Engineering Ethics, Economics, E&M Flashcards
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What are the legal considerations in engineering ethics?
Legal considerations involve adhering to laws and regulations that affect engineering practices.
What role does sustainability play in societal considerations?
Sustainability focuses on meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, crucial in environmental and economic planning.
How do trademarks protect intellectual property?
Trademarks protect brands legally, preventing others from using a similar mark that can cause confusion.
What is the purpose of economic impact assessments?
To evaluate the positive or negative impacts of projects on the local or national economy.
How does the concept of ‘economic stability’ relate to engineering projects?
Economic stability ensures that projects are financially viable and contribute to the overall economic health without causing volatility.
What are ‘environmental impacts’ in engineering projects?
These are effects that projects have on the natural environment, including pollution and habitat destruction.
Define ‘matrix operations’ in linear algebra.
Operations involving matrices, including addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
What is the ‘rate of return’ in engineering economics?
The gain or loss of an investment over a specified period, expressed as a percentage of the investment’s cost.
Explain ‘life cycle analysis’ in economic terms.
A method that assesses the total cost of a project from inception to disposal, focusing on maximizing economic efficiency.
How do energy forms convert in electrical systems?
Energy in electrical systems can be converted between kinetic, thermal, and potential forms, among others.
What is the purpose of ‘magnetic flux’ in electrical engineering?
Magnetic flux is crucial for the operation of electrical devices like transformers and motors, as it indicates the quantity of magnetism.
How are confidence intervals used in statistics?
Confidence intervals estimate a range in which a population parameter lies, based on sample data.
Describe the process of ‘vector analysis’ in linear algebra.
Vector analysis involves operations with vectors, such as addition, scalar multiplication, and dot product.
What is the significance of ‘dot product’ in vector analysis?
The dot product measures the cosine of the angle between two vectors and the product of their magnitudes, important in projecting one vector onto another.
How do ‘Laplace transforms’ simplify solving differential equations?
Laplace transforms convert differential equations into algebraic equations, making them easier to solve.
Explain ‘incremental costs’ with an example.
Incremental costs refer to the additional cost incurred from increasing production. E.g., the cost of producing one additional unit of a product.
What is the significance of ‘nonhomogeneous equations’ in differential equations?
Nonhomogeneous equations include a non-zero right-hand side, representing external forces or inputs in a system.
Define ‘empirical distribution’ in probability.
An empirical distribution represents the proportion of various outcomes in a set of data, derived from observations.
What is the ‘goodness of fit’ in statistical models?
Goodness of fit tests how well a statistical model fits a set of observations. Measures include the correlation coefficient and chi-squared.
How do ‘resistors’ function in AC circuit analysis?
In AC circuits, resistors impede the flow of current, thereby dissipating power in the form of heat while affecting both the current’s magnitude and phase.
Define ‘equivalent annual worth’ in financial analysis.
Equivalent annual worth converts a series of cash flows into equal annual amounts, facilitating comparison of different financial investments.
What is ‘vector analysis’ used for in physics and engineering?
Vector analysis is used to solve problems involving direction and magnitude in fields such as electromagnetism and fluid dynamics.
How does ‘present worth’ factor into investment decisions?
Present worth helps determine the current value of future cash flows to assess the viability of investments.
What are ‘sunk costs’ and why are they ignored in future planning?
Sunk costs are past expenditures that cannot be recovered and should not affect future economic decisions as they are irrecoverable.
How do ‘capacitors’ function in DC circuits?
In DC circuits, capacitors initially charge when connected to a power source, then maintain that charge, blocking direct current while allowing alternating current to pass in AC circuits.