FST-1

ASSIGNMENT BOOKLET

Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Science (B.Sc.)

FOUNDATION COURSE IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Valid from 1st January to 31st December 2020

It is compulsory to submit the Assignment before filling the

Term-End Examination Form

School of Sciences
Indira Gandhi National Open University
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110068
(2020)

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Dear Student,

We hope you are familiar with the system of evaluation for the Bachelor’s Degree Programme. At
this stage you may like to re-read the section on Assignments in the Programme Guide that was sent
to you after your enrolment. A weightage of 30 per cent, as you are aware, has been earmarked for
continuous evaluation, which would consist of one Tutor-Marked Assignment (TMA) for this course.
The Assignment is based on all the blocks of this course.

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 ASSIGNMENT
(Tutor-Marked Assignment)

Course Code: FST-1

Assignment Code: FST-1/TMA/2020
Max. Marks: 100

1. Discuss the scientific and technical achievements in Bronze Age. 10

2. Write an account on the technical innovations and inventions in Medieval India. 10

3. With the help of clear and labelled diagrams show the change of seasons on Earth
resulting from the tilt of its axis of rotation. 10

4. Describe the various theories and experiments regarding the origin of life on
Earth. 10

5. Citing suitable examples explain the impact of technology on environment. 10

6. Elaborate sunlight, soil and water as basic resources for agriculture. 10

7. How human body battles against germs? Explain. 10

8. List and explain the popular media of mass communication in present times. 10

9. Prepare a note on artificial intelligence and robotics. 10

10. ‘How society influences scientific development’ – explain giving suitable examples. 10

-x-x-x-

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FST-1
FOUNDATION COURSE IN SCIENCE &
TECHNOLOGY

Course Code: FST-1

Assignment Code: FST-1/TMA/2020
Max. Marks: 100
Disclaimer/Special Note: These are just the sample of the Answers/Solutions to some of the Questions given in the Assignments. These
Sample Answers/Solutions are prepared by Private Teacher/Tutors/Authors for the help and guidance of the student to get an idea of how
he/she can answer the Questions given the Assignments. We do not claim 100% accuracy of these sample answers as these are based on
the knowledge and capability of Private Teacher/Tutor. Sample answers may be seen as the Guide/Help for the reference to prepare the
answers of the Questions given in the assignment. As these solutions and answers are prepared by the private teacher/tutor so the chances
of error or mistake cannot be denied. Any Omission or Error is highly regretted though every care has been taken while preparing these
Sample Answers/ Solutions. Please consult your own Teacher/Tutor before you prepare a Particular Answer and for up-to-date and exact
information, data and solution. Student should must read and refer the official study material provided by the university.

ANSWERS
Q.1: Discuss the scientific and technical achievements in Bronze Age.
Ans. Scientific and Technical Achievements of Bronze Age: The discovery and the use of metals like
copper, bronze, etc. led to the scientific and technical achievements calculating and counting the
numbers form the basis of quantitative science in the Bronze Age.
The Use of Metals: Metals like gold and copper were used as ornaments. Some metals like copper was
used to make pottery, also alloy of copper was hardened to make tools and weapons.
Transport: With the development of transport, the problem of distance was also solved. Trade became
an important activity as the goods produced were traded in different parts of the world. Trade as well as
the desire to control large territories led to the need for efficient transport.
Quantitative Science: Trade and the exchange of goods became a part of life, some standards such as
numbers and measure of amount of grains, etc. and weights became necessary for the proper and fair
exchange of goods. Simple calculations like addition or subtraction also developed with the increase in
trading activities. Counting and calculating led to the making of calendars and also in the development
of astronomy. Thus, we can say that with the increase in the socio-economic needs and the trade between
cities led to the rise in quantitative science such as measurement, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and
medicine, etc.
Indus Valley Civilization: The excavation in-certain cities in India shows a remarkable growth in the
Indus Valley. Technologists during this era were masters in construction. The inhabitants of Indus Valley

