Car parking sensors use ultrasonic waves to assist in the parking and navigation of vehicles - Leaving Cert Engineering - Question Question 1 - 2018

The term 'factor of safety' refers to the measure of the load carrying capacity of a structure or component beyond the expected or actual loads. It is a critical design objective that ensures reliability and safety in engineering.

1. Definition: The factor of safety is defined as the ratio of the maximum load that a structure can withstand to the actual load it is designed to carry:

   ext{Factor of Safety} = rac{ ext{Maximum Load}}{ ext{Actual Load}}

2. Purpose: It provides a safety margin in the design process, taking into account uncertainties in material properties, loads, and environmental conditions.

3. Standard Values: Different applications require different factors of safety; for example, the factor might be higher for critical structural components to ensure they can handle unforeseen stresses.