OLUTION: Physics Term Paper Ideas for Mechanical Engineering Majors

[out2thow]

Hey guys,

I have to write a term paper over the summer long semester in a University Physics class. I'm completely overwhelmed with topics, and have no clue of what might be too general of a topic as this is my first physics class ever!

Of course, we have to use library databases and such to cite, but some suggestions for a topic would be helpful to synthesize an idea for what direction to go.

Mechanical Engineering is my major, so anything on an engineering topic would be wonderful.

Thanks!
S

 

[lewando]

Your question is often posed. The stock answer is: What interests you? What kinds of things sparked your interest in ME in the first place? If you pursue those interests and provide your professor with an exploration of the state of the art of subject X, you will do fine.

 

[out2thow]

machining interests me, and I was thinking something like influences of cutter deflection during metal cutting, or the effect during high speed machining.

But I felt there may not be much to cite from. I have done some research in the databases and came up emptyhanded.

Thus, I am open to suggestions to help spark my mind into something that may be more accessable and documented well enough to get some good citations.

Thanks
S

 

[lewando]

Sounds like the constraint to use your library database is not helpful. High speed machining is a rich topic, if you ask Mr. Google. Ask your professor if you can have additional degrees of freedom to pursue this topic. If negative result, then suck it up and spend a few hours surveying the available research material until you find a topic that is well supported. Kind of a reverse-lookup method. I wouldn't be happy about it either, but you can at least finish the assignment.