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possessed a considerable knowledge of geometry. Also, they had a high level of scientific and technical
know-how.
Decline of the Bronze Age Civilization: With the increase in the population and the. demands of the
people, pressure was created on the city culture. The classes started conflicting between themselves and
the expansion of the territory to feed the population led to the decline of the Bronze Age. The science
and the techniques led to the foundation of the new age called as the Iron Age.
The major technical advance that accompanied the rise of cities was the discovery and use of metals,
particularly copper and its alloy bronze. Simultaneously, trade between societies flourished and gave
rise to better forms of transport. The wide range of services involved in the operations of a city gave rise
to a qualitative change which marks the beginning of conscious science. This was possible, because this
initial phase of development required that the practitioners of techniques and the priests who did only
mental work solve problems together. Recording of numbers or quantities of goods, standardising their
measures, counting and calculating, making of calendars etc. form the basis of quantitative science in
the Bronze Age. We shall now study each of these features, in brief. The Use of Metals Human beings
were attracted by shiny gold and copper which are found free in nature and used them originally as
ornaments. Bits of metal have been found in necklaces and other ornaments of Stone Age. However,
copper nuggets beaten to different shapes were not of much practical use as tools and weapons, as they
were too soft. With the development of fire kilns needed for making pottery, copper ores which could
be easily reduced were used to produce copper metal. Later, an alloy of copper and tin was discovered.
It was harder and stronger than copper and could be cast into tools and weapons. Casting was done by
pouring molten copper and tin mixture into vessels or "moulds". When the mixture was allowed to cool,
it took the shape of the pot. Some of the tools thus made were found to be far superior to stone tools
and weapons, and were easier to produce. The use of this new metal meant revolution in many
techniques, such as carpentry, masonry, making tools, vessels, vases etc.

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Q.2: Write an account on the technical innovations and inventions in Medieval India.
Ans. Medieval technology is the technology used in medieval Europe under Christian rule. After the
Renaissance of the 12th century, medieval Europe saw a radical change in the rate of new inventions,
innovations in the ways of managing traditional means of production, and economic growth. The period
saw major technological advances, including the adoption of gunpowder, the invention of vertical
windmills, spectacles, mechanical clocks, and greatly improved water mills, building techniques (Gothic
architecture, medieval castles), and agriculture in general (three-field crop rotation).
The development of water mills from their ancient origins was impressive, and extended from agriculture
to sawmills both for timber and stone. By the time of the Domesday Book, most large villages had
turnable mills, around 6,500 in England alone. Water-power was also widely used in mining for raising
ore from shafts, crushing ore, and even powering bellows.
European technical advancements from the 12th to 14th centuries were either built on long-established
techniques in medieval Europe, originating from Roman and Byzantine antecedents, or adapted from
cross-cultural exchanges through trading networks with the Islamic world, China, and India. Often, the
revolutionary aspect lay not in the act of invention itself, but in its technological refinement and
application to political and economic power. Though gunpowder along with other weapons had been
started by Chinese, it was the Europeans who developed and perfected its military potential, precipitating
European expansion and eventual imperialism in the Modern Era.
Also significant in this respect were advances in maritime technology. Advances in shipbuilding
included the multi-masted ships with lateen sails, the sternpost-mounted rudder and the skeleton-first
hull construction. Along with new navigational techniques such as the dry compass, the Jacob's staff and
the astrolabe, these allowed economic and military control of the seas adjacent to Europe and enabled
the global navigational achievements of the dawning Age of Exploration.
At the turn to the Renaissance, Gutenberg’s invention of mechanical printing made possible a
dissemination of knowledge to a wider population, that would not only lead to a gradually more
egalitarian society, but one more able to dominate other cultures, drawing from a vast reserve of
knowledge and experience. The technical drawings of late-medieval artist-engineers Guido da Vigevano
and Villard de Honnecourt can be viewed as forerunners of later Renaissance artist-engineers such as
Taccola or da Vinci.
This list of Indian inventions and discoveries details the inventions, scientific discoveries and
contributions of India, including the ancient, classical and post-classical nations in the subcontinent
historically referred to as India and the modern Indian state. It draws from the whole cultural and
technological history of India, during which architecture, astronomy, cartography, metallurgy, logic,
mathematics, metrology and mineralogy were among the branches of study pursued by its scholars.
During recent times science and technology in the Republic of India has also focused on automobile
engineering, information technology, communications as well as research into space and polar
technology.

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Q.3: With the help of clear and labelled diagrams show the change of seasons on Earth resulting
from the tilt of its axis of rotation.
Ans. Earth’s tilted axis causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the
Sun’s most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern
Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
Long, long ago, when Earth was young, it is thought that something big hit Earth and knocked it off-
kilter. So instead of rotating with its axis straight up and down, it leans over a bit.
Cartoon of large object hitting Earth, knocking out big chunks of material that become the future Moon,
and tilting the Earth's axis.
By the way, that big thing that hit Earth is called Theia. It also blasted a big hole in the surface. That big
hit sent a huge amount of dust and rubble into orbit. Most scientists think that that rubble, in time, became
our Moon.
As Earth orbits the sun, its tilted axis always points in the same direction. So, throughout the year,
different parts of Earth get the sun’s direct rays.
Sometimes it is the North Pole tilting toward the sun (around June) and sometimes it is the South Pole
tilting toward the sun (around December).
It is summer in June in the Northern Hemisphere because the sun's rays hit that part of Earth more
directly than at any other time of the year. It is winter in December in the Northern Hemisphere, because
that is when it is the South Pole's turn to be tilted toward the sun.

