The ADVANTAGES OF MACHINE

Tech.ENGINEERING

     A MACHINE

Summary

In this lesson, students learn about work as defined by physical science and see that work is made easier through the use of simple machines. Already encountering simple machines everyday, students will be learn about their widespread uses in improving everyday life. This lesson serves as the starting point for the Simple Machines Unit.

Engineering Connection

Simple machines are the building blocks for many of the mechanical devices - both ancient and very modern - used by society for improving everyday challenges. Both high- and low-tech cultures use simple machines to accomplish daily tasks and improve our lives. Engineers draw upon their understanding of the six simple machines when they are inventing new, or refinining existing, machines.

Educational Standards 

 Common Core State Standards: Math

 International Technology and Engineering Educators Association: Technology

 Colorado: Math

 Colorado: Science

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Learning Objectives

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Recognize and identify the six simple machines.
• Define the concept of work.
• Explain why engineers are interested in simple machines.

Introduction/Motivation

Today we are going to talk about a particular kind of work as defined by physical scientists and used by engineers. According to engineering and science, work is the energy it takes to move an object. Associated with this definition is a mathematical concept which will be used throughout this unit:

Work = [Force Applied] x [Distance the Object Moved]

What is one thing we want to accomplish whenever we have to do work? (Answer: We want our work to be easier – unless, for example, we are athletes training for a competition; then we know it's going to be very hard, no matter what.) Finding ways to make work easier is what drives people to invent (better) machines. Machines allow us to do many things quicker or with less effort. They also enable us to do things that we otherwise would not be able to do.

What are some inventions in our classroom? (Example answers: pencil sharpener, fan, sink faucet.) Do you have any ideas about what the inventor was thinking about when she or he designed it? (Example answers: They wanted to make it easier to sharpen my pencil to a nice point, bring cool air into a room or bring water from ground to sink for use.) Remember that the aim of machines is to make our work easier or perhaps more enjoyable. How has the machine you thought of made an impact on you and society? (Example answer: Pencil sharpeners can be found in almost every classroom; pencils have continued to be a popular tool for writing.)

Just as bricks are an essential part of a brick home, there are fundamental parts of machines as well. These fundamental parts are known as simple machines. Simple machines can exist on their own and are also sometimes hidden in the mechanical devices around you. There are six simple machines that can be found in many everyday items:

(Note: The following machines may be presented on an overhead or listed on the board.)

• Inclined Plane – An inclined plane is a ramp that reduces the force needed to move an object. Consequently, the object must travel a longer distance. Inclined planes were used by the Egyptians to build the pyramids.
• Screw – A screw is an inclined plane that is wrapped around a cylinder. Examples of screws include: fasteners that are used to attach wood or metal; lifting screws that are used to lift heavy objects and dig holes; and bolts that are used with nuts to keep things together.
• Wedge – The wedge is two inclined planes put together. It can be used to split things apart, such as an ax, or to hold things, such as a doorstop.
• Lever – A lever consists of a bar that rotates around a pivot point called the fulcrum. Levers make work easier by applying force over a longer distance. This means the same work is done with less applied force. Examples of levers included a seesaw and the human arm.
• Wheel-and-Axel – A wheel-and-axel is a wheel attached to a rod or stick. It works similarly to a lever, in that, considering movement about the circumference, the distance the wheel-circle moves is much greater then the distance the smaller axel-circle moves.
• Pulley – A pulley is a wheel with a groove for a rope. When something is attached to the rope, it can be moved by pulling on the other end that has looped around the pulley.

Keep in mind that the amount of work needed to move an object a certain distance is always the same. Basically, that means that it will always take the same amount of work to move an object from point A to Point B no matter how you get it there. The simple machines do not change the total amount of work that you have to do, but they change how it feels to do that work.

Here again is the equation we will use to calculate work in this unit.

Work = Force x Distance

Let's make sure that we understand this equation. Force is any push or pull, such as gravity pulling on a falling apple or me pushing a table. Watch me as I push this book across a table. Was I doing work when I moved the book? (Answer: Working. Each time a person pushes or pulls an object and moves it, that person does work.) How about when I push against the wall? It does not move, so am I actually doing work? (Answer: No, even though you are straining yourself, the wall does not move, so there is no work involved.)

