A-E

Adaptation

Modification of an organism or its parts that makes it more fit for existence under the conditions of its environment.

Atmosphere

The gaseous envelope of a celestial body (such as a planet).

Biotechnology

Any technique that uses living organisms, or part of organisms, to make or modify products, improve plants and animals, or to develop micro organisms for specific uses.

Climate

The average course or condition of the weather at a place, usually over a period of years as exhibited by temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation.

Communication

The successful transmission of information through a common system of symbols, signs, behavior, speech, writing, or signals.

Conductor

A material capable of transmitting another form of energy (such as heat or sound).

Constraint

A limit to the design process caused by such things as appearance, funding, space, materials, and human capabilities.

Construction

The systematic act or process of building or erecting buildings, roads or other structures.

Consumer

An organism requiring complex organic compounds for food which it obtains by preying on other organisms or consuming particles of organic matter.

Decomposer

Any of various organisms (as with many bacteria and fungi) that return constituents of organic substances to ecological cycles by feeding on and breaking down dead protoplasm.

Design

An iterative decision-making process that produces plans by which resources are converted into products or systems to meet human needs or wants or to solve problems.

Design Brief

A written plan that identifies a problem to be solved, its criteria, and its constraints. The design brief is used to encourage thinking of all aspects of a problem before attempting a solution.

Design Principle

Design rules regarding rhythm, balance, proportion, variety, emphasis, and harmony, used to evaluate existing designs and guide the design process.

Ecosystem

The complex of a community of organisms and its environment functioning as an ecological unit.

Electric Circuit

The complete path of an electric current including usually the source of the electric energy.

Electric Current

A flow of electric charge.

Energy

The capacity for doing work.

Engineer

A person who is trained in and uses technological and scientific knowledge to solve practical problems.

Engineering

The profession of or work performed by an engineer. Engineering involves the knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences (biological and physical) gained by study, experience and practice that are applied with judgment and creativity to develop ways to utilize the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of human kind.

Engineering Design

The systematic and creative application of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures, machines, processes and systems.

Environment

The complex of physical, chemical and biotic factors (such as climate, soil and organisms) that act upon an organized ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival.

Erosion

The gradual wearing away of rock or soil by physical breakdown, chemical solution, and transportation of material as caused, for example, by water, wind or ice.