SMT 310 FINAL EXAM Notes (ch. 1-10)

Which of the following did not make any direct contribution to the study of Electricity and Magnetism?

Issac Newton

How did the 'Astrolabe' help early astronomers?

It is used to measure the angular position of the star in the sky fairly accurately

ch 2 What was so special about the Touchstone?

It provided a way to check the purity of gold.

What part does linen underwear play in this chapter?

It provided the raw material for paper which plays an important part in this chapter

Why did the Welsh Longbow fall out of use so soon?

It was difficult to get skillful archers.

Why is it impossible to go back to the simple life where the technology networks were simple and not very dense?

It would be impossible to support the huge numbers of humans who exist today without using the tools and technologies that exist today.

Which natural law is Bernoulli's principle based on?

Law of conservation of Energy

The author mentions that the first craftsmen to build the pocket watch might probably have been locksmiths. Why?

Locks of that time used springs to open and close and early watches were powered by similar springs.

Modern life is of course, helplessly dependent on technology. But when might humans have started depending on technology?

Many thousands of years ago when civilization began

Who combined the electric and magnetic phenomena into one unified theory?

Maxwell

Which modern technology does chapter 5 end with?

Modern mass production mechanisms

You saw the important role paper played in the development of the modern computer. The assigned reading for this chapter gives another perspective on the use of paper in our lives. Do you think that the use and importance of paper will decline considerably in the coming years?

No, because other than books, letters and currency almost all other uses of paper still use copious amounts of paper.

Are the terms, 'Science', 'Engineering' and 'Technology' synonymous?

No.

Conservation of Energy implies that energy is neither created nor destroyed. If that is the case then why are we asked to reduce our consumption of energy?

Not all forms of energy are useful to us. By reducing the usage of the useful kinds of energy we extend their period of use.

If humans have always been a 'technologically oriented' species, what about modern life makes it so helplessly dependent on technologies?

Now a days no technology exists by itself. Rather we have dense networks of technology so if one (technology) fails, it causes a cascade of failure of several bringing life to a halt.

Which of the following plays the most central role in the story recounted in chapter 4?

Paper

An interesting form of credit invented in the 14th century was a small but crucial factor in increasing commerce. What was it?

People could buy a share in the business for a share in the profits.

The author mentions an interesting rationale for the formation of villages. What was it?

People needed to share things which could happen only if they lived close to each other

The author of the video series (Burke) credits Huntsman with a major advance in steel making while the author of additional readings (Miodownik) credits Bessemer with a revolutionary change in steel making. What were the differences between Huntsman's method and Bessemer's method?

. Huntsman melted pieces of laminated steel while Bessemer made steel from molten iron.

The decimal system of counting in use today is so named because it uses ten symbols for the first ten numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. In other words, it is a ten digit system. What digits might be used in a 5 digit system?

0, 1, 2, 3, 4

Which of the following materials is an alloy?

1. Brass. 2. Bronze. 3. Steel. All of these choices are correct

Why can metals be bent?

1. Dislocations in metallic crystals move allowing the crystals to fold and bend. 2. Because they have dislocations in their crystals. 3. Because they have a crystalline structure. All of these choices are correct.

Which of the following was a consequence of using gold as a means of exchange?

1. It stimulated more trade. 2. It created class divisions. 3. It allowed people to store their wealth. All of these choices are correct

In which way does the 'Cam' connect various inventions and developments in this episode?

1. It was one of the first mechanisms to control and execute several different functions from a single machine 2. It set the stage for using a 'binary' or 'two state system' for controlling machines and that eventually evolved into the modern computer. 3. It was the basis for the idea of using control cards to control and program later machines that were more sophisticated in that they were used to produce things as diverse as music and cloth. All of these choices are correct.

One may draw a parallel between the pocket editions that were printed soon after printing was invented and today's smart-phones that have merged the wireless phone and the computer. Do you think this comparison is justified? Do you think the smart-phones will have as much impact on our future development as the pocket editions did?

1. None of these choices. I have an entirely different view from the choices presented. 2. Yes, the smart phones will have at least as much effect as the pocket editions did or perhaps much more. 3. This comparison doesn't make sense because one is a book while the other is an electronic device. 4. No, the smart phones will not have as much impact as the pocket editions did. Opinion question

How does paper play into the story in chapter 4?

1. Paper cards were used as an information storage mechanism in a device that ultimately evolved into the computer. 2. Paper cards of the kind used in census counting machines were ultimately used to program the first computers. 3. It was the basic raw material used in printing books that aided the spread and development of technical knowledge All of these choices are correct

It has been mentioned in this chapter, and in an earlier one, that there was general well being and prosperity in Europe by about 1300AD. What were the reasons for that?

