BCA & MCA (IGNOU) http://www.ignouassignmentguru.com FST-01 1. Explain why it is important to know the History of Science. Science is the means by which the whole of our civilization is rapidly being transformed. In the past, science grew steadily and imperceptibly. But now science is progressing by leaps and bounds, for all to see. In science, more than in any other human institution, it is necessary to search the past in order to understand the present and to control the future. In other words, we have to know the history of science. But then, what is the history of science? The history of science is not a chronological description of events of scientific discovery. It is a story of an ongoing process of the interaction of science and society. It begins in the primitive human society and threads its way through different ages which have seen different forms of society, up to the modern times. It is a story of how social and economic pressures arising out of a given form of society necessitate particular inventions and innovations. The history of science is a story of human life. It is a story of human striving in all its failings, frailties, and strengths. It is a story of the interaction of science with other forces in society such as economics, politics, psychology, culture, and social organization. It is important to know the history of science because science has a cumulative tradition of knowledge. The stock of previous knowledge forms the basis for new knowledge, with the previous knowledge merging into the new knowledge. 2. Highlight the characteristics of scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge is never at a standstill. It is a dynamic, and an ongoing process. It is an ever- Science is a self-correcting enterprise, i.e., it is open to change. Science is not dogmatic. It does not unreasonably insist on standing by preconceived notions, concepts, or ideas that have been proved wrong through careful experimentation. Last but not the least, scientific knowledge is objective. That is, scientific results are repeatable and verifiable by anyone anywhere if proper facilities are available. This feature of science is related to the ultimate test of any scientific statement; that it should be in accord with the observations of the natural world. Since hard facts are independent of the prejudices and preferences of individual scientists, and experiments or observations are essentially repeatable, objectivity becomes an essential feature of scientific knowledge. In no sense is science based on experiences open only to a select few. /ignouassignmentfree IGNOU ASSIGNMENT GURU Page- A remarkable feature of scientific knowledge is that it is never complete. The more we add to this knowledge, the more questions arise about the unknown mysteries of nature. New information is, thus, continuously gathered. New theories arise if new facts can't be explained by the existing ones. Practitioners of science can never lay claim to a complete or ultimate knowledge. 1 growing enterprise which will never end. This is because, in science, there is no single ultimate truth to be achieved after which all the scientists can retire. i. Eratosthenes was from Alexandria. but are organized into systems. whether plant or animal. Who could have possibly thought of our planet as a giant disk with the stars and heavens above. and he knew that a tall tower cast a shadow in that city at the same time on the summer solstice. Egypt. And it was not explorers who sailed around the world that finally laid the idea to rest. excreting waste material. Describe the various renewable resources of energy that have the potential to fulfill the needs of the society. In the 3rd century BCE. . in fact. he inferred that the surface of the Earth is curved and he calculated a remarkably accurate estimate of the circumference of the planet. 5. the systems view of life teaches us that all living systems share a set of common properties and principles of organization. The Sun is a powerful source of energy and provides the Earth with as much energy every hour as we collectively use in a year /ignouassignmentfree IGNOU ASSIGNMENT GURU Page- Evolution has given rise to various types of life forms from single celled bacteria to organisms as complex as human being. Solar Energy: Solar energy is energy derived from the Sun's radiation. Without it. Various parts in an organism. but an accumulation of evidence long before this. All organisms possess a network of information and control which may be very simple or at times quite complicated. some 500 miles to the north. Greek philosophers referred to a spherical Earth as early as the 6th century BCE. the sun was directly overhead as objects did not cast a shadow. reacting to stimuli. Using these observations and measurements of shadow length and distance. It seems preposterous to us today that people once thought that the Earth was flat. and reproducing offspring. The characteristics which we recognize as life are. and boulders. neither the survival of an organism nor its existence in a stable physical condition is possible. are not haphazardly put together. thus providing some of the first evidence that Earth is spherical. In a nutshell. Two hundred years later. tree roots.ignouassignmentguru. It has been found that all organisms possess a kind of information and control network which directs them to adjust to various situations for survival.com 3. It is quite interesting to know that even the simplest of these organisms is able to carry out various life processes like taking in food. Elucidate the astronomical methods that have provided insights about the universe. 