transport option.

Question 38

Describe one of the six Rs, reduce.

Answer 38

Reduce means to save energy and materials by using more efficient processes. For example, reducing the complexity and number of parts to a product can make recycling easier for the consumer.

Question 39

Describe one of the six Rs, reuse.

Answer 39

Reuse is also known as primary recycling. It is when a product is used over and over again for the same purpose, instead of purchasing a new one. For example, glass milk bottles can be reused many times before it reaches the end of it’s useful life.

Question 40

Describe one of the six Rs, repair.

Answer 40

Repairing is extending a products lifetime in order to delay the purchase of a new one. For example, phones are expensive items which can be repaired to save the consumer buying a new one.

Question 41

Describe one of the six Rs, recycle.

Answer 41

Recycling is reprocessing the material using heat and chemicals to recover the recycled materials. For example, councils in Britain recycle nearly all household waste.

Question 42

What is the WEEE directive?

Answer 42

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycling directive. It helps dangerous electric waste to be disposed of properly and for it to not cause harm to the environment.