1. Several innovations in agriculture starting from the 7th century onwards had produced a surplus of food. 2. Hydro-power and systems management combined with the loom and spinning wheel produced surplus cloth that increased commerce and prosperity. Both of the above choices are correct

What was the connection between the cloud chamber and the nuclear bomb?

1. The cloud chamber allowed physicists to experiment and probe the atom and the nucleus without which it would be impossible to invent the bomb. 2. The cloud chamber was crucial in the development of the RADAR systems that allowed the planes to fly and drop the bomb. Both of these choices.

Which statement below may be concluded from the events witnessed in chapter 2?

1. The rapidity and ease of communication dictates the pace of technological development. 2. Scientific discoveries and developments often take a long time to be put to use by humanity. 3. Humans often develop and use technologies without understanding the science behind these technologies. All of these choices are correct.

The case of paper illustrates how we often use products and technologies for contradictory purposes and also, how our emotions about a product depend on the technologies and methods used to engineer them. Which choice (or choices) below are examples of this thought?

1. Using paper as a carrier of information (in books for instance) and as concealers (as gift wrapping). 2. Getting emotional about old 'yellowing' paper even though the 'yellowing' of old paper was due to imperfect manufacturing. Both of these choices are correct.

The gearing system used in the water wheels allowed

1. vertical movements to be converted into horizontal (and vice versa). 2. circular movements to be converted into oscillatory (up/down or back/forth) movements. 3. speed of the machine to be changed. All of these choices are correct.

Suppose you have to write the number 'five' in a five digit system that has symbols for the first five numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4. How would you write that?

10

ch 1 It is generally believed that human settlements started about ...

10,000 B.C

The binary system has only two symbols for the first two numbers: 0 and 1. How would one write the number 'five' in the binary system?

101

The author mentions one of the earliest dated printed material produced using a printing press. Which year was it produced in?

1457 AD

Why did humans move to river valleys?

A change in the weather forced them to move to the river valleys

What is a transformer?

A device to reduce or increase the voltage in an electrical line.

The additional reading mentions an interesting innovation which happened concurrently with the invention of printing that made the book an effective communication tool.

Abandoning the idea of a scroll in favor of a sheaf of pages bound at one edge.

According to Bernoulli's principle, what happens to air pressure when air flows faster?

Air pressure drops.

What is the cause of magnetism?

An electric current

Which modern invention does episode 2 end with?

Atomic (or Nuclear) Bomb

Which of the following is a difference between metals and wood?

Beating wood does not make it hard but beating metal does.

Which scientific law explains how a rudder is able to steer a ship or how sails allow a ship to move against the wind?

Bernoulli's principle

Electric charges are the source of

Both, electric and magnetic forces

How were the springs made more regular?

By melting pieces of steel and making more consistent steel.

What needs to be added to iron, besides carbon, to make stainless steel?

Chromium

Gilbert's book on magnetism was read by Guericke who investigated the vacuum and his writings stimulated interest in atmospheric electricity. Which statement below can be concluded from this?

Communication is extremely important in the evolution of scientific understanding.

What is so special or so important about the binary system?

Computers and most control systems use binary numbers to store, process and display data.

What idea did the sword makers of samurai warriors in Japan use to make stronger and sharper swords?

Recognizing different grades of steel by color, texture and sound.

Which choice below is an example of a 'Direct' relationship?

Reducing the price of healthy foods leading to less obesity on a population

Which of the following was a social consequence of the stirrup coming in to widespread use?

Separation of classes.

Early in this episode, the author gives an interesting justification for humans' belief in Astrology. What is this justification?

Since the position of the Sun, Moon and the Stars always coincided with the seasons it was natural to think that they controlled the seasons and, by extension, our lives.

Which of the following statements may we conclude from chapter 1?

Social and technological developments go hand in hand

Which invention could be called the 'trigger' that started the chain of events mentioned in chapter 3?

Stirrup

For most of history, making alloys including steel was more art than science. Why?

Strength of alloys depends on precise ratios of materials being mixed and controlling these ratios was difficult.

ch 3 Which modern invention does chapter 3 end with?

Telecommunications

Which people are credited with preserving a vast amount of ancient Greek, Roman and Oriental knowledge?

The Arabs

While the conventional view is that the 'Dark Ages' were a time of no major development in Europe, the author mentions that some interesting technologies and processes kept evolving during this period. Which institution provided the cohesiveness necessary to allow people to communicate and organize during this period?

