Unit 1: What Is Technology? 

Technology – The study and management of the human made world.*Based on human needs and wants.

People have to need it – people have to want it – in order for technology to happen.

Need - something we require to survive -essential to life.

Examples of human needs:

• Basic shelter

• Basic clothing

• Water

• Food

• Fancy car

• Xbox

• Cell Phones

• Designer clothing

Want - something we desire, but is NOT required for survival. It is not essential to life.

• Examples of human wants:

Technology• Study of the human‐made world

• Deals with “what can be”

Science• Study of the natural world• Deals with “what is”

NO NEED TO COPY DOWN!

TECHNOLOGY• SUB‐CATEGORIES:

• Information• Communication• Bio‐related And Agriculture

• Medical• Environmental• Production

• Manufacturing• Construction

• Transportation• Energy And Power

SCIENCE• SUB‐CATEGORIES:

• Earth Science• Biology• Chemistry• Physics• Astronomy• Other specialty areas– Quantum Physics

– Computer Science

Information Technology ‐ allows us to access, create, store, and manipulate data.  

Examples:Television, Internet, satellite, GPS, cell phones

Impacts of Information Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS

NEGATIVE IMPACTS

INTERNET –Information is stored for easy access

INTERNET –Harder to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources

Communication Technology ‐ is the giving or exchanging of information.  

Examples:Magazines, DVDs, photography, video games

Impacts of Communication Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

Access information and contact people faster and easier.

The digital world has made forgery and plagiarism easier.

Biotechnology ‐ transforms living things into products or new forms of life. *deals with living things.

Examples:‐ Genetic engineering‐ Bionics

DNA Replication image from the Human Genome Project

Impacts of Bio‐Related Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS

NEGATIVE IMPACTS

HEALTH –Improves quality of life, vitamins, vaccines, medications

HEALTH – Side effects of some medications –nausea, shortness of breath, etc.

Agricultural Technology - produces plants and animals for food, fiber, and fuel.

Examples:Irrigation, food preservation, weed and insect

control

Impacts of Agricultural Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

FERTILIZERS– can make plants produce more food per acre

FERTILIZERS– have found their way into ground water, polluting good drinking water

*weeds and insects could mutate and become resistant!

Medical Technology ‐ creates tools to treat disease and injury.Examples: 

Lasers, prosthetics, ultrasound, medications

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq-_riKtzsY

Impacts of Medical Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS

NEGATIVE IMPACTS

X-RAYS – Make it easier to diagnose injuries

Radiation – Too much can damage the body.

Environmental Technology ‐ creates ways to minimize harmful effects technology has on Earth.Examples: Hybrid vehicles, conservation, waste management (recycling)

Impacts of Environmental Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

RECYCLING –Improves water and air quality

RECYCLING –Disposal of garbage is more complicated and time consuming

Manufacturing technology ‐ changes natural or synthetic materials into usable products.EXAMPLES: CLOTHING, VEHICLES, FOOD, LUMBER, STEEL…

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTSMake new products quicker and faster!

Many industries use materials that can harm the environment

IMPACTS OF MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Construction Technology - builds structures that support loads and protect us from the environment.

Examples: Houses, bridges, roads, dams

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Impacts of Construction Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTSCONSTRUCTION – CONSTRUCTION –

Provides shelter, improves roads, creates employment opportunities

Noise and debris, traffic problems, accidents and injuries

Materials Technology - The development of materials with outstanding combinations properties that make other advances possible.

Examples: Mosquito repellent clothing, artificial skin grafts for burn victims,  advanced building materials such as composite decking. 

Impacts of Materials Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

NEW MATERIALS –able to reuse recycled materials to help the environment

NEW MATERIALS –don’t know how the materials will behave over long periods of time.

The B-2 bomber uses high tech composites to achieve its stealth capabilities

Transportation Technology ‐Provides a way for people and goods to move from one location to another.

Examples:Flight – airplane, rocket, space shuttleLand – train, subway, automobile, bicycleWater – boats, cruise shipsNon‐vehicle – conveyor belts, pipelines

Impacts of Transportation Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS

NEGATIVE IMPACTS

Traveling long distances faster

Accidents, harmsenvironment

Energy TechnologyEnergy is the ability or capacity to do work.Examples:

Chemical Energy Mechanical Energy Thermal Energy Electrical Energy Radiant Energy 

Gasoline

Motion

Steam, Solar

ElectricityLight, Heat

Power TechnologyPower is the rate at which energy is transformed from one form to another. (Potential to kinetic).

Examples:Electrical power – provides light and operates motorsMechanical power – moves automobiles, trains, and airplanes

Fluid power – uses fluids to produce motionHydraulic – uses a liquidPneumatic – uses a gas

*Once we have potential energy, we put it to use by converting it into kinetic energy.

*We have power when we can apply kinetic energy over a period of time to do work.

Impacts of Energy and Power Technology

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTS

Without energy and power, most technologies would not exist or work

Overuse of nonrenewable resources

Nanotechnology ‐manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular level.

Examples:Sensors, stain free clothing, wrinkle‐free pants, nanobots, molecular manufacturing

Impacts of Nanotechnology

POSITIVE IMPACTS NEGATIVE IMPACTSIMPLANTED SENSORS IMPLANTED SENSORSSmaller, faster electronics!!

A lot of unknown, hard to understand/explore.