Systems: Input, Process, Output · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Every made thing is a system

Design & Technology · Designing & Making · ages 12-14
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. In a kettle system, what is the process?

    • Pouring the tea
    • Heating the water
    • Buying the kettle

  2. What are the three stages of a system block diagram?

    • Input, process, and output
    • Buy, sell, and spend
    • Hot, cold, and warm

  3. What is feedback in a system?

    • A louder beep at the end
    • A bigger box for the product
    • Output looping back to steer the input

  4. A room keeps a steady heat with a thermostat. What is the thermostat doing?

    • Heating the room by itself
    • Feeling the output heat and switching the heater on or off
    • Paying the power bill

  5. Draw a block diagram for a toaster. Which row is correct?

    • Bread in, heating process, toast out
    • Toast in, browning process, toast out
    • Heat in, bread process, crumbs out

  6. The same input-process-output drawing can fit both a kettle and a phone app.

    Circle one:   True   False

  7. A cruise control holds speed uphill and downhill. A friend says there is no feedback. What proves feedback is there?

    • Speed changes steer fuel up or down to hold the set speed
    • The driver is awake
    • The car has wheels

  8. A speaker plays music, but the sound is fuzzy at high volume only. Which stage most likely holds the fault?

    • The input cable, because no music enters
    • The plug, because plugs cause all faults
    • The output stage, because a good signal is badly delivered
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Every made thing is a system W1-mt_bMNTQ-3a_u-s1

  1. Heating the water · Heating is what the kettle does to the cold water inside it.
  2. Input, process, and output · Every system takes in, does something, and sends out.
  3. Output looping back to steer the input · Feedback feeds results back so the system can adjust itself.
  4. Feeling the output heat and switching the heater on or off · The thermostat reads room heat and steers the heater to hold the set point.
  5. Bread in, heating process, toast out · Bread enters, heating changes it, and toast leaves the system.
  6. True · Both take something in, change it, and deliver a result.
  7. Speed changes steer fuel up or down to hold the set speed · Output speed looping back to steer fuel is exactly what feedback means.
  8. The output stage, because a good signal is badly delivered · Music arrives fine at low volume, so delivery at the output stage is what fails.
Worksheet · LightMySky