Riddles II

Another riddle to keep you busy :P this one is a little harder.

Q: Brad stared through the dirty soot-smeared window on the 22nd floor of the office tower. Overcome with depression he slid the window open and jumped through it. It was a straight drop outside the building to the ground. Miraculously after he landed he was completely unhurt. Since there was nothing to cushion his fall or slow his descent, how could he have survived the fall?

Riddles

Because an engineer has to be very good at solving problems, i thought i would add a few riddles that will test your ability to think, I will post the answers next week, feel free to comment what you think the answer is in the mean time.

Q: An old man wanted to leave his fortune to one of his three sons, but could not decide who, so he gave each of his sons just a few coins and told them to buy something that would fill the living room. The first man bought straw with the coins, but it did not fill the entire room. The second son bought firewood with the coins but it also did not fill the room. The third son however, was able to buy something that filled the entire room with ease, and he was given his father's inheritance. What was it that the third son bought with just a few coins that filled the entire room?

Brief history of the "Nuke"

The first nuclear attacks in history was in 1945, the bombs "fat man" and "little boy" were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima respectively. These bombs are very powerful and killed a huge amount of people in Japan during World war 2. Luckily, these were also the only nuclear bombs ever used in combat. However, many countries such as North Korea, France and America have tested numerous bombs. The bonbs give off a lot of radiation that causes further damage even after the bomb goes off. After WW2, the US and the Soviet Union (Russia) were competing to see who would have the most bombs. At the time, and to this day, these bombs were the strongest weapons on Earth, and whoever had the most of them was stronger. This caused the Cold war, a stalemate between US and teh Soviet Union. The Russians created a different type of nuclear bomb then the one that was used in WW2. Hydrogen bombs were made to rival the American's gravity bombs, they were different types of bombs, but had the same effect. Eventually both sides had 1,000's of both types. Then ICBM's were made, which were nukes that could autmatically fire itself at the target with the help of a missile. Currently, nuclear missiles can be directed by the use of satelites, using infrared to "home in" the missiles. The nuclear bomb is one of the greatest engineering projects of all time. The Manhatten Project was the first creation of the nuclear weapon during WW2, and to this day, lives on as a symbol for destruction and power.

Examples of current engineering projects

The following are examples of different engineering projects going on throughout the world.


A satelite.
Human-like robot that can simulate various human activities.

Concept car with only 2 wheels, uses momentum to stay up straight.

Parts of a space ship.

This is a WiFi controlled tank that shoots a "tazer-like" projectile.

Chevrolet Volt

The Volt is a new concept 5-door car being made by Chevrolet.....and is 100% electric powered. This will be the first car that will rely on 100% battery. Unlike hybrids, that only use electricity to drive the car at low speeds, the volt will be able to drive up to 100mph. This car has been in development for several years. Being the first if its kind, there will obviously be many flaws in the car's design, but still remains as an example of astonishing engineering. GM predicts the car will be ready to be in showcases by 2010, and appear as a 2011 model. The car will cost about $40,000 USD. Since this car produces no gas emissions, you will not have to pay for gas, saving a lot of money, but being electric has its flaws as well. On the battery that runs the enginer, the car will only be able to drive for about 40 miles. To recharge the battery, all you have to do is plug the car in at night!

Future Career

After looking at the different types of engineers, I am going to aim to become a mechanical engineer. I think this job is perfect for my strengths and doesn't reflect my weaknesses. This job leaves a lot of room for creativity and has the work environment I would enjoy. Most of all, this is a job that will make me wake up in the morning and get excited about going to work, which cannot be said by many people.

Mechanical Engineer

Very similar to a civil engineer, a mechanical engineer deals with anything that moves. While civil engineers design and create stationary objects and structures, mechanical engineers create anything that involves heat, electricity or motion. Things such as engines and robotics are created through this industry. Mechanical engineers are usually project managers when working on a project such as the aerospace or transportation industry. Mechanical engineers are also being recruited for development in the nuclear industry for military and environmental purposes. Mechanical engineers are always on the move. Some days they will work in an office, signing legal papers or drafting a rough copy. On other days they will be in the factory, overlooking processes and fixing design flaws. The aerospace industry, a sub-division of mechanical engineering, most have absolutely no flaws in even a single screw, making this career require a lot of experience and precision. As an overview, engineers are the foundation of our world, without them, we would still be in the medieval times. One day, I hope to be one of these branches of engineers, and leave my mark on our world like the ones before me.