Glossary 345
artifi cial selection: The intentional selection of
specifi c traits from animals or plants to make
more prominent through breeding with
similar animals. (11)
assembly drawing: A type of working drawing
that shows how different parts fi t together to
create the entire object. (5)
assumption: An idea that is believed to be true
and used in engineering design. (6)
astronautics: The study of manned and
unmanned craft outside the earth’s
atmosphere. (13)
atom: A microscopic building block of matter,
made up of electrons, protons, and
neutrons. (8)
autonomous robot: An advanced robot that is
programmed to respond to the world around
it. (12)
B
batch chemical plant operations: A type of
operation where chemicals are fed into the
system, the chemical process takes place, and
the materials are removed. (15)
battery: An electrical connection of two or more
cells. (8)
beam: The structural member that carries
horizontal loads. (9)
beam bridge: The simplest type of bridge used
to span the shortest distance. (9)
bearing: A metal piece that is used to reduce
friction with shafts by using smooth metal
balls inside circular pieces of metal that fi t
around the shaft. (10)
belt: A band of material that is used to link and
transmit energy between pulleys. (10)
bending: A force that causes a structure to sag
when placed in the middle of it. (9)
Bernoulli theory of lift: The theory that states
the airfoils being more curved on the top,
so air traveling over the wing has to travel
farther than the air traveling under the
wing, causes the air fl owing over the wing
to fl ow faster relative to the wing than
the air fl owing under the wing, causing
a low pressure zone above the wing and,
therefore, lift. (13)
bimetallic temperature measurement device:
A device that relies on the concept that
different metals expand and contract due to
temperature at different rates. (15)
binary code: The system of representing
information in only 1s and 0s. (12)
biochemical conversion: A method of
bioconversion that uses enzymes and other
microorganisms to convert biomass materials
into energy sources. (11)
bioengineering: A fi eld that uses biological
organisms and tools to help humans and
other species live. (1, 11)
biomass: Biological materials that are used
as a source of energy to produce heat or
electricity. (11)
biomaterial: A substance that interacts with
living systems. (7)
bioplastic: A type of material that looks, feels,
and functions much like traditional plastics
that were made from petroleum products.
Bioplastics are made from renewable
biomass sources, such as corn starch, pea
starch, glucose, vegetable oil, potatoes, and
cane sugar. (15)
biotechnology: The use of tools and resources
to manipulate or model living organisms to
meet human needs and wants. (11)
block fl ow diagram: An extremely basic
representation of major processes in a
plant. (15)
Bourdon-style pressure gauge: A type of gauge
that uses coils of tubing. The shape of the coil
changes in relation to the pressure changes.
The coil is connected to the needle through a
mechanical linkage. As the pressure changes,
the needle moves. (15)
brace: A structural member used to provide
structural stability. (9)
brainstorming: A technique for ideation that
involves generating ideas in order to develop
solutions. (2)
brainstorming web: A method of linking
different ideas together by fi nding
commonalities between them. (3)
buckyball: A carbon sphere made up of a series
of hexagons and pentagons, similar to a
miniature soccer ball. (7)