Conference Session

Programming, Virtual Reality, and Dynamic Systems

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anne-Marie A. Lerner, University of Wisconsin, Platteville

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

feedback about the relative challenge of individualproblems (“The A-problem was just like the example, but man, that B problem was wild!”)If, with careful monitoring, student learning is not going as planned, the instructor must beprepared to deviate from the previously planned progressive peer group. Variations on thismethod that the author has invoked include: having the entire class work on one problemtogether, nominally in groups of threes, but coming together as a class to work through thechallenging portions and discuss ideas on how to proceed. The author has also stoppedprogressive peer work to bring the entire class together to discuss a concept if it is clear there iswide-spread confusion or misconceptions. There have been times where

Conference Session

Engineering Laboratory Experiences

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cecilia Dianne Richards, Washington State University; Fanhe Shamus Meng; Bernard J. Van Wie, Washington State University; Paul B. Golter, Washington State University; Robert F. Richards, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

of 26 graduate students.Mr. Fanhe Shamus MengProf. Bernard J. Van Wie, Washington State University Prof. Bernard J. Van Wie did his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D., and postdoctoral work at the University of Oklahoma where he also taught as a visiting lecturer. He has been on the Washington State University faculty for 32 years and for the past 18 years has focused on innovative pedagogy research and technical research in biotechnology. His 2007-2008 Fulbright exchange to Nigeria set the stage for him to receive the Marian Smith Award given annually to the most innovative teacher at Washington State University.Dr. Paul B Golter, Washington State University Paul B. Golter obtained an MS and PhD Washington State University and

Conference Session

Machine Design Related

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Dennis O'Connor, California State University, Chico

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

removed for clarity. From the location and endpoint of the x-axis to units andtick-marks, the figure in (a) is typical of students not following instruction and relying heavily ondefault settings for plotting. In the more professional example (b), notice that all font is TimesNew Roman, inside minor and major ticks, proper axis titles with units, and the intersection ofthe x-axis at bottom. This student paid careful attention to the required formatting guidelines. (a) (b) Figure 3. Samples of student work from Activity I; (a) poor and (b) professional.B. Activity IIFor the second assignment, students were given an idealized loading condition for a cold-rolledsteel process as shown below

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids and Heat Transfer II

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert F. Richards, Washington State University; Fanhe Shamus Meng, Washington State University; Bernard J. Van Wie, Washington State University; Paul B. Golter, Ohio University; Arshan Nazempour, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

2007-2008 Fulbright exchange to Nigeria set the stage for him to receive the Marian Smith Award which was given annually to the most innovative teacher at WSU, and in 2016 he received the inaugural WSU Innovative Teaching Award based on the develop- ment and dissemination of hands-on desktop learning modules and their use in an interactive learning environment.Dr. Paul B. Golter, Ohio University Paul B. Golter obtained an M.S. and Ph.D. from Washington State University. His research area has been engineering education, specifically around the development and assessment of technologies to bring fluid mechanics and heat transfer laboratory experiences into the classroom. He is currently a Lecturer in Mechanical

Conference Session

Thermal Sciences

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Jackman, Iowa State University; Stephen B. Gilbert, Iowa State University; Gloria Starns, Iowa State University; Mathew Hagge, Iowa State University; LeAnn E Faidley, Wartburg College

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

flat.Answer the following questions: a) How much power, in horsepower, is required to accelerate the car? b) How much energy is required to push the Yaris the 1/4 mile to the service station? c) How long will it take to push the vehicle to the service station?Think-Aloud ProtocolExpanding on the work of Leonard et al. (1996) who categorized problem framing activities into(1) major principles and concepts that are relevant to the problem, (2) justification for includingthose principles and concepts, and (3) a procedure that can be applied to find the solution, wedefined the following categories based on initial data obtained from the Smart pens whenstudents solved statics and thermodynamics problems. Our protocol for problem framing wasdefined

Conference Session

Using Laboratories for Instruction in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul E. Slaboch, St. Martin's University; Floraliza Bornasal, Oregon State University; Rico Picone, Saint Martin's University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Paper ID #17148A Pilot Study of a Novel Set of Three Courses for Teaching Electrical SystemAnalysis to Mechanical Engineering StudentsDr. Paul E. Slaboch, St. Martin’s University Dr. Slaboch is an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Master of Mechanical Engineering program at St. Martin’s University. His main research areas are experimental fluid mechanics and heat transfer with a focus on vortical flows and aircraft wake turbulence.Dr. Floraliza Bornasal, Oregon State University Floraliza B. Bornasal is an Assistant Professor at Saint Martin’s University. Her research explores engi

