Engineering Principles & Automotive Systems Flashcards

Comprehensive flashcard deck for Part A Automotive and Mechanical Engineering lectures, covering vehicle systems, powertrains, statics, matrix algebra, manufacturing techniques, MATLAB, and thermofluids.

In the V-Model development process, which phase directly corresponds to the System Specification stage on the testing/verification side?

Acceptance test.

What is the primary purpose of defining Inclusions and Exclusions during project scoping?

To avoid scope creep (for example, working on the steering wheel without unintentionally expanding the work to include the steering column).

What does the VDS Build Cost represent in vehicle costing?

The cost to get the vehicle to the factory gate in Euros (\text{\euro}), calculated as the sum of the Bill Of Materials (BOM).

How is UK Value Added Tax (VAT) applied when calculating final vehicle sales pricing?

UK VAT is applied at a rate of $20\%$ on top of all other costs and profit.

What standard $CO_2$ emission values per litre of fuel are used to convert vehicle fuel consumption ($\text{l/100km}$) to $\text{g/km}\,CO_2$?

Petrol produces $2392\,\text{g}$ of $CO_2$ per litre, and diesel produces $2680\,\text{g}$ of $CO_2$ per litre.

What is the formula for calculating miles per gallon equivalent ($mpg_e$) for electric vehicles?

$mpg_e = \frac{fsc(\text{kWh/gallon}) \times \text{Range}(\text{miles})}{\text{battery capacity}(\text{kWh})}$, where $fsc$ is the fuel specific capacity.

How do gasoline and Lithium-ion batteries compare in terms of mass energy density ($\text{MJ/kg}$)?

Gasoline has a mass energy density of $40\text{--}42\,\text{MJ/kg}$, whereas Lithium-ion batteries have a much lower mass energy density of $0.65\,\text{MJ/kg}$.

How does engine speed behavior differ between a Parallel Hybrid and a Series Hybrid powertrain?

In a Parallel Hybrid, engine speed is directly linked to wheel speed, whereas in a Series Hybrid, engine speed is independent of wheel speed.

Under the 2026--2030 Formula 1 Technical Regulations, what is the maximum permitted fuel energy flow?

Fuel energy flow must not exceed $3000\,\text{MJ/h}$.

Why is there an inherent trade-off between maximizing cell energy and maximizing cell power in Lithium-ion battery design?

Maximizing energy requires increasing active material volume (thicker electrodes), while maximizing power requires reducing internal ohmic, kinetic, and mass transfer losses (thinner electrodes).

What is a major limitation of relying on competitive vehicle teardowns for benchmarking?

Teardowns represent current production only, making them $3$ to $5$ years behind current development, incapable of predicting future trends, and unable to reveal innovations embedded in software.

What are the rules for cross products of Cartesian unit vectors $\mathbf{i}$, $\mathbf{j}$, and $\mathbf{k}$ in the positive rotational sense?

$\mathbf{i} \times \mathbf{j} = \mathbf{k}$, $\mathbf{j} \times \mathbf{k} = \mathbf{i}$, and $\mathbf{k} \times \mathbf{i} = \mathbf{j}$.

What condition must a square matrix $A$ meet to be classified as a symmetric matrix?

$A^T = A$ (the transpose of matrix $A$ equals matrix $A$ itself).

How is the trace of an $n \times n$ square matrix $A$, denoted $\text{tr}(A)$, defined?

It is the sum of the entries on its leading diagonal: $\text{tr}(A) = \sum_{i=1}^{n} a_{ii}$.

What compatibility rule governs whether two matrices $A$ ($m \times n$) and $B$ ($p \times q$) can be multiplied to compute $AB$?

The number of columns in $A$ must equal the number of rows in $B$ ($n = p$), producing a result matrix of size $m \times q$.

What is the formula for the inverse of a $2 \times 2$ matrix $A = \begin{pmatrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{pmatrix}$?

$A^{-1} = \frac{1}{ad - bc} \begin{pmatrix} d & -b \\ -c & a \end{pmatrix}$, provided the determinant $\det(A) = ad - bc \neq 0$.

In rotational motion about a fixed axis, what is the formula for the Moment of Inertia $I_z$ of a rigid body composed of point masses?

$I_z = \sum m_i r_i^2$, where $m_i$ is the mass of element $i$ and $r_i$ is its perpendicular distance from the z-axis.

What reaction forces and moments are generated at roller, pin/hinge, and fixed supports in 2D statics?

A Roller provides $1$ reaction force normal to the surface ($R_y$); a Pin/Hinge provides $2$ force reactions ($R_x$, $R_y$); and a Fixed support provides $2$ force reactions and $1$ moment reaction ($R_x$, $R_y$, $M$).

What does the Principle of Transmissibility state regarding force vectors acting on a rigid body?

For a rigid body, the external effect of a force remains unchanged if the force is applied anywhere along its line of action.

What built-in MATLAB command lists all workspace variables along with detailed information such as size and class?

whos

What angular unit does MATLAB assume for trigonometric functions by default?

MATLAB assumes all angles are given in radians.

In metal casting, what function do cores perform?

Cores are inserts placed inside a mould to create internal cavities, holes, or hollow sections within the cast component.

What is the defining structural characteristic of a Monocoque structure compared to a Spaceframe?

In a Monocoque structure, external loads are supported primarily by the outer skin (single shell), whereas a Spaceframe relies on a network of interconnected structural tubes/members.

In Third-Angle orthographic projection, how are the observer, projection plane, and object arranged relative to one another?

The projection plane is positioned between the observer and the object.

How is the First Law of Thermodynamics expressed in sentence form and as a balance equation?

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted from one form to another: $\text{Energy in} = \text{Energy out} + \text{Change in stored energy}$.

What is the definition of mean free path ($\lambda$) in the kinetic theory of gases?

Mean free path is the average distance a molecule travels between successive collisions.