What are the units of force? They are called newtons (named after Isaac Newton, who watched an apple fall from a tree and came up with the concept of gravity). The units of distance are meters. Work is measured by a unit called a joule. So, newtons (symbolized by N) multiplied by meters (m) equals the unit joule (J).

The other thing we want to learn about these simple machines is their mechanical advantage, or the extent at which a machine makes work easier for us. Engineers use this concept when deciding what size of simple machine is best for a particular activity. For instance, an engineer may decide to use a crane (a lever) to lift a heavy, steel beam at a construction site. She can use mechanical advantage to answer the following important question, "How long should the lever arm be and how much force should be applied at the other end to lift this steel beam?"

Which do you think would be easier: to lift a bowling ball straight up above your head or to roll it up a ramp to the same height? Most people would agree that rolling it up the ramp would be easier. Now, remember that no matter which method you use to get the ball to the specified height, according to science, you actually do the same amount of work either way.

Let's say I applied 8 newtons of force and lifted the bowling ball up 2 meters. The total work of moving the ball up 2 meters would be, as defined by our equation: the product of 8 N (the force) and 2 m (the distance) equals 16 J (the work).

Now, if we roll the ball up a ramp that is 4 meters long, with what force do we have to push it in order for the total amount of work to equal 16 joules? (Answer: 4 newtons) So with the ramp, which, coincidentally, is a simple machine known as the inclined plane, we were able to cut in half the force we needed to exert on the ball. The mechanical advantage of the inclined plane is the "force to do the work" divided by the "force to do the same work with the assistance of a machine." So what is the mechanical advantage of this particular inclined plane? (Answer: 2) Figure 2 illustrates the mechanical advantage of an inclined plane.

Figure 2. The mechanical advantage of an inclined plane.

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Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

The six simple machines — the lever, inclined plane, wedge, screw, wheel and pulley, and axle — are widely recognized throughout society. However, there is some discord regarding the exact understanding of simple machines. Some engineers, for instance, call gears the seventh simple machine. Physicists classify simple machines into two big categories: levers and gears. In his book, Elements of Machines, Leonardo DaVinci listed twenty-two different simple machines. Regardless of the many different classifications, there is one common thread: all simple machines make work easier.

One way to measure the magnitude by which simple machines make work easier is through calculating mechanical advantage. There is one unifying concept behind mechanical advantage for all six simple machines, but unfortunately, they each are calculated differently. In the following two lessons of this unit, students will learn how to calculate mechanical advantage for each machine. The overarching theme is that we want to know how much less force is needed to do the same amount of work. The mechanical advantage number (see equation below) is the ratio of force applied without a machine to the force applied with a machine to do a particular amount of work. In this lesson, when calculating work and mechanical advantage, we use metric units.

Mechanical Advantage = [force applied to do work] / [force applied to do work with help of machine]

There are three units of measurement needed throughout the Simple Machines unit. Force is measured in units of newtons. These units are named after Isaac Newton (1643-1727) who is considered the father of classical mechanics; i.e., the description of moving objects. The other unit is the meter, which has Greek and Latin origins. The final unit we will be using describes the product of newtons and meters which are joules. These units were named after a 19th century physicist James Prescott Joule who studied heat and related this phenomenon to energy. Interestingly, heat, energy and work all use the same units of measurement: joules.

Vocabulary/Definitions

Force: Any push or pull.

Joule: International System of Units (SI) for energy, heat and work.

Meter: SI unit for length

Metric Units: Units of measurement as defined under the International System of Units (SI).

Newton: SI unit for force.

Simple Machine: The fundamental parts of any machine. Simple machines can exist on their own and are also sometimes hidden in the mechanical devices around you. Six simple machines can be found in many everyday items: screw, lever, axel and wheel, pulley, wedge and inclined plane.

Work: The energy it takes to move an object some distance.

Associated Activities

• A Simple Solution for the Circus - Students are challenged in this activity to design a device using simple machines to move an elephant six feet, within several constraints.

