Laura Kazmer

1. You have a friend that doesn’t understand the difference between science and engineering. In
a couple of sentences, provide an explanation of why they aren’t the same thing. (10 pts)

Scientists seek to discover facts about the natural world through experimentation.
Engineers use principles of math and science to design solutions to real-world problems.

2. In the definition of engineering we used in class, we identified stakeholders’

interests/problems as one of the inputs required to develop engineering solutions. Identify an
engineered solution that impacts your life everyday (e.g. a bike, a building, a smartphone, a tube
of toothpaste) and identify as many of the stakeholders as possible who have an interest in the
design. Identify three problems that stakeholders may still have with the solution. (20 pts)

In my dorm, I like to keep my door open so people can drop by and say hello. However, as
the door is heavy, it will close unless propped open. The college has provided a doorstop in
my room for this purpose. I am a stakeholder with an interest in the design, as I would like
to keep my door open. The staff of the college also hold an interest, as they paid for it and
want it to work. The designers and vendors also hold an interest, as they want it to sell.
However, it is too small for the door and it still closes. It also has no traction on the bottom
and is easily lost due to its size. I eventually bought another, much larger one at Walmart,
which solved the problem for me.

3. Provide a short description (1 or 2 sentences for each discipline) describing the forces that led
to the development of the four major engineering disciplines (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil &
Chemical) (10 pts)

The First Industrial Revolution led the development of civil engineering for construction.
Mechanical engineering was also developed with the new machines of the time. As
chemistry and electricity made significant advances later in the nineteenth century,
chemical engineering and electrical engineering were also developed.

4. You have decided to develop a new system of units for use in horse racing. Since the key
measures are the height of the horse and speed that it runs, you would like to make length and
velocity base quantities and time a derived quantity. Do these quantities meet the required
criteria to be base quantities? From what expression would time be derived? (10 pts)

Length and velocity can be base quantities, as they can be directly compared and added in
the normal fashion. Time would be derived from the expression L/V.

5. The use of body dimensions to make rough measurement estimates is common in engineering.
Obtain the following measurements in the units requested. (20 pts)
a). The span of your hand in inches (Span is distance from tip of thumb to tip of little finger with
fingers spread as far as possible). 7.5 inches

b). The thickness of your thumb at the first joint in inches. 5/8 inch

c). Your el or cubit distance in inches (With arm bent measure from the tip of your elbow to the
tip of your middle finger). 16 3/8 inches

d). The Civil Engineering surveying class has marked a 250 ft length of sidewalk to the west of
the Rec Center (runs from center of expansion joint pictured below, under the arches to the
parking lot) Count your steps at a normal walking pace to cover this course. Calculate the length
of a pace (one step) in feet. 125 steps, so a pace = 2 feet

e). Using the dimensions you obtained above, obtain an estimate of the altitude change going up
the stairs from the first floor to the fourth floor of Westerman. Explain your method and
measurements you took. My hand stretched a little bit higher than the height of the step, so
I’m estimating that each step was about 7 inches high. There were 60 steps from the first
floor to the fourth floor, so that would be about 420 inches, or 35 feet. This number seems
quite low, but I’m not sure what went wrong.