Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet (9th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1118427327
ISBN 13: 978-1-11842-732-3

Chapter 2 - Science as a Way of Knowing: Critical Thinking about the Environment - Study Questions - Page 41: 7

Answer

(a) An example of a technological advance that resulted from a scientific discovery is the development of the internet. The internet was made possible by the discovery of the underlying principles of packet-switching and computer networking in the 1960s and 1970s. (b) An example of a scientific discovery that resulted from a technological advance is the discovery of X-rays. X-rays were discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen, who was experimenting with cathode rays in a vacuum tube. His discovery was made possible by the development of vacuum tubes, which were used in the production of cathode rays. (c) A technological device that many people use today is a smartphone. The development of smartphones was made possible by a number of scientific discoveries, including the discovery of the principles of electricity and electronics, the development of microprocessors, and the discovery of wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Additionally, advancements in materials science and manufacturing processes were necessary to create the compact, durable, and efficient components needed for smartphones.

Work Step by Step

(a) Technological advance that resulted from a scientific discovery: Define a technological advance: This refers to an improvement or innovation in technology, resulting in a new product or service or an improvement in an existing one. Identify a scientific discovery: This refers to the process of learning new facts or principles about the natural world through systematic observation and experimentation. Find the relationship between the two: Technological advances often build upon scientific discoveries, utilizing the knowledge gained through scientific research to create new products or services. For example, the development of the internet was made possible by the discovery of the principles of packet-switching and computer networking. (b) Scientific discovery that resulted from a technological advance: Define a scientific discovery: This refers to the process of learning new facts or principles about the natural world through systematic observation and experimentation. Identify a technological advance: This refers to an improvement or innovation in technology, resulting in a new product or service or an improvement in an existing one. Find the relationship between the two: Technological advances often provide new tools or instruments that enable scientists to observe and measure natural phenomena more accurately or in new ways. For example, the discovery of X-rays was made possible by the development of vacuum tubes, which were used in the production of cathode rays. (c) Technological device and scientific discoveries: Identify the technological device: In this case, a smartphone. Identify the scientific discoveries: Smartphones require a wide range of scientific discoveries to function, including the principles of electricity and electronics, the development of microprocessors, the discovery of wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and advancements in materials science and manufacturing processes. Understand the relationship between the device and scientific discoveries: Each of these scientific discoveries was necessary to create the various components of a smartphone, such as the microprocessor, wireless communication chips, and touch screen display. Without these scientific discoveries, it would not be possible to create a device that is as compact, efficient, and powerful as a smartphone.
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