Students are challenged to create a better mousetrap WITHOUT using PE, KER Which part of the Engineering process is this? Medi Save tions Problem Sources Research Design Build Test Improve Communicate

Answer:

Step-by-step explanation:

The part of the engineering process the students are engaged in is the Design phase.

Here's why:

Problem Identification: The challenge itself clearly defines the problem: create a better mousetrap.

Sources and Research: Students might research existing mousetraps, their strengths and weaknesses, different trapping mechanisms, and even animal behavior to understand the target audience (mice) better.

Design Creation: This is where the students get creative, sketching and brainstorming various trap designs with the goal of exceeding the performance of existing models.

Build and Test: Once they have a conceptual design, they would move on to building prototypes and testing them with real mice or simulations. This is an iterative process, where they would observe the results, identify flaws, and refine their design.

Improve and Communicate: The final steps of the design phase involve making further improvements based on test results and sharing their findings with classmates or judges.

While the other stages of the engineering process are important, the problem in this case focuses specifically on the creation and refinement of a new design for a mousetrap, hence placing it firmly within the Design phase.

The PE and KER elements, which stand for Preliminary Engineering and Knowledge, Experience, and Resources, can actually feed into the Design phase. Students might apply their existing knowledge and resources as they brainstorm and research, and preliminary engineering calculations or sketches could be involved in refining their design. However, the emphasis here is not on those specific elements, but on the overall innovation and iteration involved in coming up with a better mousetrap.