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SMT 310 > QUIZZES > Flashcards

QUIZZES Flashcards

1
Q

It is generally believed that human settlements started about …

A

10,000 B.C

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2
Q

Early human civilizations began …

A

in river valleys

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3
Q

Why did humans move to river valleys?

A

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

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4
Q

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

A

the plow

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5
Q

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

A

Many thousands of years ago when civilization began

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6
Q

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

A

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.

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7
Q

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

A

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

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8
Q

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

A

electric power

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9
Q

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

A

Social and technological developments go hand in hand

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10
Q

Electric charges are the source of

A

Both, electric and magnetic forces.

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11
Q

how many types of electric charges are there?

A

Two, called positive and negative.

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12
Q

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

A

an electric current will flow through the wire.

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13
Q

An electric current flowing in a wire produces _________

A

a magnetic field.

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14
Q

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

A

yes

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15
Q

If the magnetic field within a certain region changes then

A

a voltage is produced in the boundary of that region.

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16
Q

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

A

Electromagnetic Induction

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17
Q

What is a transformer?

A

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

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18
Q

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

A

Energy of flowing water.

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19
Q

In class we discussed some shortcomings of the “Connections” video series. Which choice below was mentioned as one of the possible weaknesses of this series?

A

The series only emphasizes scientific and technological developments that took place in Europe and barely mentions other important advances in other parts of the world.

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20
Q

In spite of the obvious shortcomings of the “Connections” video series we still continue to show it as the core content in this course. Why?

A

The central thesis of this series is that scientific and technological developments intertwine with social and political ones. The events mentioned in the series are used as examples to illustrate this central idea, and not promoted as the only authentic version of history.

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21
Q

What was so special about the Touchstone?

A

It provided a way to check the purity of gold.

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22
Q

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

A

It allowed people to store their wealth.
It created class divisions.
It stimulated more trade.

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23
Q

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

A

more than a 1000 years

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24
Q

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

A

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

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25
Q

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

A

The elected representatives (senators etc.)

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26
Q

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

A

Bernoulli’s principle

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27
Q

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

A

air pressure drops

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28
Q

Which natural law is Bernoulli’s principle based on?

A

law of conservation of Energy.

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29
Q

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?

A

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.

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30
Q

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?

A

The magnetic compass

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31
Q

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

A

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

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32
Q

Clouds are formed by ______

A

condensation of water vapor into tiny droplets of water.

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33
Q

Which modern invention does episode 2 end with?

A

atomic or nuclear bomb

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34
Q

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

A

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

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35
Q

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?

A

Communication is extremely important in the evolution of scientific understanding.

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36
Q

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?

A

The invention of printing and publishing during the middle ages.

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37
Q

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

A

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

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38
Q

Which modern invention does chapter 3 end with?

A

Telecommunications

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39
Q

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

A

Stirrup

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40
Q

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

A

separation of classes

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41
Q

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

A

It was difficult to get skillful archers.

42
Q

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?

A

Creation of a stronger horse using genetic selection.

43
Q

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

A

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

44
Q

Who invented Gunpowder?

A

chinese

45
Q

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

A

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

46
Q

What is the cause of atmospheric pressure?

A

The weight of all the air in the atmosphere.

47
Q

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

A

The force from atmospheric pressure.

48
Q

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

A

newton

49
Q

Who discovered the connection between electricity and magnetism?

A

Hans Christian Oersted.

50
Q

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

A

faraday

51
Q

What is the cause of magnetism?

A

an electric current

52
Q

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

A

yes

53
Q

Which source of energy did the water wheel use?

A

The energy in flowing water

54
Q

The gearing system used in the water wheels allowed

A

speed of the machine to be changed.
circular movements to be converted into oscillatory (up/down or back/forth) movements
vertical movements to be converted into horizontal (and vice versa).

55
Q

What was the main contribution of the Cistercian monks?

A

They pioneered systematic production and management techniques.

56
Q

While the conventional view is that the ‘Dark Ages’ were a time of no major development in Europe, the host 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?

A

the catholic church

57
Q

What were the two trigger inventions in this episode?

A

The horizontal weaving loom and the spinning wheel.

58
Q

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

A

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

59
Q

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

A

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

60
Q

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

A

flea

61
Q

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

A

the survivors had better immunity against the disease.

62
Q

What part does linen underwear play in this episode?

A

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

63
Q

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

A

Easily available supply of surplus linen.

64
Q

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

A

1457 AD

65
Q

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

A

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

66
Q

Which of the following is mentioned by the host (Burke) as an interesting consequence of widespread printing and the resulting spread of knowledge?

A

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

67
Q

Which modern invention does episode 4 end with?

A

The computer.

68
Q

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

A

paper

69
Q

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

A

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.
It set the stage for using a ‘binary’ or ‘two state system’ for controlling machines and that eventually evolved into the modern computer.
It was one of the first mechanisms to control and execute several different functions from a single machine

70
Q

How does paper play into the story in episode 4?

A

It was the basic raw material used in printing books that aided the spread and development of technical knowledge

Paper cards were used as an information storage mechanism in a device that ultimately evolved into the computer.

Paper cards of the kind used in census counting machines were ultimately used to program the first computers.

71
Q

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?

A

Yes, because many uses of paper have adopted alternatives.

72
Q

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?

A

Getting emotional about old ‘yellowing’ paper even though the ‘yellowing’ of old paper was due to imperfect manufacturing.

Using paper as a carrier of information (in books for instance) and as concealers (as gift wrapping).

73
Q

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?

A

0, 1, 2, 3, 4

74
Q

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?

A

101

75
Q

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?

A

10

76
Q

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

A

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

77
Q

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?

A

Yes, the smart phones will have at least as much effect as the pocket editions did or perhaps much more.

78
Q

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?

A

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

79
Q

How did the ‘Astrolabe’ help early astronomers?

A

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

80
Q

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

A

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.

81
Q

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

A

the arabs

82
Q

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

A

say one’s prayers on time.

83
Q

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

A

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

84
Q

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

A

if Jupiter was the center for its moons then Earth wasn’t the center of the universe.

85
Q

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

A

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

86
Q

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

A

They were irregular because the steel used was laminated steel.

87
Q

How were the springs made more regular?

A

By melting pieces of steel and making more consistent steel.

88
Q

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

A

direct relationship

89
Q

Which choice below is an example of a ‘Direct’ relationship ?

A

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

90
Q

Which modern technology does chapter 5 end with?

A

Modern mass production mechanisms

91
Q

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?

A

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

92
Q

Are the terms, ‘Science’, ‘Engineering’ and ‘Technology’ synonymous?

A

no

93
Q

Which statement below is true about ‘Engineering’ ?

A

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

94
Q

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

A

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

95
Q

Why can metals be bent?

A

Because they have a crystalline structure.

Because they have dislocations in their crystals.

Dislocations in metallic crystals move allowing the crystals to fold and bend.

96
Q

Why are alloys stronger than pure metals?

A

Dislocations are filled in by the doping atom.

97
Q

Which of the following materials is an alloy?

A

Brass.

Steel.

Bronze.

98
Q

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

A

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

99
Q

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

A

The steel becomes too stiff.

100
Q

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

A

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

101
Q

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?

A

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

102
Q

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

A

chronium

SMT 310 (1 decks)

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