PLTW: Science of Technology
How has science affected technology throughout history? To answer this question students apply the concepts in physics, chemistry and nanotechnology to STEM activities and projects.
Lesson 5.1 Applied Chemistry
Understandings
1. Chemical engineering is concerned with design, construction and operation of machines that perform chemical reactions, separations or mixes, and fluid flow to solve problems and make useful products.
2. Chemical engineers apply the knowledge and discoveries of a chemist to solve real life problems.
3. Chemical engineers work in many industries including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, environmental, materials, and alternative energy.
4. Chemical engineers often work on teams with other engineers, scientists, and technologists.
Knowledge and Skills
It is expected that students will:
· Describe the difference between a chemist and a chemical engineer.
· Describe how an adhesive bond holds two items together.
· Outline the steps required to clean up an oil spill.
· Apply science and engineering skills to make ice cream.
· Utilize the steps of the design process to create product.
· Work as a part of a team to solve an oil spill engineering simulation problem.
Lesson 5.2 Nanotechnology
Understandings
1. Nanotechnology is building innovative tools to study and manipulate objects at the nanometer scale, one billionth of a meter.
2. Properties of materials, such as strength, color, and resistance can be changed by nanotechnology.
3. Molecules can be arranged using nanotechnology in a way that they do not normally occur in nature.
4. Nanotechnology will have an impact on many areas, including but not limited to electronics and computing, materials, manufacturing, energy, environment, health, medicine, national security, and space exploration.
5. Scanning Probe and Atomic Force microscopes are used to see and move individual atoms.
6. Engineers, designers, and engineering technologists are needed in high demand for the development of future technology to meet societal needs and wants.
Knowledge and Skills
It is expected that students will:
· Identify facts regarding nanotechnology including properties of materials at nanoscale.
· Describe the relative size of a nanometer.
· Describe how nano-products are used in society today.
· Identify tools and processes used to see and manipulate matter at the nanoscale.
· Discuss the impact that nanotechnology has on their lives today and will have in the future.
· Identify examples of nanotechnology-enhanced products.
· Describe engineering and engineering technology careers related to the advancement of nanotechnology.
Lesson 5.3 Applied Physics
Understandings
1. Simple machines can make work easier by increasing mechanical advantage.
2. Mechanical advantage is the ratio of the force produced by a machine to the force applied to the machine.
3. Compound machines are made from a combination of several simple machines.
4. Energy cannot be created or destroyed but may be transferred into different types of energy.
5. Humans use their energy, along with simple machines, to do work by changing the state of energy of an object from potential to kinetic.
6. Prototyping is an important step in the design process and provides the designer with a scaled working model that can be used for testing.
Knowledge and Skills
It is expected that students will:
· Identify the six simple machines: the lever, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge, and screw.
· Identify a machine as something that helps use energy more efficiently.
· Describe work as the force applied over a distance.
· Explain the applications of the six simple machines.
· Distinguish between the three classes of levers.
· Determine mechanical advantage from assembled simple machines.
· Compare and contrast kinetic and potential energy.
· Predict the relative kinetic energy based on the mass and speed of the object.
· Recognize and demonstrate safety rules for using lab tools and machines.
· Build, test, and evaluate a model of a design problem.
· Analyze a product through testing methods and make modifications to the product.
Understandings
1. Chemical engineering is concerned with design, construction and operation of machines that perform chemical reactions, separations or mixes, and fluid flow to solve problems and make useful products.
2. Chemical engineers apply the knowledge and discoveries of a chemist to solve real life problems.
3. Chemical engineers work in many industries including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, environmental, materials, and alternative energy.
4. Chemical engineers often work on teams with other engineers, scientists, and technologists.
Knowledge and Skills
It is expected that students will:
· Describe the difference between a chemist and a chemical engineer.
· Describe how an adhesive bond holds two items together.
· Outline the steps required to clean up an oil spill.
· Apply science and engineering skills to make ice cream.
· Utilize the steps of the design process to create product.
· Work as a part of a team to solve an oil spill engineering simulation problem.
Lesson 5.2 Nanotechnology
Understandings
1. Nanotechnology is building innovative tools to study and manipulate objects at the nanometer scale, one billionth of a meter.
2. Properties of materials, such as strength, color, and resistance can be changed by nanotechnology.
3. Molecules can be arranged using nanotechnology in a way that they do not normally occur in nature.
4. Nanotechnology will have an impact on many areas, including but not limited to electronics and computing, materials, manufacturing, energy, environment, health, medicine, national security, and space exploration.
5. Scanning Probe and Atomic Force microscopes are used to see and move individual atoms.
6. Engineers, designers, and engineering technologists are needed in high demand for the development of future technology to meet societal needs and wants.
Knowledge and Skills
It is expected that students will:
· Identify facts regarding nanotechnology including properties of materials at nanoscale.
· Describe the relative size of a nanometer.
· Describe how nano-products are used in society today.
· Identify tools and processes used to see and manipulate matter at the nanoscale.
· Discuss the impact that nanotechnology has on their lives today and will have in the future.
· Identify examples of nanotechnology-enhanced products.
· Describe engineering and engineering technology careers related to the advancement of nanotechnology.
Lesson 5.3 Applied Physics
Understandings
1. Simple machines can make work easier by increasing mechanical advantage.
2. Mechanical advantage is the ratio of the force produced by a machine to the force applied to the machine.
3. Compound machines are made from a combination of several simple machines.
4. Energy cannot be created or destroyed but may be transferred into different types of energy.
5. Humans use their energy, along with simple machines, to do work by changing the state of energy of an object from potential to kinetic.
6. Prototyping is an important step in the design process and provides the designer with a scaled working model that can be used for testing.
Knowledge and Skills
It is expected that students will:
· Identify the six simple machines: the lever, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane, wedge, and screw.
· Identify a machine as something that helps use energy more efficiently.
· Describe work as the force applied over a distance.
· Explain the applications of the six simple machines.
· Distinguish between the three classes of levers.
· Determine mechanical advantage from assembled simple machines.
· Compare and contrast kinetic and potential energy.
· Predict the relative kinetic energy based on the mass and speed of the object.
· Recognize and demonstrate safety rules for using lab tools and machines.
· Build, test, and evaluate a model of a design problem.
· Analyze a product through testing methods and make modifications to the product.