Foundations of Physics

Defining Technology

Technology Categories

• Review the technology examples on each of your cards with a partner

• Do they have anything in common? • Can some of the examples be grouped

together?

Technology Categories• Construction• Mining and

Manufacturing• Transportation • Energy

• Medicine and Health

• Fiber• Communication• Agriculture

What are the common characteristics of technology?

• All are used to do something (they have a purpose)

• All are used by someone (people mainly) to meet their needs

• All have changed over time (evolves)

What are the types of human needs?

• Necessities – things you must have to stay alive

• Comforts – things that make life easier, but you could live without

• Luxuries – things that entertain or are sources of pleasure but don’t make life easier.

Technology SummaryHuman Need Original Method

for Meeting NeedCurrent Method of Meeting Need

Technology Category

Food / Water

Shelter

Clothing

Move Around

Music / Art

Sports

Socialize

Tools at the Table: Pre-Reading• Which of the following table “tools” is the

oldest technology? Which is the youngest?Forks, Knives, Chopsticks, or Plates

• Why do you think some cultures developed chopsticks while other developed knives and forks?

Tools at the Table: Reading• Read silently or quietly with a partner the

article “Tools at the Table”.• Skip page 2 (black background) because it

describes how to use chopsticks

Tools at the Table: Post-Reading• Review your answers to the original pre-

reading questions. Did your answers change?• What were the cultural reasons for the

invention and use of chopsticks?• What were the cultural reasons for the

invention and use of forks?• What were the environmental reasons for

each invention and for the materials they were made of?

Technology Team Challenge• Eating in Microgravity• Brainstorm ways to improving eating /

drinking in microgravity environments.• Make a sketch of your ideas on a whiteboard.

Convergent Technologies• Forks and chopsticks are examples of convergent

technologies: they evolved from different materials in different places, but serve the same purpose. Think of another example (not from the reading) of two technologies that meet the same human need.What are the two technologies?

• State the human need that is met by both technologies.

• Describe the materials used to make the two technologies.

Definition of Technology• Human modification of the world to meet

their needs and wants or to solve problems.

Definition of Science• Process of gathering and organizing

knowledge about the physical world.