The engineering tag has no wiki summary.
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0answers
154 views
Centrifugal Compressor Flow Rate
For a centrifugal compressor, as found in most turbochargers on internal combustion engines, is there a noticeable change in flow rate versus a naturally aspirated flow rate? In other words, does the ...
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2answers
109 views
How Safe Are Heat Ray Guns?
Could a little meddling with the frequencies of the Heat Ray Gun beam result in frying crowds rather than dispersing them?
2
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2answers
206 views
Piston movements in four stroke cycle?
I was reading about a four stroke cycle. Here's what I understood:
In the first stroke, the piston starts at the top and moves down.
In the second stroke, the piston moves upwards.
In the third ...
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3answers
2k views
Factors affecting torque and RPM of a motor
I'm not a physics guy, not even basic concept of a DC motor is easy for me. My question is, how these parts of a motor affects it's RPM and Torque? I had my research a while ago so I filled out some, ...
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2answers
347 views
Does “Air caterpillar” exist or even possible?
Air-Elf Aircraft Concept Is Able to Take-off or Land Vertically
Air-Elf aircraft concept is to solve road congestion. The core of the
concept is a new type of wing, “Air Caterpillar”. It can be
...
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1answer
322 views
Ping pong ball levitation control system question, modeling as a damper?
I am building a control system to levitate a ping pong ball at a given height in a clear plastic tube using an arduino and implementing PID control.
I have to come up with a transfer function... I am ...
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1answer
175 views
I want to recreate a phenomenon I've noticed from our water tank
I'm trying to recreate a phenomenon I have noticed from our water tank at home. Ok so we have a deep well pump that fills our water tank everyday. But something odd always happen everytime the water ...
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1answer
209 views
How to find the value of the parameter a in this transfer function? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How to find the value of the parameter $a$ in this transfer function?
I am given a transfer function of a second-order system as:
$$G(s)=\frac{a}{s^{2}+4s+a}$$
and I ...
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1answer
83 views
How to find the value of the parameter $a$ in this transfer function?
I am given a transfer function of a second-order system as:
$$G(s)=\frac{a}{s^{2}+4s+a}$$
and I need to find the value of the parameter $a$ that will make the damping coefficient $\zeta=.7$. I am not ...
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3answers
1k views
Could a real-life X-Wing fly in Earth's atmosphere?
From an aerodynamic point of view, could a full-size aircraft of X-Wing design fly in Earth's atmosphere? Assuming you were free to add control surfaces here and there, could the wings in open ...
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0answers
76 views
Simplifying a biquadratic filter equation [closed]
I am trying to calculate input impedance of a multiple feedback low pass filter. What I need is the symbolic expression as simple as possible so that later I fill in the values and get the impedance ...
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1answer
227 views
Why is the optimum wheel size of a bicycle about the same as that of a car?
The optimum wheel diameter of cars and bikes appear to be roughly the same, certainly well within an order of magnitude. This is despite very different average speeds and propulsion mechanisms.
Can ...
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1answer
162 views
Why does aircraft tail not project down from the fuselage? [closed]
Just what the title states; I was browsing photographs and it struck me how aircraft tails typically 'stand' atop the fuselage. A few aircraft (think it dates to the 40s-50s) have a tail that projects ...
2
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1answer
317 views
How does holographic radar work?
I'm trying to figure out how the mechanics of holographic radar work.
AFAIK there is a continuous 3d transmission signal (a dome-shaped antenna?)
But because there isn't a direction or time-domain, ...
2
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3answers
508 views
Statics software for structural engineering
I'm attempting to expand my knowledge of engineering software. I've found comsol and ansys for acoustics and thermodynamics/fluid dynamics (not necessarily in that order), now I'd like to see if I can ...
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4answers
316 views
What is a strain gauge and how do I use one?
As the title says, I have no idea what these things are or how to get or use one. Can I receive a simple explanation or links to one? I'm a computer engineer so I have very little physics/mechanical ...
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2answers
739 views
Calculation of the maximum load to the bar
Looking for a way of calculating the maximum weight (W) to the rod with the given length (L) where the rod did not break and that only bend for (b) mm.
Need only approximative solution (read: ...
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0answers
109 views
How did Shockley, Bardeen, and Brattain get purified germanium and dope it correctly?
They obviously didn't have precision semiconductor fabricating tools themselves running with semiconductor parts inside because there were none. We have so much advanced machinery to weigh out, ...
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4answers
974 views
Why do aircraft inner wings lose lift when turning?
first question here, so please be gentle!
I'm reading an entry-level engineering course book and am currently up to discussion of aircraft design.
There's one particular statement that is unclear to ...
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3answers
3k views
Yield Strength versus Ultimate Strength
What is the qualitative difference between these two:
As seen on the table Typical yield and ultimate strengths.
I am trying to resolve the meaning of the phrase "contact yield stress" from C. ...
3
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1answer
251 views
Tear drop shape
i heard that a tear drop shap is the most aerodynamic shape possible or the best is this true? If this isn't true what is since i need to make a fast ROV? Also since i need to have a propeller to ...
5
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2answers
6k views
Hollow Tube Stronger than Solid bar of same Outside Diameter (O.D.)?
I was listening to some co-workers talking about problems meeting stiffness requirements. Someone said that even with a solid metal rod (instead of the existing tube) we could not meet stiffness ...
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2answers
559 views
Calculate the weight a simple plank can support
I'd like to build a simple desk; just a single plank of wood (or a few side-by-side) with solid supports on each end of the desk. What I'm trying to figure out is how thick a plank I want to use for ...
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2answers
259 views
History of the use of the concept of phase space in engineering
Engineering textbooks constantly use the concept of 'phase space' (see e.g. http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~baraff/sigcourse/notesc.pdf). That is, they think of the state of a mechanical system as a ...
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4answers
467 views
Why do Engineers manipulate coordinate systems? [closed]
When tackling a physics problem, An Engineer will manipulate the axes/coordinate system where a Mathematicians and/or Physicists will use the original coordinate system and math. Why do Engineers ...
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2answers
1k views
Shape of Fan Blades
How is the shape of the blades of an air fan determined? Trial and error, or is there a theory behind it? What are they trying to maximize, volume of air dislocated per rotation?
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1answer
2k views
How does a digital radio tuner work?
I believe I understand how tuning a radio with an analog tuner works: turning the dial physically changes the length of the antenna, which determines which broadcast wavelength will resonate in the ...
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5answers
353 views
Tsunami dampening mechanisms
Encouraged by the zeitgeist let me ask the following:
Is it feasible (now or in the future) to build systems a certain distance of a vulnerable coastline which can serve to dampen a tsunami before it ...
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3answers
5k views
What is the difference between a moment and a couple?
In mechanical engineering, the torque due to a couple is given by $\tau = P\times d$, where $\tau$ is the resulting couple, $P~$ is one of the force vectors in the couple and $d$ is the arm of the ...
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3answers
309 views
How does solar activity affect the ISS?
Currently the sun is launching some intense solar flares.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/feb/17/solar-flares-northern-lights-uk
Th article I've linked also mentions how a "coronal mass ...
