Technik - Fachliche Inhalte des Faches Technik
The Technik component of the Saarland Abitur paper Technik-Englisch tests whether you can apply engineering content - materials science, statics and strength of materials, machine elements, electrical engineering and control technology - and explain that content in English. Items are typically calculation-plus-justification: a tensile-test curve, a circuit diagram, a gear train or a data sheet is presented, and you must compute, interpret, and then evaluate the design (Technikbewertung), for example against cost, safety, or environmental criteria.
Content you must be able to handle
- Werkstoffkunde: tensile test (Zugversuch); stress σ = F/A₀ in N/mm² (= MPa); strain ε = Δl/l₀; Hooke's law σ = E·ε within the elastic range; Young's modulus (E-Modul), yield strength (Streckgrenze R_e), tensile strength (Zugfestigkeit R_m), elongation at break (Bruchdehnung A). Ductile versus brittle fracture, plus selection criteria: density, corrosion resistance, machinability, recyclability.
- Statik/Festigkeitslehre: ΣF = 0 and ΣM = 0; moment M = F·l using the perpendicular lever arm; support reactions of a simply supported beam; friction F_R = μ·F_N; safety factor against permissible stress.
- Maschinenelemente: gear ratio i = n₁/n₂ = z₂/z₁; efficiency η = P_out/P_in, which multiplies along a drive train; belt and chain drives, bearings, threaded fasteners.
- Elektrotechnik: U = R·I; series R = ΣR; parallel 1/R = Σ1/R; P = U·I = I²R; voltage divider; W = P·t.
- Steuerung und Regelung: open-loop control (Steuerung) versus closed-loop control (Regelung); elements of a Regelkreis - controller (Regler), actuator (Stellglied), plant (Regelstrecke), sensor/feedback (Messglied), reference variable, controlled variable, disturbance variable; P, I and D behaviour.
Worked example
A 12 V supply feeds R₁ = 100 Ω in series with a parallel pair R₂ = R₃ = 200 Ω. Reasoning: the parallel pair gives 1/R_p = 1/200 + 1/200, so R_p = 100 Ω; R_total = 100 + 100 = 200 Ω; I_total = 12/200 = 0.06 A; the parallel section drops U_p = 0.06 · 100 = 6 V, so each branch carries 6/200 = 0.03 A; total power P = U·I = 12 · 0.06 = 0.72 W. State units at every step and check that the branch currents sum to I_total.
Marks that are lost
Using the diameter where the radius belongs (A = πd²/4); dropping the factor 10⁶ when converting mm² to m²; reading R_m off the curve and calling it the yield point; inverting the gear ratio; quoting a bare number without units or without the one-sentence engineering comment the operator demands; leaving German technical terms untranslated when the answer must be in English.