Students investigate the discipline of Materials Science and Engineering: the field that deals with the development of materials with desirable properties. Students study material properties and how the molecular makeup and structure are important in determining those properties. Students work together as groups to create a composite material that will perform optimally within cost and dimension constraints.
Students explore classes of materials and material properties important in MSE.
Students learn about the design criteria for their MSE project: a composite beam of plaster and agglomerates they will choose.
Students determine the best plaster-to-water mix ratio for their composite beam. During Part 1, they determine which mix ratios they will test and create 3 test pucks of plaster with the different mix ratios.
Students continue their design of experiments for mix ratio determination. During Part 2, they break the test pucks made during Part 1.
Students design and build their composite beam with available materials as agglomerates.
Students present their research into a technology related to Materials Science and Engineering that they have chosen.
Students test their composite beam using a test fixture to determine the amount of force their beam can withstand before failure. The beam design is evaluated based on test results and type of failure.
Students compare beam performance within the class and analyze effective and ineffective elements of beam design.
Students take a quiz on the Materials Science and Engineering unit and complete any worksheets as needed.