The Catholic Church

Who invented Gunpowder?

The Chinese

Sometime in the 16th century it was discovered that the magnetic compass does not always point north. Why doesn't it point north?

The compass was pointing in the direction of the Earth's magnetic field which does not point towards the North.

Which modern invention does chapter 4 end with?

The computer.

Who should decide the science funding priorities of public grant organizations?

The elected representatives (senators etc.) Opinion question

ch 4 Which source of energy did the water wheel use?

The energy in flowing water

When you drink through a straw, which force pushes the drink up the straw?

The force from atmospheric pressure

What were the two trigger inventions in this chapter?

The horizontal weaving loom and the spinning wheel.

You might have noticed in this story that developments during the medieval times and later took place much more rapidly as compared to ancient times. Which crucial element might have been responsible for this?

The invention of printing and publishing during the middle ages.

When long distance sea voyages of the medieval era started, sailors used Ptolemy's star tables to navigate. What other aid to navigation did they use?

The magnetic compass

Why were Ptolemy's star tables not used for navigating by sailors for more than a thousand years?

The ships were not capable of undertaking long sea voyages, so they were not needed.

What happens if too much carbon enters the crystal lattice of iron?

The steel becomes too stiff.

Which of the following was a positive offshoot of the Black Death?

The survivors had better immunity against the disease.

What feature of the pendulum made it a very attractive time-keeping device?

The time it takes a pendulum to complete one cycle never changes even if it slows down.

What is the cause of atmospheric pressure?

The weight of all the air in the atmosphere.

Which of the following is mentioned by the author as an interesting consequence of widespread printing and the resulting spread of knowledge?

There was more specialization which increased the barriers for entry into various professions.

ch 5 Ptolemy's star tables have been mentioned earlier in this series and again early in this episode. What instrument might Ptolemy (or his contemporaries) have used to see the stars?

They observed stars with their eyes without the aid of any magnifying instrument.

What was the main contribution of the Cistercian monks?

They pioneered systematic production and management techniques.

What was the problem with the springs initially used in clocks?

They were irregular because the steel used was laminated steel.

How many types of electric charges are there?

Two, called positive and negative.

The author shows how modern mass production mechanisms evolved from early ideas of using machines in assembly lines. Which choice below is a feature of a modern assembly line?

Workers on an assembly line do not need to be skilled.

Electricity can produce magnetism. Is the reverse also true? That is, can magnetism produce electricity?

Yes.

It is mentioned in chapter 3 that the Chinese had discovered magnets almost 2000 years ago. Did they use it to navigate?

Yes.

An electric current flowing in a wire produces _________

a magnetic field.

If the magnetic field within a certain region changes then

a voltage is produced in the boundary of that region.

If two points in space have a voltage between them and they are connected with a wire, then

an electric current will flow through the wire.

Clouds are formed by ______

condensation of water vapor into tiny droplets of water.

Early human civilizations began ...

in river valleys

The time gap between the creation of Ptolemy's star tables and their eventual use was

more than a 1000 years

According to the story presented in this chapter, the initial motivation to build an accurate timekeeping device was to

say one's prayers on time.

If one could single out one tool or technology that probably triggered the development of civilization it would be

the plow

The author mentions improved agricultural practices leading to surplus food as being the cause of people not practicing the longbow. Which agriculture related improvement did the author NOT mention?

Creation of a stronger horse using genetic selection.

One interesting feature of springs is that the restoring force that pulls a spring back to its relaxed position increases if a spring is stretched more. So this relationship between restoring force and amount of stretch is an example of a

Direct relationship

Why are alloys stronger than pure metals?

Dislocations are filled in by the doping atom.

What problem did the silver miners face in pumping the water out of the mines using suction pumps?

Each pump could pump water up no more than about 30 feet.

In the additional readings assigned for this chapter it is mentioned that for most of history paper has been expensive. What brought the price of paper down during the middle ages?

Easily available supply of surplus linen

Which of the following technologies forms the backbone of our modern technological existence?

Electric Power

Which phenomenon is at the heart of large scale electrical power generation systems?

Electromagnetic Induction

Which statement below is true about 'Engineering' ?

Engineering means using verified design principles to craft and manufacture devices for human use.

Which organism was primarily responsible for spreading the plague in the middle ages?

Flea.

Where does the energy to move the electrical coils (or magnets) come from?

From the heat released by burning gas.

Who discovered the connection between electricity and magnetism?

Hans Christian Oersted

The discovery of Jupiter's moons supported a new and crucial idea at the time. What was it?

If Jupiter was the center for its moons then Earth wasn't the center of the universe.