Unit Information
This unit will provide a coherent introduction to the fundamental knowledge and problem-solving skills required of an engineer. Students will be taught how to convert everyday language to specific engineering terms and express the underlying science. They will learn how to identify methods to solve problems and use mathematical techniques to calculate solutions of appropriate precision and accuracy. This will occur on two broad levels, albeit with considerable overlap:
• The detailed solution to domain specific problems of narrow scope, with an emphasis on accurate answers and rigorously correct methodology.
• The application of multiple methods to solve problems of broader engineering significance, likely including multiple - and even contradictory - requirements.
There will be an emphasis on dealing with uncertainty. Conceptually, this unit will sit between the mathematics units, that provide core skills, and the more design-oriented units that will make use of the methods taught here. Explicit links will be drawn between the different units to ensure students make the correct associations between material taught in different contexts. Topics for the unit will include: an introduction to mechanics, which will be applied to the loading of structures, the dynamics of bodies and the behaviour of fluids; the behaviour and selection of materials; the basics of thermodynamics; and the principles of electrical science.
Your learning on this unit
1. Provide concise descriptions of key engineering terms and concepts and correctly identify when they apply to scenarios and problems.
2. Recall and apply fundamental mathematical techniques to more complex or layered problems of engineering significance.
3. Interpret problems and determine the correct path to the solution even when presented in an unfamiliar context.
4. Construct appropriate diagrams to aid in the solution of problems with clear annotations and supported by appropriate discussion.
5. Infer the assumptions and physical principles pertinent to a given engineering problem.
6. Execute calculations to determine quantities in correct SI units and present the results to an appropriate degree of precision.
7. Critique the solution to problems - accounting for simplifications, known limitations on methods and any experimental or observational data available.
