technology and society

This article deals with the correlation of science, technology and society since they are interconnected. Science, technology and society give rise to one another in various ways. Some concepts of physics are used to develop technology, and hence, affect society.

A country’s growth, both in the field of technology and in the education about physics, is equally important since one leads to solutions for practical problems and the other strengthens the in-depth knowledge, which furthers the growth of technology. It is a complete cycle that continues as time progresses. 

The relationship between science, technology and society

Science, technology and society are interlinked. There are a number of examples in the world that depict the close relationship between science, technology and society. Some examples are:

• The study of thermodynamics, or the transfer of heat, led to the invention of vehicles, refrigerators and blowers.
• The invention of the steam engine led to the industrial revolution in England, which had a profound effect on human civilisation.
• Existing theories and laws of physics are used to generate new ideas and technologies.
• Concepts of current, electricity and magnetism were used to invent wireless technology by the end of the 19th century.
• The silicon chip has been responsible for the computer revolution in the last few decades. This was possible because of the invention of semiconductors and fundamental electronics, which are sub-branches of physics.

Science, technology, and society are linked together in many ways.

• Much of what we know now is based on engineering, which has its roots in physics and maths. So physics is the science that helps us understand how nature works, and technology is how we use that knowledge to solve problems in our daily lives.

• Physicists use physics to explain and describe natural things. It tells us how different parts of nature work and how they react to different things in our world.

• The role of physics in technology can help us solve problems and do things. For this, we need to understand nature to figure out how things happen the way they do.

• A simple example is how we lift heavy things with a lever. Physics tells us that the longer the lever arm, the easier it is to lift the thing.

Contributions made by various physicists

Bhaskaracharya

He proposed the concept of instantaneous motion, talked about gravitational laws and gave the concepts of calculus.

Galileo Galilei

He proposed the concept of acceleration, discovered the law of inertia, invented a type of thermometer and contributed to astronomy.

Issac Newton

He invented the binomial theorem for non-integer powers, gave the universal law of gravitation, and found out about the spectrum of white light.

Johannes Kepler

He gave the three laws of planetary motion and established geometric optics.

Robert Hook

He was the designer of the Gregorian Reflecting Telescope.

Archimedes

He was the inventor of the catapult, a system made of a combination of pulleys and proposed the concept of buoyant force.

Daniel Bernoulli

He worked in the field of fluid mechanics. He contributed to the works of calculus, probability, the principle of vibrating strings and applied mathematics. He established mathematical physics.

Lord Kelvin

He made a major contribution to the development of the concept of energy conservation, which was already proposed at that time. He also brought forward the concept of absolute temperature. He also formulated the second law of thermodynamics with Sadi Carnot’s help.

Rudolf Clausius

He discovered the second law of thermodynamics. He discovered entropy on the basis of work done by Carnot and Kelvin. He also contributed to the field of the kinetic theory of gases.

John Dalton

He proposed the very first atomic theory in the modern world of science. He also proposed a theory related to colourblindness.

Interrelation of physics and communication industry

Under the communication industry, there are the television and telecom industries.

The communication industry has connected the entire world in digital as well as commercial terms. The television and telecom industries work on the principles of electromagnetic waves. The German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz first examined the generation of electromagnetic waves. Communication also includes travelling from one place to another. Aeroplanes operate on Bernoulli’s principle.

Conclusion

Physics and technology have a huge impact on society. Development in physics and technology helps in the economic development of society. Technology can function when we apply the laws of physics. Practically applying physics in various fields has helped in improving the standard of living for many. Applied physics is the second name of technology.

Science, technology and society seek to explain everything around us, from tiny charged particles to humans, cars, and spaceships. In fact, the rules of physics accurately explain everything around us. Consider a GPS. Physics outlines the link between speed, distance and time, and the GPS sensor inside the car uses these physics equations to calculate travel time. Physics can make substantial contributions to new technology through theoretical breakthroughs.