1. Technology and Society
Science and Technology - Chapter 4 Lesson 3

2. Objectives
Describe how technology has impacted society throughout history.
Explain how technology affects people in positive and negative ways.
Explain how analyzing risks and benefits can help people make decisions about technology
We are covering NGSS
MS-ETS1-1 Define The Criteria And Constraints Of A Design Problem With Sufficient Precision To Ensure A Successful Solution, Taking Into Account Relevant Scientific Principles And Potential Impacts On People And The Natural Environment That May Limit Possible Solutions.

3. My Planet Diary - A Super-Duper Sponge
Imagine a material that can hold 100 times its own weight in water. Superabsorbents can do just that.
They start as powdery pellets.
Then as the pellet absorbs water, it swells and turns into a rubbery gel.  
Superabsorbent material is used in a variety of ways.
For example, it has replaced the cotton and paper wadding in baby diapers.
Also, superabsorbents are used in meat packaging to prevent leaks.

4. My Planet Diary - A Super-Duper Sponge
What are two other possible uses for superabsorbent material?

5. How Has Technology Impacted Society?
From the Stone Age thousands of years ago to the Information Age today, technology has had a large impact on society.
Stone weapons and tools enabled people to hunt and grow crops.
As a result, they began to settle into farming communities.
Today, satellites, cell phones, and computers allow people to share information quickly.

6. How Has Technology Impacted Society?
Summarize Using your own words, explain how technology has impacted society. Provide at least one real-world example to support your response.

7. What Are the Consequences of Technology?
In addition to intended consequences, a technology can have unintended consequences on society and the environment.
Pesticides protect crops from insects, which helps farmers to grow more crops and keeps food prices low.
However, pesticides that wash into water supplies can affect plants and animals that live in the water and people who use the water supply.
This was an unintended consequence.

8. What Are the Consequences of Technology?
Tractors allow farmers to plow more land than they could with a horse-drawn plow.
In the 1900s, this led to the unintended consequence of many people losing their jobs.
The same technology that helps many people live long, healthy lives may also cause injuries or death.
For example, air bags have saved many lives, but they have also injured and killed people.
Power plants that have the intended consequence of generating electricity that lights millions of homes also cause air pollution.

10. What Are the Consequences of Technology?
Did You Know?  
In 1946, Percy Spencer was working on a device that produced microwave radio signals.
He was standing near it when the chocolate bar in his pocket melted. Spencer figured out it was the microwaves.
To test it further, Spencer placed a bag of popcorn kernels next to the device.
The kernels popped and he had cooked popcorn.
Percy’s accidental discovery gave society the microwave oven.

12. What Are the Consequences of Technology?
Summarize Using your own words, explain the difference between intended consequences and unintended consequences in reference to new technologies.

13. Where Did Computers Come From?
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14. How Do You Decide Whether to Use a Technology?
In deciding whether to use a technology, people must analyze its possible risks and benefits.
Risk-benefit analysis involves evaluating the possible problems of a technology compared to the expected advantage.  
Often in evaluating a technology’s risks and benefits, human values must be considered.
A value is something that is important to a person or society.  
Values might be health, honesty, and personal freedom.

15. How Do You Decide Whether to Use a Technology?
Problems can arise when one value favors a technology while another value cautions against it.
A trade-off consists of exchanging one benefit for another.
Trade-offs might include trading safety for style, or economic value for environmental value.  
Technology cannot solve every problem.
Everyone must make informed decisions to reduce the negative impacts of technology and to use it wisely.

16. How Do You Decide Whether to Use a Technology?
Summarize In your own words, summarize how you would decide if technology can be used wisely.

18. Key Concept Summary – Technology and Society