Lesson Closure

What are some simple machines in this classroom? (Example answers include: The doorstop is a wedge, a desktop that opens is a lever, screws hold our chairs together and a pulley might move our blinds up and down.) What is work? (Answer: Work is the energy it takes to move an object a certain distance. The equation we will use for work is: force multiplied by distance.) Why are engineers interested in simple machines? Engineers use the concepts of simple machines to invent many mechanical devices to improve everyday challenges. In addition, various engineering tasks can be completed or more easily accomplished through the use of simple machines. Essentially, simple machines help improve society through making life's tasks much easier.

Reson to go for IT & TECHNOLOGY Field

Tech.ENGINEERING

IT or Information Technology is a very diverse sector that encompasses many different jobs and a wide variety of titles. In fact titles can sometimes vary from company to company as the nomenclature is not exactly regulated. That is why people opt for a more descriptive title and there can be a substantial difference in the words used to describe the same job between several companies. The nature of these often vague-sounding job titles that have the words “computer”, “technology”, “administrator”, “network”, “manager” and “engineer” provides an insight into how much people don’t understand modern technology. This is a good thing, because it means that the people running the show are in desperate need of proficient IT staff as they seem to be struggling with even the basic definition and job descriptions. They basically need a “computer wizard” to deal with all these machines they have lying around. Here are some of the main reasons to get involved in IT.

1. These jobs have become an integral part of business

Modern technology has changed the way we do business, store and exchange information. Once upon a time only the military, government and few globally successful companies had the need and the privilege to access high technology and use it to their benefit. These days however you can’t even own a small store without the help of computers, whether it is keeping track of your inventory, saving data from the security cameras or anything else. Bigger businesses, like law firms, banks or TV stations will have a huge amount of data that needs storing, as well as a way of communicating this information with other branches locally or internationally. The need for qualified IT staff is a basic one, just like any company will need cleaning staff and security. The difference however is that not just anyone can perform adequately in this field.

1. A lack of people with sufficient knowledge and skill in the field

So right off the bat we have another major reason for choosing this particular career path. Despite IT personnel being a basic necessity for any company there is still a limited supply of people capable of the job right and there are even less people who can do the job with the speed and ease of a true professional. Jobs like Senior Networks Administrator will require a devoted professional that knows what his doing, but the reward will be just as substantial as the responsibilities.

1. There is a surge of interest in the field

According to this article Network Systems Analyst and Software Engineer are in the top five most popular careers in America, right up there with jobs in the medical field. Similarly in the UK Data Communications Analysts and Software Engineers are in the top three. The most in demand jobs in Australia in 2012 include IT amongst the top ten.

Many websites are opening in order to help young people find an appropriate position. Apply Direct's website is one of the most used in Australia for it jobs in Sydney

As more and more companies are realizing the importance of highly qualified IT personnel, more and more institutions are offering high quality training in these skills. Acquiring the particular skillsets required for working in the IT field has become a much easier process as the interest for the field has grown.

1. A substantial paycheck

It jobs are some of the best paying jobs available to you today. In America for example, jobs like software engineer, systems engineer, web developer and systems administrator can have an average annual salary of between 80.000 and 95.000 dollars, and this trend is similar in other developed countries like Canada, European Union members, Australia, etc. Another thing worth considering is that Computer and Information Systems Manager according to Forbes is the third best paying job for women, above both Surgeon and Chief Executive, with approximate annual salary of 80.000 US Dollars, about 97% of what men in the field earn, while only about 26% of the people working in the field are women, which means that more qualified ladies are needed.

1. It is a diverse field

Not only does it encompass a multitude of callings, like Computer Programmer, Network System Administrator and Web Developer, it also keeps you from being locked up in a single niche market. Most of these professions within the IT sector are required in many fields. IT personnel are required in the military, hospitals, schools, law firms, banks and just about any major company.

As you can see this is a field that is high in demand, with many job and learning opportunities, yet it still has some of the highest paying career options available today. If you have the motivation and determination to become one of the best in what you do you will have a lot of job opportunities and a whole bunch of fields that require the skillsets you have acquired to choose from. 

