Engineering Terminology

Question 1

Amplifier

Answer 1

Part of an electronic circuit that can be found after an input device, and that is used to increase the signal.

Question 2

Bearing

Answer 2

A part used within a gearing system that is designed to wear down. This allows for only the bearing needing to be replaced and extending the mechanical system’s life.

Question 3

Boolean Expression

Answer 3

The equation that shows how a logic circuit works.

Question 4

Clutch

Answer 4

A type of coupling that allows two rotating shafts to be connected and disconnected.

Question 5

Compressive Force

Answer 5

When something is being squashed. It is put under compression.

Question 6

Concurrent Force

Answer 6

The single force that ensures static equilibrium is happening. It opposes all other combined forces.

Question 7

Coupling

Answer 7

A method of joining two different shafts together within a gearing system.

Question 8

Darlington Pair

Answer 8

Two transistors connected together to allow for the powering of large-output devices.

Question 9

Driver

Answer 9

Part of an electronic circuit that will increase the power for a high-powered output device.

Question 10

Engineering impact

Answer 10

The effects an engineering solution will have. This is in three sections - Social (the effect it has on society and people), Environmental (the effect I has on the ecosystem, wildlife and the planet) and Economic (the effect it has in relation to money).

Question 11

Equilibrium

Answer 11

When a structure is in perfect balance.

Question 12

Factor of Safety

Answer 12

A number applied to a structure depending on the possible consequences of failure. This number depends on two things - the safe working load/stress and the ultimate load/stress.

Question 13

Flowchart

Answer 13

A pictorial diagram showing how a microcontroller code works.

Question 14

Group air

Answer 14

When a pneumatic circuit uses an extra 5/2 valve to allow for the separation of a circuit into two different ones. This is done to allow for cascading systems and for two different valves to be separately controlled.

Question 15

Infrastructure

Answer 15

The basic systems and services that a region, country or organisation needs in order to work effectively. These include transport links and power supplies.

Question 16

Knowledge

Answer 16

Refers to learning. Anything that can be read by a person, whether it is concepts, principles or information regarding a particular subject(s), is knowledge. This can be gained through books, media, encyclopedias, academic institutions and many other sources.

Question 17

Lubrication

Answer 17

A method of reducing friction within a system by a liquid such as oil or grease.

Question 18

Magnitude

Answer 18

The amount of force acting upon am object.

Question 19

Mark time

Answer 19

The amount of time a motor is on for during pulse-width modulation.

Question 20

Member

Answer 20

A beam within a frame structure.

Question 21

Microcontroller

Answer 21

The ‘brain’ of a programmable electronic circuit. The code is programmed into this to allow the circuit to complete set tasks.

Question 22

Nodal analysis

Answer 22

A technique for framed structures, in which nodes are analysed to discover the nature and magnitude of each member.

Question 23

Node

Answer 23

A joint within a frame structure

Question 24

Operational amplifier

Answer 24

An analogue processing device used to amplify a signal. These can be configured in many different ways to do different tasks.

Question 25

Pusle-width modulation

Answer 25

A way of controlling the speed of a motor by quickly switching it on and off.

Question 26

Redundant member

Answer 26

A member in a frame structure that has no forces going through it, and it not there necessarily for support.

Question 27

Resultant

Answer 27

A single force that will have the same effect on an object as all of the forces combined.

Question 28

Sequential control

Answer 28

When a system, in particular a pneumatic system, follows a particular sequence.

Question 29

Shafts

Answer 29

Rods used for putting gears onto within a gearing system.

Question 30

Significant figures

Answer 30

The amount of numbers that your answer has to be given in. The first significant figure of a number is the first digit which is not zero. Hence the first significant figure of 2009 is 2, and the first significant figure of 0.002009 is 2. Both numbers have 4 significant figs.

Question 31

Skill

Answer 31

Skill refers to the ability of using knowledge and applying it in a context. Everyone can learn knowledge, but not everyone has the skill to use it.

Question 32

Soft start

Answer 32

The technique of starting a motor slowly instead of starting at full speed.

Question 33

Space time

Answer 33

The amount of time a motor is off for during pulse-width modulation.

Question 34

Static equilibrium

Answer 34

When a structure is not only in balance but is also stationary.

Question 35

Strut

Answer 35

A member in a frame structure that is under compressive force.

Question 36

Tensile force

Answer 36

When something is being pulled apart. It is put under tension.

Question 37

Tie

Answer 37

A member in a frame structure that is under tensile force

Question 38

Truth table

Answer 38

A table consisting of 1s and 0s showing how a logic diagram works.

Question 39

Voltage-divider

Answer 39

An input part of an electrical circuit made up from two different forms of resistor to change real-world conditions, such as temperature or light, into a voltage.