Chapter: Science, Technology, and Society

Chapter: Science, Technology, and Society

Table of Contents

Section 1: Science and Technology

Section 2: Forces that Shape Technology

Section 3: Developing Technology

• History is full of breakthroughs in science that have changed the course of human history.

• Measures are taken now because we know how contagious diseases are spread from person to person and what causes infections in wounds.

Scientific DiscoveryScience and Technology

1

Scientific InsightDisease Prevention Today

• Meteorologists use a variety of specialized instruments to predict the weather.

• Science is an exploration process.

Weather ForecastingScience and Technology

1

What is technology?

• Technology is the application of scientific knowledge of materials and processes to benefit people.

• Technology can be:

What is technology?Science and Technology

1

• any human-made object• knowledge or skills needed to

operate a human-made object• a system of people and objects

used to do a particular task

• Long ago, people would sit for hours copying each page of a book by hand.

• Books were expensive and bought only by the very rich.

Technological Methods or Techniques

Science and Technology

1

• Today, books can be created in different ways.

• Technology also can be the knowledge or skills needed to perform a task.

• A network of people and objects that work together to perform a task also is technology.

Technological Methods or Techniques

Science and Technology

1

• A technological system is a collection of the other types of technology that are combined to perform a specific function.

• Technological solutions in developing countries focus on supplying basic needs for families.

• Technology that would supply adequate and safe drinking water and food supplies would be valued.

Global Technological NeedsScience and Technology

1

• Because the needs for survival are met in industrialized nations, money often is spent on technology.

• Technology is designed to improve the quality of life of individuals.

Industrialized CountriesScience and Technology

1

• Agricultural biotechnology is a collection of scientific techniques, including genetic engineering, that are used to create, improve, or modify plants, animals, and microorganisms.

• Genetically altering plant species is a highly controversial practice.

Bioengineering and FoodScience and Technology

1

1Section Check

Question 1

Scientific knowledge used to solve a problem or provide for a human need is called _______. A. innovationB. inventionC. technologyD. theory

1Section Check

The answer is C. Technology is the use of science to solve many different kinds of problems.

Answer

1Section Check

Question 2Which of the following is a true statement about technology?

A. Technology has not changed in the last 100 years.B. Technology is used only in industrialized countries.

1Section Check

Question 2Which of the following is a true statement about technology?

C. People all over the world use technology in the same way.D. Technology can be used to supply basic needs to families.

1Section Check

Answer

The answer is D. Technology is used in many different ways by people all over the world.

1Section Check

Question 3A _______ is a collection of technology used to perform a specific function.

AnswerThe correct answer is technological system. The Internet, the national highway system, and the airline industry are all examples of technological systems designed for a specific function.

Social Forces that Shape Technology

Forces that Shape Technology

2

• Society is a group of people that share similar values and beliefs.

• The development of technology is affected by society and its changing values, politics, and economics.

Social Forces that Shape Technology

Forces that Shape Technology

2

• If consumers fail to buy a product, companies usually will not spend additional money on that type of technology.

• People will support the development of technologies that agree with their personal values, directly and indirectly.

Economic Forces that Shape Technology

Forces that Shape Technology

2

• One way in which funds are allocated for research and development of technology is through the federal government.

• A private foundation, which is an organization not associated with the government, is a group of people who work together for a common goal.

Federal Government

Private Foundations

Private IndustriesForces that Shape Technology

2

• Industries budget a portion of their profits for research and development.

• Sometimes the consequences of technology are known, but the benefits are perceived to outweigh the risks.

Responsible TechnologyEnvironmental Issues

• Sometimes the benefits of technology are known immediately, but the consequences are not known for a period of time.

Environment IssuesForces that Shape Technology

2

• Consumers and voters have a responsibility to weigh the benefits and consequences of technology.

The Chernobyl AccidentForces that Shape Technology

2

• The worst technological accident in modern times occurred on April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine.

• An accumulation of radioactive fallout in the upper layers of soil has destroyed important farmland.

• Groundwater and surface waters were contaminated.

Moral and Ethical IssuesForces that Shape Technology

2

• Ethical issues in science pose questions and establish rules about how scientific hypotheses should be tested and how society should use scientific knowledge.

• Ethics help scientists establish standards that they agree to follow when they collect, analyze, and report data.

2Section Check

Question 1_______ is a group of people that share similar values and beliefs.

AnswerThe correct answer is society. Society often helps determine how technology will be used.

2Section Check

Question 2

Which of the following was NOT a result of the accident at Chernobyl?

A. loss of farmlandB. water contaminationC. human population relocationD. increased nuclear power usage

2Section Check

The answer is D. The accident affected a great number of people and a large area of land.

Answer

2Section Check

Question 3What percent of the carbon dioxide (CO2) shown in the table is produced by the United States?

A. 2.5%B. 10%

C. 40%D. 80%

2Section Check

AnswerThe answer is C. To calculate the percentage, first add up all the CO2 emissions. Then divide the US emissions (1,446.8 tons) by the total (3,597 tons) and multiply by 100%.

• Scientists have knowledge of scientific principles.

• Scientists often work in research laboratories doing research.

Scientists and Engineers3Developing Technology

• A researcher who is responsible for bringing technology to the consumer is called an engineer.

• Technological problems often create a demand for new scientific knowledge.

Engineers3Developing Technology

• The first step in finding a technical solution is to define clearly the problem that you are trying to solve.

• Once the problem is clearly defined, the search for the solution can begin.

Finding Solutions3Developing Technology

Identifying the Problem

Proposing Solutions

• Design restrictions for products from outside factors are known as constraints.

• The type of performance test used depends upon the design.

Constraints3Developing Technology

Performance Testing

• A computer simulation uses a computer to imitate the process to collect data or to test a process or procedure.

• Local communities, states, and the federal government have laws and regulations regarding manufacturing processes, products, or buildings.

Complying with Laws and Regulations

3Developing Technology

• A prototype is a full-scale model that is used to test a new product such as a new car design or a new airplane product.

Prototypes and Pilot Plants3Developing Technology

• A pilot plant is a smaller version of the real production equipment that closely models actual manufacturing conditions.

• A control system is a device or collection of devices that monitors a system.

• Performance testing is one way to limit system failures.

Limiting System Failure3Developing Technology

• Other ways to limit system failures are to put redundant systems within a design.

• Intellectual property is any type of creative work that has financial value and is protected by law.

• A patent is a legal document granted by the government giving an inventor the exclusive right to make, use, and sell an invention for a specific number of years.

Intellectual Property3Developing Technology

3Section Check

Question 1

An engineer is responsible for _______.

A. studying a specialized area of scienceB. using scientific knowledge to solve problemsC. teaching society how to use technology in an ethical wayD. discovering scientific theories and laws through laboratory research

3Section Check

The answer is B. Engineers use scientific information to develop products and techniques that solve problems.

Answer

3Section Check

Question 2_______ are restrictions for products from outside factors. Examples include cost, environmental impact, and available materials.

Answer

The correct answer is constraints. The solution to a problem often is affected by many constraints.

3Section Check

Question 3A _______ is a smaller version of production equipment that is used to test manufacturing processes.

A. computer simulationB. control systemC. pilot plantD. prototype

3Section Check

AnswerThe correct answer is C. The pilot plant is part of the performance testing procedure. Performance testing helps engineers identify design flaws.

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