Tech.Engineering, 

Information Technology or more commonly known as I.T. is the most popular career and the fastest growing industry in the world. There are several success stories about people who chose this field for a career and are now on top of their game. But what is it about I.T. that makes it such a lucrative career choice for up and coming professionals. Here are a few reasons why people who choose Information Technology are successful in their business life:

Low Cost of Education

The biggest advantage of choosing information technology for a career is that it has very low cost of education as compared to many other career choices. You don’t need a 4 year degree to become an I.T. professional. Instead, you can get quick training to be certified in specific areas of Information Technology. This way you save huge amounts of money that you may have otherwise spent on years of college tuition. The more knowledge and certifications you acquire the more you’ll advance in your career.

Fastest Changing Industry

The Information Technology industry operates at a speed much faster than any other industry and for this reason, there’s always a significant demand for highly-skilled workers. With the innovations in cloud computing, big data, and cybersecurity an aspiring I.T. professional has many avenues to pursue and grow from. An I.T. professional never stops learning, and must always stay on top of the latest technological trends in order to be successful in the field. The more training and knowledge the I.T. professional has the more employable he or she will be.

Better Income

It is a well-known fact that Information Technology professionals are paid well, compared to other professionals. An I.T. professional with the right mix of certifications and experience can find a permanent position in either the public or private sector. Recently, many companies have been extensively hiring experts in cloud computing, cyber security and network security to help enhance their current systems. Many I.T. jobs provide great career advancement opportunities for a dedicated and hardworking I.T. professional.

Final Words

Information technology is the field of the millennial. Aspiring I.T. professionals must know that in order to succeed in the I.T. field they must be committed to learning and adapting to new technological advancements in order to stay competent. This entails getting the right mix of experience and certifications. I.T. professionals that stay on top of the latest tech trends will have many career options to choose from.

If you are interested in a career in Information Technology, reach out to the Florida Career College campus near you. Our Computer & Networking Technician and Information Technologyprograms will train you to get the skills you need for the jobs of today.

Follow us Twitter and find us Facebookand we’ll keep you in the loop with what’s happening at Florida Career College.

Exploring the Digital Marketing Certificate Program at McMaster University Centre for Continuing Education

Tech.Engineering

Now that it’s 2016, we can make it official: the world has gone digital.

Thanks to incredible developments in the tech industry, this area is growing 10 times faster than any other economic sector. Digital media is playing an increasingly significant role in our daily lives, which means one thing for professionals: plenty of opportunities.

If you already work in digital marketing or are looking to make a career change, you may want to consider updating your skills to take advantage of new industry trends and developments. If you love to learn, enjoy making new contacts, and are curious and creative, a career in Digital Marketing could be perfect for you. Of course, being a bit of a metrics nerd doesn’t hurt either.

These attributes will get you off to a good start when it comes to pursuing this option, but the crucial next step? Enrolling in an educational program that will give you the foundational and technical skills to utilize newly developed marketing methods. One such program is the Digital Marketing Certificate at McMaster University Centre for Continuing Education (CCE).

At McMaster CCE, students work with passionate, committed instructors who have extensive knowledge of their field. The Digital Marketing Certificate program, comprised of five online courses, is perfect for professionals with busy schedules. You can direct your studies at your own pace, taking as many or as few courses as you like per semester. For those who have a degree or diploma in Marketing, Communications, or a related field or 3 years or more of relevant experience, this continuing education program can help you excel in your industry.

What Will I Learn?

Over the course of the Digital Marketing Certificate program, students will learn a variety of diverse skills that can be applied to the most cutting-edge media technologies. The program consists of 5 courses: Fundamentals of Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing Strategy, Search Engine Optimization, Content Management, and Data Management. Each course takes 12 weeks and is delivered completely online; students can take multiple courses at once if they prefer and can decide their own learning speed. The program tends to take 1 year to complete.

Over the span of these courses, students will build a foundation of marketing theory and marketing best practices, as well as learning to create digital content strategies that will resonate with a wide audience. Moreover, you’ll be able to track the success of your marketing projects with data metrics, meaning that you’ll be able to see how your in-class knowledge takes effect in the real world.