4. an expression of the coordinated Organic systems maintain themselves in a given composite form and function. The way these diverse forms of life depend on each other makes one imagine this planet itself as a huge system. They observed that the moon appeared to be a sphere and therefore inferred that Earth might also be spherical. The parts of the system work together and the entire combination forms one unit. and other things below? But this was the dominant view of Earth in much of the world before the 2nd century BCE. the Greek philosopher Aristotle observed that the shadow of the Earth on the Moon during a lunar eclipse is always curved.BCA & MCA (IGNOU) http://www. Discuss the Systems View of Life. the mathematician Eratosthenes observed that at noon on the summer solstice in the ancient Egyptian city of Syene. in the 4th century BCE. 2 working of various parts in the organism. The assemblage of all plants and animals in an environment provided by each other as well as by the ecosphere works collectively. The residue of leaves and crops. manure. cooking. It also With the availability of good techniques of conserving water. perennial fodder grass. V.com worldwide. ii. lead to improved texture and water-holding capacity of soil. There is enormous energy in the bonds that hold atoms together. their dung can be mixed with soil to enrich it. Wave and Tidal Energy: Tidal power. The hot water that rises emerges at the surface as steam. is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into useful forms of power. and hilly regions of our country? In the arid zone. Electricity is produced from geothermal energy by drilling wells into the geothermal reservoirs. the next to growing fruits trees. plant material. Construction of earthen dams with locally available materials would collect water. and the third growing a mix of low-cost crops. and the system would perfectly blend with the ecosystem. and sowing two crops at a time in area with black soil helps in conserving water. The solar energy can also be utilized by installing solar stills which will help in supplying clean water that can be used for farming and drinking. Although not yet widely used. iii. Wave power is the transport of energy by ocean surface waves. and lighting purposes. Deep ploughing in areas with red soil.ignouassignmentguru. /ignouassignmentfree IGNOU ASSIGNMENT GURU Page- 3 helps in the establishment of pastures and grazing lands. Run-off water should be collected in community-owned ponds to provide the crops with life-saving irrigation. mainly electricity. the upper reaches of the hills are devoted to forestry. green waste or food waste. The steam is used to drive turbines producing electricity. sewage. and crops which grow with little water. Atomic Energy: Atomic energy is energy in the nucleus of an atom. The abundant sunlight available in the desert areas can be harnessed for heating. dry lands. tidal power has potential for future electricity generation. 6. and legumes.BCA & MCA (IGNOU) http://www. when mixed with soil. AKA tidal energy. By doing so. Hilly regions can practice terrace cultivation. Since a large number of cattle are found in arid areas. Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is energy derived from the heat of the earth. vi. municipal waste. 7. iv. there is considerable scope for stabilizing crop yields from drylands. large scale planting of shelter-belts help minimize soil erosion caused by wind. Wind flow can be harnessed to obtain both mechanical and electrical energy. . Enumerate the various practices for the prevention of disease in the ancient and modern times. the pressure to grow fuel-wood yielding trees can be considerably reduced. and the capture of that energy to do useful work. Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to produce electricity. Biogas can be produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste. Wind Energy: Wind energy is energy derived from winds blowing at high speed. Windmills and wind turbines are used to harness wind flows and convert them to desirable energy. Under this system. How has the application of scientific knowledge improved agriculture in the arid zones. Biogas: Biogas typically refers to a mixture of different gases produced by the breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Photocells and photovoltaic devices are used to capture and harness solar energy. They influence the attitude and behavior of the people indirectly. was a common custom which also helped in preventing infection of the mother and the baby. the mass media in the form of illustrative were only put to marginal and individualized use. The Indian and Chinese system of medical care knew about immunization also. House drains emptied all wastewater into the street drains. /ignouassignmentfree IGNOU ASSIGNMENT GURU Page- One of the greatest strengths of Distance Learning is its ability to harness the latest technologies to reach the unreached employing mass media technology. 4 education greatly as it's inevitably linked to media and technology.com In the ancient times. How can the technological advances in mass communication benefit the distance education system in India? Discuss. There was neither any coherent thinking nor a scientific organization of these materials in the educational process. They also had proper sanitation. especially for persons who have not had a bath were adopted. They can be used and in fact are being used as a means of education. So the role of mass media in education is gaining importance every day. These agencies cover entertainment. The technological advancements in mass communication have the ability to benefit distance There are a good number of media for mass communication such as radio. However the use of media is greater in Distance Learning. and proper supply of clean water are a few of the things that are taken into consideration while settling down somewhere. or bottled water. informatory propaganda. not carrying footwear into living rooms. The Egyptians had arranged for public baths and underground drainage. 