Conference Session

Communication Across the Divisions II: Communication and Transdisciplinary Pedagogies

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brock E. Barry P.E., U.S. Military Academy; Daniel J. Fox, U.S. Military Academy; Robert M. Wendel, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering, Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering, Technological and Engineering Literacy/Philosophy of Engineering

. Caswell, Body language for competent teachers. 1993, London ; New York: Routledge. xvii, 206 p.19. Hartley, G. and M. Karinch, I can read you like a book : how to spot the messages and emotions people are really sending with their body language. 2007, Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press. 287 p.20. Matsumoto, D., Culture and nonverbal behavior, in The SAGE Handbook of Nonverbal Communication, V.L. Manusov and M.L. Patterson, Editors. 2006, Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, Calif. p. 219-236.21. Neill, S.C., Chris, Body language for competent teachers. 1993: Routledge.22. Pease, A. and B. Pease, The definitive book of body language. Bantam hardcover ed. 2006, New York: Bantam Books. xiii, 386 p.23. Riggio, R.E. and R.S

Conference Session

Hands-on/Experiential Learning

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daria A Kotys-Schwartz, University of Colorado Boulder; Chiang Shih, Florida A&M University/Florida State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

research collaborations between FSU, Pitt, UNIFEI, and UFPR 3.2 Create self-sustaining research collaborations between U.S. and Brazilian engineering faculty at the consortium universities 3.3 Create long-term teaching collaborations between U.S. and Brazilian engineering faculty at the consortium universitiesExpected U.S. Student OutcomesAfter completing the FIPSE-SEAEP exchange program, it was expected that studentswill: a. Be able to demonstrate proficiency in the Portuguese language (in oral and written form) b. Be able to explain and recognize the cultural differences between Brazilian and U.S. engineers c. Be able to explain the implications of designing and fabricating engineering products

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Ma Muktadir, North Carolina A&T State University; Sun Yi, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. ML Output (new data Input (Data) (algorithm) prediction) Figure 1: Flowchart of ML.The main difference between supervised and unsupervised ML is input date. In supervisedlearning, input data are labeled before the algorithm works, for example, for a set of imageslabeled as rough surface and smooth surface. In contrast, an unsupervised learning algorithmdoes the jobs, which means input data remain unlabeled. In this study, supervised ML has beenused with the PointNet Neural Network [12].b. Defect detection with pointnet neural network [12]Researchers are transforming the 3D images into the Point

Conference Session

Statics and Dynamics: What's New?

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kazem Abhary, University of South Australia

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

joint, say, Ana = angular position of the force at joint, say, Aoi = coefficient of friction between link i and the foundationo ij = coefficient of friction between links i and j Esi = angular-position of position-vector Ri depicting link iyi = angular velocity of link iEaa = acceleration vector of joint, say, AEai = acceleration vector of the centroid of link iE E EA = force at joint A (joint-force A . Similarly joint-force B at joint B etc.)E EAi = component of joint-force A along link iEfi = inertia-force vector of link ifi

Conference Session

Dynamics

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeremiah J. Neubert, University of North Dakota; Joel Kevin Ness, University of North Dakota

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. The supervisors consisted of a diverse set of junior and senior engineering studentsthat received a B or better in dynamics. At the beginning of the meeting the supervisor wouldlook over each student’s homework to ensure they attempted all the problems. Then eachstudent was asked to present a portion of their problem set. The problems selected by thesupervisors for students to present were those that required the application of important anddifficult concepts covered in the course.Each student in the group would be asked to present a portion of their solution using awhiteboard. The portion assigned was selected so that the presentation would require about tenminutes. Students were allowed to use their notes, but expected to explain each step

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 8

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Philip Jackson, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Paper ID #23654A Study of Voluntary Problem Sets on Student Interest, Motivation, and Per-formanceDr. Philip Jackson, University of Florida Dr. Philip B. Jackson earned B.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering as well as an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, all from the University of Florida. He is currently a faculty member at the Institute for Excellence in Engineering Education at the University of Florida. There he specializes in implementing innovative methods of instruction in undergraduate courses on dynamics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics. His research interests include

