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Academic Tech Bowl:  Areas of Competition

The following list of categories will be used throughout the Academic Tech Bowl competition.  Some categories will be included more than others.  

Units / Conversions:  

  • Know unit conversions and common constants that are frequently used in calculations.

Mathematics 

  • Know basic differential calculus, trigonometry, conic sections, geometry, algebra, and statistics, numerical methods, and differential equations. You don’t need to learn all the differentials and integrals on the tables as well; know the basic ones

Statics:

  • Be able to determine the magnitude and direction of a force as well as express a force in vector form

  • Be able to separate a force into its components

  • Determine the moment for a given radius and force

  • Know the requirements for a system to be in equilibrium

  • Be able to use the Moment of Inertia Transfer Theorem

  • Be able to calculate the radius of gyration

  • Calculate the force of friction

Dynamics:

  • Determine velocity and acceleration from a position vector

  • Determine angular velocity, tangential acceleration, angular acceleration, and normal acceleration for an object rotating about an origin at a constant radius

  • Describe straight-line motion for an object moving at constant acceleration (such as velocity, distance traveled, etc.)

  • Determine the horizontal distance traveled, vertical distance traveled, velocity, and acceleration for projectile motion

  • Calculate the weight on an object

  • Use Newton’s Second Law of Motion

  • Calculate the distance traveled and velocity at a time(t) for an object moving in one-dimension, assuming variable acceleration

  • Calculate work
    Calculate potential (elastic and gravitational) and kinetic energy
    Apply the conservation of work and energy theorem
    Calculate final velocities after an inelastic and elastic collision
    Calculate the undamped natural frequency of a spring

Mechanics of Materials:

  • Know how to calculate the modulus of elasticity from a graph

  • Calculate engineering strain based on the change in length

  • Calculate shear stress from shear strain

  • Calculate a shear modulus

  • Calculate stress during uniaxial loading

  • Calculate deformation caused by a change in temperature

  • Calculate hoop stress in a thin-walled cylinder

  • Know how to construct a Mohr’s circle

Fluid Mechanics:

  • Know how to calculate specific gravity

  • Know the density of water

  • Calculate specific weight

  • Calculate surface tension

  • Use a height difference in a simple manometer to calculate the pressure

  • Calculate the pressure difference between two points in a column of water

  • Calculate gage pressure from atmospheric and absolute pressure

  • Use the continuity equation to find the volumetric flow rate

  • Determine the velocity distribution for laminar flow in a circular pipe

  • Calculate drag force

  • Calculate Reynolds number from velocity and viscosity

  • Use the Darcy equation to calculate head loss

  • Calculate hydraulic diameter

  • Calculate head loss from a fitting

  • Use the pump power equation to calculate pump flow

  • Calculate the Mach number for a fluid

Thermodynamics:

  • Calculate enthalpy from the internal energy

  • Calculate Gibbs Free Energy and Helmholtz Free Energy

  • Calculate the specific volume of a two-phase system

  • Use the ideal gas law

  • Find the mean heat capacity

  • Calculate pressure, temperature, and volume for constant temperature processes

  • Know the law of conservation of work and energy for a closed and an open thermodynamic system

  • Calculate the efficiency of a heat engine and a Carnot cycle

  • Calculate the coefficient of performance of a refrigeration cycle

  • Convert mole fractions to mass fractions

  • Calculate partial pressures and partial volumes

Heat Transfer:

  • Use Fourier’s Law of Conduction to calculate the rate of heat transfer for conduction through a plane wall

  • Calculate thermal resistance of a plane wall

  • Calculate thermal resistance for a composite wall

  • Calculate thermal resistance through a cylindrical wall

  • Calculate the rate of heat transfer for convection

  • Calculate the rate of radiation emission for a body

  • Calculate a Graetz and Prandtl number

  • Calculate a Nusselt number for turbulent flow

Chemistry:

  • Be able to use Avogadro’s number

  • Convert mass into moles and vice versa

  • Use the pH equation to calculate pH from concentration

  • Calculate normality, molality, or molarity

  • Calculate the equilibrium constant of a chemical reaction

  • Know how to APPLY Le Chatelier’s Principle

  • Know how to use enthalpy to determine an exothermic from an endothermic reaction

  • Calculate a solubility product constant

  • Know how to calculate boiling point elevation or freezing point depression

  • Know how to name a compound

  • Know the families of organic compounds

Materials Science:

  • Know the number of atoms in a BCC, FCC, and HCP

  • Know the packing numbers of BCC, FCC, and HCP

  • Know how to interpret and determine Miller indices

  • Know types of atomic bonds

  • Know possible cathode reactions

  • Calculate a diffusion coefficient

  • Know the difference between a eutectic, eutectoid, peritectic, and peritectoid reaction

  • Use the lever rule to determine the weight of each phase in a two-phase reaction

  • Use the Gibbs Phase Rule

  • Calculate half-life

Electrical Engineering:

  • Calculate the force that each of two point charges exerts on the other

  • Know what Gauss’s Law describes

  • Calculate the potential difference between two parallel plates

  • Calculate magnetic field strength from either current or magnetic flux density

  • Calculate the force on a conductor in a uniform magnetic field

  • Know what Faraday’s Law is

  • Calculate resistivity

  • Use Ohm’s Law

  • Calculate resistance for resistors in parallel and in series

  • Calculate power in a resistive element

  • Calculate the capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor

  • Calculate the energy stored in a capacitor

  • Calculate the energy stored in an inductor

  • Calculate capacitance/inductance for capacitors/inductors in parallel or series

  • Calculate impedance for a circuit element, resistor, and inductor

Computer Science:

  • Know the basic concepts of computer systems

  • Know how to design algorithm 

  • Know programming languages (C++, JAVA, and MATLAB)

  • Know software engineering

  • Know data abstraction

  • Know the basic aspects of simple data structures

Engineering Economics: 

  • Be able to calculate future worth from present worth and vice versa, assuming continuous compounding.

NEED TO KNOW:

  • Participants should know the definition of any italicized or bold word in the given sections.

  • Participants should also know how to perform each of the tasks/skills stated below.

  • Equations will not be given during the question. Hence, teams should know the equation that is necessary to perform the tasks.

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