GENG 1101: Engineering 1 - Comprehensive Review Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering power systems and grid operations, data science pipelines and analytics tiers, sustainable engineering and life cycle assessment, and human rights, professional ethics, and employment equity.

IESO

The Independent Electricity System Operator; the organization responsible for operating the electricity market and directing the bulk electrical system in Ontario, with influence extending to interconnected regional markets.

Diurnal Energy Demand

Electricity demand patterns that follow daily cyclical variations corresponding directly to human behavior and routine activities.

Interties

Physical transmission connections linking Ontario's electrical grid with neighboring jurisdictions—including New York, Michigan, Minnesota, and neighboring provinces—to exchange and balance power.

Grid Frequency Standard ($60\,\text{Hz}$)

The standard alternating current operating frequency of the North American power grid; discrepancies above or below $60\,\text{Hz}$ occur when there is an oversupply or undersupply mismatch between generation and load.

Spinning Reserve

Online, synchronized generation capacity that is already spinning and immediately accessible to grid operators, serving as the primary defense against massive blackouts during sudden supply deficits.

Solar as a Negative Load

Distributed photovoltaic solar generation that grid operators account for as a direct reduction in electrical demand seen by the grid rather than as centrally dispatched generation.

Data Science

An interdisciplinary field involving the extraction of knowledge and insights from noisy data to translate them into meaningful action.

Descriptive Analytics

The tier of data analytics focused on examining past performance and historical data to answer the question: 'What happened?'

Diagnostic Analytics

The tier of data analytics focused on investigating data correlations, anomalies, and root causes to answer the question: 'Why did it happen?'

Predictive Analytics

The tier of data analytics that utilizes statistical models and machine learning to forecast trends and answer the question: 'What is likely to happen?'

Prescriptive Analytics

The advanced tier of data analytics that recommends specific interventions, strategies, and optimizations to answer the question: 'What should we do?'

Data Science Life Cycle

The phased process of executing a data project: Identify Problem $\rightarrow$ Data Mining $\rightarrow$ Data Cleaning $\rightarrow$ Data Exploration $\rightarrow$ Feature Engineering $\rightarrow$ Predictive Modeling $\rightarrow$ Data Visualization.

Biomimicry

An engineering design approach that models systems and materials on biological processes and organisms, such as shaping high-speed bullet train noses after the kingfisher's beak or utilizing termite mound ventilation in architecture.

Life Cycle Thinking (LCT)

A comprehensive conceptual approach that considers the potential environmental, social, and economic impacts of a product over its complete life span, from raw material extraction to final disposal.

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

An objective, standardized technique (governed by ISO 14040) used to quantify energy and material inflows, environmental releases, and associated impacts across a product's life cycle stages.

LCA System Boundaries

The defined parameters establishing which life stages are assessed in a life cycle study, categorized as Cradle to Gate (raw materials to factory gate), Gate to Gate (manufacturing steps), Gate to Grave (use to disposal), and Cradle to Grave (full life cycle).

The 6 Rs of Sustainable Design

A circular economy design and evaluation framework consisting of: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, and Recycle.

Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

A standardized, third-party verified Type III environmental declaration developed according to ISO 14025 and ISO 21930 that quantifies the environmental impact profile of a commercial product.

Sustainability Handprint

A metric focused on measuring and increasing positive environmental, social, and quality-of-life contributions, contrasting with the ecological footprint, which measures negative environmental burdens.

Ontario Human Rights Code

Provincial legislation that prohibits actions and policies that discriminate against or harass individuals based on protected grounds across specified social areas.

Protected Social Areas

Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, the five legally protected realms: Accommodation (housing), Contracts, Employment, Goods, services and facilities, and Membership in unions, trade or professional associations.

Discrimination (OHRC Definition)

Any form of unequal treatment based on a Code ground that results in disadvantage by imposing burdens or withholding benefits; legally evaluated by impact rather than intent.

Systemic Discrimination

Institutional patterns, policies, or practices that appear neutral on their face but create or maintain positions of disadvantage for groups protected by the Human Rights Code.

Harassment

Engaging in a course of vexatious comments or conduct that is known, or ought reasonably to be known, to be unwelcome.

Gender-Based Harassment

A specialized subset of sexual harassment involving behaviours, comments, or actions that police, reinforce, or degrade individuals based on traditional heterosexual gender norms.

Poisoned Environment

A hostile, negative, or demeaning work or study atmosphere created by conduct or remarks linked to prohibited grounds, which may result from an accumulation of behaviors or a single severe incident.

Discrimination Because of Association

Adverse treatment or harassment directed at an individual due to their relationship, connection, or dealings with a person or group protected under the Human Rights Code.

Equality vs. Equity

Equality provides identical resources and opportunities to everyone, whereas equity accounts for differing individual circumstances and provides tailored resources to ensure an equal outcome.

Engineers Canada 30 by 30 Initiative

A national initiative by Engineers Canada aimed at raising the percentage of newly licensed female engineers in the profession to 30% by the year 2030.