Question

14
marty is developing a new way to heat an airplane’s windshield to prevent it from accumulating ice when in flight. a thin layer of clear, conductive material is injected between two layers of thick windshield plastic. a very small electric current is run through the inner material to keep the plastic layers warm.
how might using a model help marty develop his design?
a. a model could be used to test his design in a lab.
b. a model could be used for automobile windshields.
c. marty could use a model to discover a new type of plastic for windshields.
d. airplane manufacturers could be sold models to use in their new planes.

Explanation:

Models are useful in design development to simulate real-world conditions for testing without full-scale implementation. Option A directly addresses how a model helps Marty test his windshield heating design in a controlled lab setting, which is a key purpose of using models in engineering/design processes. The other options are irrelevant: B focuses on automobile windshields (not Marty’s airplane design goal), C incorrectly claims models discover new materials (models test existing designs, not create materials), and D describes selling models (not aiding design development).

Answer:

A. A model could be used to test his design in a lab.