Online 100 Practice Questions eLearning

Energy Star Label for Buildings This two hour course specifically reviews the preparation of a Statement of Energy Performance, which is a stand-alone document designed to communicate not only a building's energy performance, but also its physical characteristics, operating characteristics, and conformance to current indoor environmental standards. Once validated by a professional engineer (PE), the Statement of Energy  more...

Ensuring That Structures Built on Fill Are Reasonably Safe From Flooding This (two-hour) course is based on the FEMA construction guidelines for ensuring that structures built on fill are reasonably safe from flooding. FEMA identifies and maps flood hazard areas nationwide by conducting flood hazard studies and publishing Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). These flood hazard areas, referred to as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), are based on a flood having a  more...

Drainage Design Truly Understand What Year Event Really Means Overview Hydrologic analysis and results are statistically based. The term 'year event' is the common way to express the hydrologic magnitude of precipitation and runoff quantities, but it does not tell the entire story. What does it really mean? Discussing drainage and flood issues with the general public and policymakers sometimes needs more than thinking just in terms of 'year  more...

Soil Properties and Other Strange Things for Non-Geotechnical Engineers Overview This course is intended for a wide range audience and in particular, the non-geotechnical engineer and is not intended as an exhaustive review of the subject. The objective of the course is to discuss some common properties of soil and explain some seemingly strange quirks. When this course has been completed, the reader will have an appreciation for geotechnical engineering and be  more...

Solid Waste Management and Waste Reduction Techniques Overview The United States disposes of over 236 million tons of solid waste a year, a figure that has been steadily increasing for over 100 years. The traditional waste management bureaucracy is dominated by engineers. Engineers have been successful at designing more efficient and safer disposal methods, but they have been reluctant to effect strategic planning initiatives that address the  more...

Alternating Current Fundamentals A transformer is an electrical device that transfers energy from one circuit to another purely by magnetic coupling. Transformers are often used to convert between high and low voltages, to change impedance, and to provide electrical isolation between circuits. A basic transformer consists of two sets of coils or windings close to each other (sometimes wrapped around an iron or ferrite  more...

Transformer Fundamentals A transformer is an electrical device that transfers energy from one circuit to another purely by magnetic coupling. Transformers are often used to convert between high and low voltages, to change impedance, and to provide electrical isolation between circuits. A basic transformer consists of two sets of coils or windings close to each other (sometimes wrapped around an iron or ferrite  more...

Applying for a Patent Online How many times have you heard a friend or a colleague say, "I've got this great new invention, but I can't afford to patent it"? We've been conditioned to believe that the patent process has to be long, drawn-out and expensive. But, getting a patent doesn't have to be as difficult as you think. This course will show you how you can apply for a patent online with the U.S. Patent Office  more...

Design of Microhydro Electric Systems This course will explain the basic system components and site requirements for microhydro electric systems. The vast majority of the hydropower produced in the United States comes from large-scale projects that generate more than 30 megawatts (MW)—enough electricity to power nearly 30,000 households. Small-scale hydropower systems are those that generate between 0.1 to 30 MW of  more...

Small Wind Powered Electric Generation Systems Overview This course was designed to introduce the basic design concepts for small (residential) wind powered electric generation systems. Wind energy systems are one of the most cost-effective home-based renewable energy systems. Depending on your wind resource, a small wind energy system can lower your electricity bill by 50 to 90 , help you avoid the high costs of extending utility power  more...

Advances in Wind Powered Generation Technology Overview This course was specifically designed to introduce the basic design concepts behind large commercial wind powered electric generation systems. The goal of the wind energy industry is to contribute 100 GW of wind electricity to our Nation's energy supplies by 2020. By meeting that goal, wind energy will help secure our Nation's energy future and clean up our environment by  more...

Cooling Towers The machines and processes of industry, as well as the air-conditioning systems for buildings generate tremendous amounts of heat, which must be continuously dissipated if these machines and processes are to continue to operate efficiently. Water cooling is the most efficient method of dissipating heat. A cooling tower is a device used in industry to cool hot water (by partial evaporation)  more...