Conference Session

Mechanical Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Satyajeet P. Deshpande, Kolano and Saha Engineers, Inc.; Mohan D. Rao, Tennessee Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

most widely used is the Bruel & Kjaer (B&K) impedance tube Type 4206 [12].This tube has become almost the industry standard in acoustic applications. It is well-built withquality materials and has proven to produce consistent results for industrial and otherapplications. The objective of this work was to develop a low-cost alternative to this tube foreducational use especially in developing countries where cost is a primary issue for promotinghands-on educational activities. We wanted to use a PVC tube, an inexpensive speaker, studiomicrophones and off-the-shelf materials for the construction of the tube. A low-end laptop withintegrated sound card was used for data acquisition and custom developed MATLAB softwarewith a Graphical User

Conference Session

Thermodynamics

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John R. Reisel, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

thequiz format is that it will help student learning by (a) prompting students to keep up withmaterial as it is being taught in class and (b) reduce text anxiety / pressure on the students, bydistributing the evaluation into smaller parts. Each quiz is worth 11% of the grade in the QuizMethod, and each examination is work 27.5% of the final grade in the Examination Method. Bymaking each testing instrument worth a lower percentage, it is thought that students will feel lesspressure when taking each quiz. However, this may also reduce the level of effort that studentsplace on preparing for each quiz. In addition, the Examination Method may prepare studentsbetter for the longer (2 hour) final examination, although students should be familiar with

Conference Session

Learning and Assessment in ME 2

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathryn Anne Wingate, Georgia Institute of Technology; Robert Kadel, Georgia Institute of Technology; Amanda G. Madden, C21U

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

AboveisrodOA,whichisaXachedtoanotherrod,AB.AssumethatrodABisstrong enoughandnotpartoftheproblem.RodOAhasadiameterof4cm.AforceF=1000N isappliedinthe–xdirec=onattheendoftherodOA,andaforceP=500Nisappliedin the–ydirec=onatpointB.AssumethatrodOAismadeofaduc=lemetal,andisfixed toawallonthele_side.PointOisonthetopoftherodintheXZplane. 1)ArethereanybendingmomentsortorquespresentatpointO?Chooseallthatapply. A)NotorqueF)Abendingmomentof-250N*m B)NobendingmomentG)Atorqueof500N*m C)Atorqueof50N*mH)Abendingmomentof-500N*m D)Abendingmomentof-50N*mI)Atorqueof100N*m E)Atorqueof-250N*mJ

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jenifer Blacklock, Colorado School of Mines; Jered H Dean, Colorado School of Mines

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

;   b. identify  the  stakeholders  for  an  engineering  challenge  and  identify   their  needs;   c. prioritize  stakeholder  needs  and  determine  appropriate  ways  to   engage  them  for  a  given  engineering  challenge;   d. define  a  set  of  engineering  requirements  for  an  engineering  challenge;   Page 26.1466.6 e. articulate  the  functional  and/or  spatial  basis  of  an  engineering   challenge;   f. create  a  verification  plan1

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Dynamics II - Feel the Vibe

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Kurt M. DeGoede, Elizabethtown College

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

/formatting, Excellent (4): outstanding report. As with the Mastery examsassessments, the four scores are averaged at the end of the semester for grading (Table 2).Altogether, students earn a C-level grade by demonstrating competency on the proficiency levelexams combined with “fair” work on take-home applications of the material. B-level gradesrequire some combination of stronger work in the take-home applications or demonstratinghigher-order mastery of some of the course topics. A-level grades require both strong work onthe application assignments and full mastery of most of the course topics.Table 2: Grading Summary. Grading System Proficiency

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Raviv, Florida Atlantic University; Daniel Ryan Barb, Florida Atlantic University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

be used by teachers and students in the classroom, but it is primarily designedwith the long-term goal of large-scale web-based dissemination, targeting those who prefer self-paced and self-learning friendly environments. Examples of Statics concepts that the author andhis team plan to develop and integrate into the learning experience include: (a) games, (b)puzzles and teasers, (c) animations, (d) visual and intuitive daily-experiences-based examples,(e) movies and short video clips, (f) demonstrations, (g) hands-on activities (including thosebased on virtual reality and augmented reality), (h) team and communication exercises, (i) small-scale inquiry-based research, (j) presentations and peer-based teaching/learning, (k) visual click-based

