Table of Contents

Chapter: Science, Technology,

and Society

Section 1: Science and Technology

Section 2: Forces that Shape

Technology

Section 3: Developing Technology

 Science and Technology
1
Scientific Discovery
• History is full of breakthroughs in science
that have changed the course of human
history.
Scientific Insight
Disease Prevention Today
• Measures are taken now because we know
how contagious diseases are spread from
person to person and what causes infections
in wounds.
 Science and Technology
1
Weather Forecasting
• Meteorologists use a variety of specialized
instruments to predict the weather.

What is technology?
• Science is an exploration process.
 Science and Technology
1
What is technology?
• Technology is the application of scientific
knowledge of materials and processes to
benefit people.
• Technology can be:
• 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
 Science and Technology
1
Technological Methods
or Techniques
• 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.
• Today, books can
be created in
different ways.
 Science and Technology
1
Technological Methods
or Techniques
• 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.
• A technological system is a collection of the
other types of technology that are combined
to perform a specific function.
 Science and Technology
1
Global Technological Needs
• 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.
 Science and Technology
1
Industrialized Countries
• 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.
 Science and Technology
1
Bioengineering and Food
• 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.
 Section Check
1
Question 1
Scientific knowledge used to solve a problem
or provide for a human need is called _______.

A. innovation
B. invention
C. technology
D. theory
 Section Check
1
Answer
The answer is C. Technology is the use of
science to solve many different kinds of
problems.
 Section Check
1
Question 2
Which 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.
 Section Check
1
Question 2
Which 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.
 Section Check
1
Answer
The answer is D. Technology is used in many
different ways by people all over the world.
 Section Check
1
Question 3
A _______ is a collection of technology used
to perform a specific function.

Answer
The 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.
 Forces that Shape Technology
2
Social Forces that Shape
Technology
• 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.
 Forces that Shape Technology
2
Social Forces that Shape
Technology
• 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.
 Forces that Shape Technology
2
Economic Forces that Shape
Technology
Federal Government
• One way in which funds are allocated for
research and development of technology
is through the federal government.
Private Foundations
• A private foundation, which is an
organization not associated with the
government, is a group of people who
work together for a common goal.
 Forces that Shape Technology
2
Private Industries
• Industries budget a portion of their
profits for research and development.
Responsible Technology
Environmental Issues
• Sometimes the consequences of technology
are known, but the benefits are perceived to
outweigh the risks.
• Sometimes the benefits of technology are
known immediately, but the consequences
are not known for a period of time.
 Forces that Shape Technology
2
Environment Issues
• Consumers and
voters have a
responsibility
to weigh the
benefits and
consequences
of technology.
 Forces that Shape Technology
2
The Chernobyl Accident
• 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.
 Forces that Shape Technology
2
Moral and Ethical Issues
• 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.
 Section Check
2
Question 1
_______ is a group of people that share similar
values and beliefs.

Answer
The correct answer is society. Society often
helps determine how technology will be used.
 Section Check
2
Question 2
Which of the following was NOT a result of
the accident at Chernobyl?

A. loss of farmland
B. water contamination
C. human population relocation
D. increased nuclear power usage
 Section Check
2
Answer
The answer is D. The accident affected a great
number of people and a large area of land.
 Section Check
2
Question 3
What percent of the
carbon dioxide
(CO2) shown in the
table is produced by
the United States?

A. 2.5% C. 40%
B. 10% D. 80%
 Section Check
2
Answer
The 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%.
 Developing Technology
3
Scientists and Engineers
• Scientists have knowledge of
scientific principles.
• Scientists often work in research
laboratories doing research.
 Developing Technology
3
Engineers
• 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.
 Developing Technology
3
Finding Solutions
Identifying the Problem
• The first step in finding a technical
solution is to define clearly the
problem that you are trying to solve.
Proposing Solutions
• Once the problem is clearly defined,
the search for the solution can begin.
 Developing Technology
3
Constraints
• Design restrictions for products from
outside factors are known as constraints.
Performance Testing
• The type of performance test used
depends upon the design.
• A computer simulation uses a computer
to imitate the process to collect data or to
test a process or procedure.
 Developing Technology
3
Complying with Laws and
Regulations
• Local communities, states, and the
federal government have laws and
regulations regarding manufacturing
processes, products, or buildings.
 Developing Technology
3
Prototypes and Pilot Plants
• 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.
• A pilot plant is a smaller version of the
real production equipment that closely
models actual manufacturing conditions.
 Developing Technology
3
Limiting System Failure
• Performance testing is one way to limit
system failures.
• Other ways to limit system failures are to
put redundant systems within a design.
• A control system is a device or collection
of devices that monitors a system.
 Developing Technology
3
Intellectual Property
• 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 property is any type of creative
work that has financial value and is protected
by law.
 Section Check
3
Question 1
An engineer is responsible for _______.
A. studying a specialized area of science
B. using scientific knowledge to solve
problems
C. teaching society how to use technology
in an ethical way
D. discovering scientific theories and laws
through laboratory research
 Section Check
3
Answer
The answer is B. Engineers use scientific
information to develop products and
techniques that solve problems.
 Section Check
3
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.
 Section Check
3
Question 3
A _______ is a smaller version of production
equipment that is used to test manufacturing
processes.
A. computer simulation
B. control system
C. pilot plant
D. prototype
 Section Check
3
Answer
The 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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