8.ignouassignmentguru. Television. Inoculation with live small pox germs to prevent smallpox was known to them. In the modern times. historical record. Different media types are used to deliver information. Vaccinating children. Distance education institutions have bridged the distance and made education more accessible with the help of various technologies and delivery media. daily bathing. changes are also made to the housing/environmental conditions. abundant sunlight through the day. denial or permission to enter places where food is cooked. drinking filtered. the mass media have become a well of message around the world of today and have entered into all the structures of daily life. carrying a sanitizer whenever going out. washing hands after touching dirty things or playing with pets/strays. The use of mosquito nets and association of plague with rats was known to them. many of the preventive practices of the ancient times have been adopted along with new practices joining the old ones. education and improvement of moral judgment and moral tone of the people. boiled. practices like washing of hands before and after meals. etc. Excavations of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa have revealed the existence of a covered drainage system and water supply. Previously. newspapers and films etc. taking appropriate safety measures before engaging in sexual acts with people to protect self from STDs. Isolation of mother and the newborn.BCA & MCA (IGNOU) http://www. The organizational pattern and operating practices of a distance education facility are generally based upon the same educational philosophy as a conventional system. are a few of the new disease-preventing measures brought into practice. soon after delivery. . Living in places with proper air-ventilation. Apart from the aforementioned. In fact. Apart from the medical side. the global economic output has increased 17 folds in the 20th century. donors.BCA & MCA (IGNOU) http://www. therefore. joint ventures with foreign firms. science and technology go hand in hand. This expansion has occurred through the expansion of science and technology over the years passed and will be more in the coming years. from the time of Independence. owners. then the chances of getting themselves developed becomes minimal and thus could be even rated as an undeveloped nation. This can be done in several ways: through licensing. recipients. direct foreign investments. Lab to Field: It has been the policy of the Govt. particularly in today’s quest for knowledge based economies. communication. technology and engineering are the basic requisites. Science and technology has made life a lot easier and also a lot better with the advancement of medicines and analysis on diseases. These institutes offer their processes for commercial exploitation to NRDC. Import: This form of transfer involves transferring the essential expertise associated with the capabilities of more developed nations to the lesser developed nations. /ignouassignmentfree IGNOU ASSIGNMENT GURU Page- happen. The multiple dimensions of technology transfer mean there are many potential stakeholders. For any successful economy. industry etc. to achieve selfreliance by developing indigenous technology in as many areas of industry as possible. of India. consumers. governments (including policy makers and regulators). Export: India has gained experience and expertise in various fields of technology. there has been remarkable development in education. suppliers. 5 Development is required in every individual to every nation in all aspects and for development to . The NRDC was set up in 1953 for facilitating the transfer of technology from the labs of national R&D institutes to the field. List three ways of technology transfer and discuss their various dimensions. insurers. Thus. we are in a position to assist a lot of developing nations in the process of technological advancement. the recipient's capacity and desire to absorb. science. The stakeholders involved in any specific transaction will depend on the type and status of the technology and the associated nature of the transfer pathway. users. African. international institutions. This is in the form of technological know-how or machinery. agriculture. who require it for accelerated industrialization. India exports technology to a large number of Asian. Its efficiency depends on many factors like supplier's ability and desire to transfer. etc. We. developers. the recipient's socioeconomic and cultural environment and communications processes. buyers. 10. Middle-Eastern. financiers.com 9. Write an essay on ‘The importance of self-reliance in Science and Technology for national development’. and non-governmental and community-based organizations. had created a chain of laboratories in all areas. For every nation to get developed. If nations do not implement science and technology. Villages are developed into towns and towns to cities and cities are expanding to greater horizons. and Latin American nations. including innovators. the application of both science and technology has to go hand in hand.ignouassignmentguru. com It goes without saying that.ignouassignmentguru. IGNOU ASSIGNMENT GURU Page- 6 Without proper implementation of science and technology. no nation could grow and all those nations that were labeled as low in growth have proved where they stand today and all that has happened only because of science and technology. a nation’s development and prosperity is judged to a large extend by the status of science and technology of that nation. /ignouassignmentfree . A scientifically unsophisticated society means an underdeveloped nation in all sectors.BCA & MCA (IGNOU) http://www.