WHAT DO ENGINEERS DO Engineers use math and science to solve problems Often this process involves designing machines or structures Machines include cars and computers Structures include buildings and bridges Engineers even design whole systems In a system many parts connect to form a whole The parts also affect one A mechanical engineer uses a computer to design an engine 5 CHAPTER 1
another For example a city’s roads form a system Traffic on one road can affect movement on nearby roads Engineers plan systems to work smoothly There are many different kinds of engineers Some design bridges and buildings Others design tools for the LEARNING THE BASICS Engineers study the physical world and how it works They study sciences such as physics and chemistry Physics is the science of matter movement and energy It looks at the basic building blocks of matter It studies how objects move And it studies how energy changes forms Chemistry also studies matter It looks at how matter changes In addition it looks at creating new substances 6
human body Some engineers work to improve cars Others design robots to do different tasks But all engineers work to solve problems and benefit humankind BRANCHES OF ENGINEERING MECHANICAL CIVIL Aerospace Engineering Structural Engineering Biomedical Engineering Architectural Engineering Automotive Engineering Transportation Engineering ELECTRICAL CHEMICAL Computer Engineering Environmental Engineering Electronics Engineering Materials Engineering Robotics Engineering Agricultural Engineering MANAGEMENT GEOTECHNICAL Industrial Engineering Petroleum Engineering Systems Engineering Geological Engineering Manufacturing Engineering Mining Engineering 7
