One Enginer, One Minute 

One Engineer, One Minute Home ↶
a project of 

Questions for open discussion. 
History, engineering, and education in STEM disciplines 


1 Eugène Bourdon and the Bourdon pressure gauge

  • What is a pressure gauge?

  • Which is the difference between barometer and manometer?

  • Cite at least three types of pressure gauges.

  • What does it mean differential pressure?

  • The history of atmospheric pressure: Torricelli, Pascal.

  • What does it mean the Latin expression “horror vacui”?

2 Adam Hunter and the Titan crane

  • Which was the civil engineering company Adam Hunter was working for?

    This company built some of the most famous bridges in the United Kingdom. Cite some of them.

    The Titan crane was used to construct some of the largest ships of the 20th century. Cite some of them.

    What type of crane is a cantilever crane such as the Titan crane?

    Where is located Clydebank and what was its main industry in the early years of the 20th century?

3 The theorem of Leon Thévenin

  • Which is the concern of Thévenin’s theorem in circuit analysis?

    Was Thévenin an electronic engineer?

    Which is the difference between Thévenin’s and Norton’s theorems?

    Which is the history of engineering controversy between Thévenin and Helmholtz?

    Was Thévenin aware of Kirchhoff's circuit laws and Ohm's law before proposing his theorem?

4 Gustaf de Laval, the steam turbine and the cream separator

  • What is the concept of the impulse steam turbine?

    The de Laval nozzle is still used in rocket engines. What is the energy principle of the nozzle?

    Explain the physical principle of the milk-cream separator invented by de Laval.

5 Juan de la Cierva and the autogiro

  • Which is the physical principle of the autorotating rotor of the autogiro?

    Which is the difference between the autogiro and the helicopter?

    How many prototypes or models of autogiro did de la Cierva develop?

    In which country was established the Cierva Autogiro Company in 1925?

6 John Smeaton, waterwheels and windmills

  • What is the Smeaton coefficient in fluid-dynamics?

    Which types of civil constructions was Smeaton responsible for?

    How did Smeaton introduce scientific methodologies into engineering?

    Which was the result of Smeaton’s waterwheel experiments?

7 John Harrison and the marine chronometer

  • What is a marine chronometer?

    How many marine chronometers did John Harrison built?

    John Harrison invented the grasshopper escapement for pendulum clocks. How does it function?

    In ancient times, why knowledge of ship’s longitude was essential when approaching land?

    What was the Longitude Act 1714 of the Parliament of Great Britan?

8 Laszlo Biro and ballpoint pen

  • Which is the difference between a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen?

    In which country the ballpoint pen invented by Laszlo Biro is known as birome?

    Is the worldwide known Bic Cristal pen connected with the ballpoint pen invented by Laszlo Biro?

    Which was the job of Laszlo Biro before to become an inventor?

9 Josephine Cochrane and the dishwasher

  • Was the dishwasher invented by Josephine Cochrane an electrical-powered or a hand-powered one?

    Did the dishwasher invented by Josephine Cochrane used water pressure or scrubbers to clean the dishes?

    Cochrane showed her new machine at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Who were her first customers: hotels and restaurants or households and housewives?

    Was Josephine Cochrane the first inventor to patent the dishwasher?

10 Leo Baekeland and the Bakelite

  • Before Leo Baekeland invented and patented the Bakelite, which other main product he invented before?

    Cite some of the properties of the Bakelite that made it appropriate for electrical components and devices, kitchenware, pipe systems and children’s toys.

    What is the behaviour of Bakelite against electric current and heat?