Conference Session

Statics and Dynamics in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Alan Bowling, University of Texas, Arlington; Ashley Guy; Frasier Jones, University of Texas, Arlington; Maria Adamuti-Trache, University of Texas, Arlington

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Orientationown judgment in setting up and addressing theparticulars of a problem. Students learn how to address each module Startin Figure 1, each of which has specific outputsthat require the application of basic concepts Figure 1: Problem Solving Process.in kinematics and dynamics. They eventuallycombine these outputs to obtain the equations of motion. It is easier to illustrate thisstructure using the simple example in Figure 2 11 . The problem statement is: The double inclined plane supports two blocks A and B, each having a weight of 10lb. If the coefficient of kinetic friction between the blocks and the plane is µk = 0.1, determine the acceleration of each block. Assume the pulley is massless.The next sections

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brent A Nelson, Northern Arizona University; Constantin Ciocanel, Northern Arizona University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Page 22.42.73.3 Conceptual Understanding ResultsTable 1 shows the average exam scores and standard deviations for each of the exams given inME450, during or after the design project was in process. The scores are shown separately forboth the conceptual portion of the exams and the problem-solving analytical portion of theexams. Table 1 also shows the percentage of students scoring above 80%, which both gives anindication of the skewness of the grade distribution since the means are close to 80% and alsoindicates the percentage of students demonstrating proficiency at the „B‟ level or higher in thesubject. Finally, Table 1 also shows p-values for t-tests comparing student performance onvarious parts of the exams. For midterms one and two, a

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 9

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James E. Bluman, U.S. Military Academy; Aaron St. Leger, U.S. Military Academy; Christopher Michael Korpela, U. S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

flexible link, recognizing that there are no truly rigidsystems. The similarity between the device used in the state-control lab and a tank turret, shownin Figure 2, is not lost on the students. (a) (b) Figure 2. Comparison of a M1 tank turret [7] (a) and the flexible link rotary servomechanism [8] (b) used in the state-control lab The state-space control laboratory is comprised of three distinct parts: pre-laboratoryexercise, laboratory exercise, and laboratory reporting. The students first complete a pre-labexercise which covers the modeling, controller design, and simulation. The system to becontrolled is a flexible link attached to a DC motor (two

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions - Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Green, LeTourneau University; Carolyn Conner Seepersad, University of Texas, Austin; Katja Holtta-Otto, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

unsolicitedcomments from students after class such as “thank you for doing this [assistive] project.” Figure 2: Automated Pill Dispenser Prototype, Accommodating Multiple Disabilities (Functional prototype and photo by “Team #18”: B. Ludwig, N. Bryant, and C. Schults)3.2 Course Background: 3rd Year Design Methods rdThe 3 year Design Methods course strengthens and extends the foundational conceptsintroduced in 1st year Cornerstones Design for all engineering and engineering technologymajors, excluding materials joining and civil engineering (60-90 students per year.) Studentsexplore a variety of engineering design methods through a semester-long reverse-engineering re-design team project. Example topics include: planning the

Conference Session

Thermal Fluid Experiment Related

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Matthew J. Ford, Cornell University; Soheil Fatehiboroujeni, Cornell University; Hadas Ritz, Cornell University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Students were given areport template for each lab to provide a standard format and to give examples of good writingpractices. Each successive template included less pre-written content. (a) (b) (c) Figure 1: Three examples of student-designed experiments for Lab 4: (a) Folded “accordion spring” design. (b) Torsional spring. (c) Diametral tension test.Peer-teaching video activitiesAlongside the second and third lab activities, students were asked to create and share 5-minutevideos about mechanical testing. For the second lab, students recorded a low-fidelitydemonstration of the uniaxial tension test with household materials, describing the importantaspects of specimen design

Conference Session

Materials, Manufacturing, and Machine Component Design

Collection

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Relmane Baptiste, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; DeOndre L Clark Jr, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Payam Matin, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

considered for the capacitance of C1 and C3 capacitors.5% tolerance is considered for the resistance of R2, R3 and R4 resistors.Finally, 10% tolerance is considered for the capacitance of C2 capacitors. Figure 12 Multisim Simulation with added tolerances.With the tolerances included, the simulation is conducted again. The results are obtained andsummarized in table 6. Table 6 Improvement of Multisim SimulationAs a result of the added tolerances, a significantly large improvement has been observed with thepercentage of error.Design of Power Supply CasingThe prototype circuit needs to be placed in a housing for permanent operation. Figure 13 (a) and(b) show the front and back view of the solid model of

Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Benjamin Liaw, City College of the City University of New York; Ioana Voiculescu, City College of the City University of New York

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

backgroundknowledge from Mechanics of Materials is needed, students are asked to solve this problemthrough the following steps: (a) Generate a free-body diagram to determine if the beam is statically determinate or indeterminate. (b) Find the reactions and the shear and moment distributions if the beam is statically Page 12.216.5 determinate. (c) Obtain the beam deflection and slope based on the results in Step (b) if the beam is statically determinate. On the other hand, if the beam is statically indeterminate, obtain the reactions, the shear and moment distributions, and the beam deflection and slope using the more

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

N.M. A. Hossain, Eastern Washington University; Martin W. Weiser, Eastern Washington University, Engineering and Design Department; Hani S. Saad, Eastern Washington University; Jason K. Durfee, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

determine temperature distribution along arectangular fin subjected to heat loss through convection. The length, width and thickness of the Page 22.930.3fin are L, b and t, respectively as shown in Figure 1 below.Figure 1: Physical model of a rectangular fin. The figure is taken from ANSYS documentation5.The base of the fin is kept at a constant temperature Tw and the following assumptions areconsidered to determine the temperature distribution along the length directions. a) Heat is transferred to the fin via its base due to conduction. b) Heat is flowing in one dimension only, along the length axis of the fin. c) No

Conference Session

Delivery Methods in Mechanical Engineering Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Zahra Shahbazi, Manhattan College; sina Shahbazmohamadi, University of Connecticut

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

more interested My classmate & I work together to help each other to understand materialCollaborativelearning I believe I will get better grade by participating in group work I would like to practice this type of group study in my other courses I learn more effective and understand material better by: a. Instructor solving examples in class (traditional method)Studentsoverall b. Instructor giving comments andpreference answer questions while we are solving problems in group (Group assignment done in class

Conference Session

Mechatronics in the Curriculum

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Garrett M. Clayton, Villanova University; Rebecca A. Stein, University of Pennsylvania

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

motor – consists of the brushes and magnets). Figure 2: Simplified schematic of the internal parts of a PMDC motor.The magnet and coil enable the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy. Ascurrent i (from the battery) flows through a magnetic field B, a force F is applied to the coil, ,where L is the length of the coil. This results in a torque 2 ,that spins the motor. Note that r is the distance from the centerline of the rotor to the coil.The brushes (stationary) and commutator (rotates) serve two purposes. First, they enable transferof current from the stationary power source (in this case shown as a

Conference Session

Statics and Dynamics: What's New?

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mina Hoorfar, University of British Columbia Okanagan; Homayoun Najjaran, University of British Columbia Okanagan; William Cleghorn, University of Toronto

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

classroom to demonstratethe “undercutting problem,” which is a complicated design problem that typically puzzles thestudents. Both examples begin with an undercut condition, which is detected automatically in theCamDesign program. Subsequently, appropriate changes are suggested by the program that areused to resolve the undercut design.Example 1 - The first example involves a flat face translating follower. The design requirementsin terms of geometrical and kinematic properties of the cam and follower mechanism are shownin Table 1. Fig. 2(a) shows the resulting cam profile, and Fig. 2(b) is the warning messagegenerated by the program that reports the undercutting problem and provides a solution forresolving the undercut design.Table 1 – Design

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Feeling the Heat - Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Daniel Raviv, Florida Atlantic University; Daniel Ryan Barb, Florida Atlantic University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

with 35 students in a Thermodynamics coursein classroom setting and assessed following the lecture. The results, as summarized in theAppendix, indicate that this teaching method is effective in helping students understand theconcept of entropy. In our efforts to effectively communicate the concept of entropy we have made somesmall sacrifices in scientific accuracy, and sidestepped more complicated explanations. B. Assumptions about Prior Knowledge of the Students In order to effectively focus on the idea of entropy, this paper makes assumptionsregarding the reader’s prior knowledge. They include a basic understanding of the Zeroth, First,and Second Laws of Thermodynamics, the concept of equilibrium, the meaning of an