The benefit to this wide range of courses is that you’ll also be able to get a sense of what area of Digital Marketing suits you best. For example, the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing will give every student an essential understanding of topics like strategic digital marketing, social media and email campaigns, analytics, and search engine optimization, whereas the following courses will give you a more in-depth understanding of each topic. Whether your passion is big-picture digital strategy creation or detail-oriented data management, the Digital Marketing Certificate program at McMaster CCE will help you become an expert in the field.

Developing Your Career

If you think about it, digital marketing touches nearly every part of our lives. Whether you’re scrolling through your Instagram feed, watching your favourite YouTuber, listening to a podcast, or viewing an online lookbook, you’re engaging with digital marketing. As a result of the rapid development of new media platforms, there are more venues for digital marketing than ever before.

Since the Digital Marketing Certificate program at McMaster University Centre for Continuing Education is open to professionals currently working in Public Relations, Design, Graphic Design, Entrepreneurs, Multimedia, and Marketing, you will already have expertise that you can apply to new media contexts. The part-time Digital Marketing program helps you apply your established talents to new contexts and industry trends.

And, because the Digital Marketing Certificate program has such a wide reach, students from diverse professional backgrounds enrol. Students learn from one another’s experiences, meaning that their insights will enrich your education and vice-versa. This aspect of the program will also help you get a sense of the various different specialties that overlap in Digital Marketing. McMaster CCE emphasizes collaboration between students, meaning that you can grow your network by engaging with colleagues from across Canada, including your instructors. While the Digital Marketing Certificate lasts for a year, the lessons you learn and the connections you’ll form can last a lifetime.

5 reason Why you should go for Technolgy or Engineering

Tech.ENGINEERING

Growing. In demand. Innovative.

The technology industry may be one of the most challenging, inspiring, and rewarding industries today. It’s hotbed for both recent graduates and experienced professionals – and in recent years, the industry has been growing and evolving at a rapid pace.

We’ve decided to highlight 5 reasons the technology industry is the place to be, especially for students and recent graduates looking to launch their careers and leave their mark on the world.

1) The mecca of research, development and innovation

Perhaps the biggest reason to work in the technology is the work itself. If you’re interested in being on the precipice of research, discovery, development and innovation, there is likely no better industry to be in.

As an industry, technology is focused on breaking new ground. Technology professionals are embedded into a culture of movement, growth and advancement. Their work environments become a birthplace where new and inventive concepts take shape.

This field is especially great if you are creative – creativity breeds innovation, and innovation is ultimately rewarded. Plus, surrounding yourself with like-minded creative types only helps the process.

2) Meaningful work

Technology isn’t only about coming up with new ideas – it also involves figuring out how to make those ideas work.

This industry is all about coming up with solutions. Of course, this means that there’s a lot of problem-solving involved. If you’re the type who loves a good puzzle, technology is probably a good place for you to focus your skillset.

There are few industries that shifts the way the world lives and functions the way that technology does. It aims to make everything – no matter how trivial – easier, faster, and better.

3) Challenges

The technology industry is a perfect avenue for those looking for constant challenges in their work. Technology professionals aim to solve virtually every problem people encounter, and even offer new options for things we never thought needed fixing.

For most, this challenge is welcome. The industry will bring the best out of you, because it asks for so much. Whether you are network administrator, IT professional or a rocket scientist, your work will rarely, if ever, be boring.

4) Variety

The work of a technology professional can be incredibly vast – there is very little one can’t do. The most popular areas of the industry today include software, communications, high-tech manufacturing, and computer-related services.

While technology is an industry itself, it overlaps with virtually every other industry. Technology professionals work in medicine, agriculture, transportation, energy, entertainment, and even “white-collar” professions such as law, banking, and financial services.

The great thing about this is that professionals can marry their passions that lie in other fields with their love of technology – in short, they can enjoy the best of both worlds in their career.

5) High demand, high pay

Since technology is integral to the success of so many different fields, it should come as no surprise that technology professionals are in demand – always.

So long as there are problems within an industry that require a solution, the skills of a technology professional will always be an employable asset.

This usually means considerable compensation. After all, their work is difficult, necessary, and well valued. To this end, technology professionals are quite often among the most well-paid professionals of any organization and industry.