Engineers use a design process to invent or improve machines. What is the first step in this design process?

A student team designs a device to meet a human need. Then the students build a prototype.

Which of these best describes the purpose of a prototype?

Why should engineers test their designs?

Which is a true statement about the work of engineers and the work of scientists?

Why do scientists follow the design process?

Engineers designed a machine that will decrease air pollution. What is the main purpose of telling others about this machine?

Jason and Luis have designed and tested a tool to help them construct a backyard birdhouse. Now they are writing a summary of their conclusions.

What will these conclusions communicate?

An endoscope is a probe that doctors use to examine parts of the body from the inside.

Which scientific word describes an endoscope?

The objects on Maria’s shelves are disorganized and often fall to the floor. She thinks of four ways to solve this problem and numbers her designs 1, 2, 3, and 4. For each design, she builds a prototype and tests it. She records data on how well each design meets her criteria.

Which design best meets Maria’s criteria?

Engineers want to develop a more efficient dishwasher by decreasing the running time and the amount of water used per cycle. They design and test four different dishwasher prototypes. The bar graph shows the results of their tests.

Which model best meets the design criteria?