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Q.4: Describe the various theories and experiments regarding the origin of life on Earth.
Ans: Life on Earth began more than 3 billion years ago, evolving from the most basic of microbes into
a dazzling array of complexity over time.
Seven theories complied by the science daily LiveScience which suggests the origins of Life.
1.Electric Spark: Electric sparks can generate amino acids and sugars from an atmosphere loaded with
water, methane, ammonia and hydrogen, as was shown in the famous Miller-Urey experiment reported
in 1953, suggesting that lightning might have helped create the key building blocks of life on Earth in
its early days. Over millions of years, larger and more complex molecules could form.
Although research since then has revealed the early atmosphere of Earth was actually hydrogen-poor,
scientists have suggested that volcanic clouds in the early atmosphere might have held methane,
ammonia and hydrogen and been filled with lightning as well.
2. Community Clay: The first molecules of life might have met on clay, according to an idea elaborated
by organic chemist Alexander Graham Cairns-Smith at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
These surfaces might not only have concentrated these organic compounds together, but also helped
organize them into patterns much like our genes do now.
The main role of DNA is to store information on how other molecules should be arranged. Genetic
sequences in DNA are essentially instructions on how amino acids should be arranged in proteins.
Cairns-Smith suggests that mineral crystals in clay could have arranged organic molecules into
organized patterns. After a while, organic molecules took over this job and organized themselves.

3.Deep-Sea Vents: The deep-sea vent theory suggests that life may have begun at submarine
hydrothermal vents, spewing key hydrogen-rich molecules. Their rocky nooks could then have
concentrated these molecules together and provided mineral catalysts for critical reactions.

4 Chilly Start: Ice might have covered the oceans 3 billion years ago, as the sun was about a third less
luminous than it is now. This layer of ice, possibly hundreds of feet thick, might have protected fragile
organic compounds in the water below from ultraviolet light and destruction from cosmic impacts. The
cold might have also helped these molecules to survive longer, allowing key reactions to happen.
5.RNA World: Nowadays DNA needs proteins in order to form, and proteins require DNA to form, so
how could these have formed without each other? The answer may be RNA, which can store information
like DNA, serve as an enzyme like proteins, and help create both DNA and proteins.
Later DNA and proteins succeeded this "RNA world," because they are more efficient. RNA still exists
and performs several functions in organisms, including acting as an on-off switch for some genes. The

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question still remains how RNA got here in the first place. And while some scientists think the molecule
could have spontaneously arisen on Earth, others say that was very unlikely to have happened.
6.Simple Beginnings: Instead of developing from complex molecules such as RNA, life might have
begun with smaller molecules interacting with each other in cycles of reactions. These might have been
contained in simple capsules akin to cell membranes, and over time more complex molecules that
performed these reactions better than the smaller ones could have evolved, scenarios dubbed
"metabolism-first" models, as opposed to the "gene-first" model of the "RNA world" hypothesis.
7.Panspermia: Perhaps life did not begin on Earth at all, but was brought here from elsewhere in space,
a notion known as panspermia. For instance, rocks regularly get blasted off Mars by cosmic impacts,
and a number of Martian meteorites have been found on Earth that some researchers have controversially
suggested brought microbes over here, potentially making us all Martians originally.

Q.5: Citing suitable examples explain the impact of technology on environment.

Ans: At the beginning of the third millennium, many global environmental problems, such as
diminishing biodiver-sity, climate change, ozone depletion, overpopulation, and hazardous wastes, are
causing significant concerns. Problems of air and water pollution and toxic waste disposal are common
in all industrialized countries. In developing nations, millions lack access to sanitation services and safe
drinking water, while dust and soot in air are said to contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths each
year. Moreover, serious damage from pollution and overuse of renewable sources challenges world
fisheries, agriculture, and forests, with significant present and possible adverse effects on the physical
environment.
• It is undoubtedly true that twenty-first-century people are causing significant environmental
changes, notably in the biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. These changes are the results
of local actions of many individuals accumulated in time and space, leading to global
environmental problems. For example, in the United States, emissions of primary pollutants into
the atmosphere are due to transportation (46%), fuel consumption in stationary sources (29%),
industrial processes (16%), solid waste disposal (2%), and miscellaneous (7%). The breakdown
of pollutants by weight is 48% carbon monoxide, 16% nitrogen oxides, 16% sulfur oxides, 15%
volatile organic compounds, and 5% particulate matter.
• Other developed countries exhibit similar statistics, but for developing countries these
percentages vary considerably since their activities are quite different. Discussions of the
environmental impact of technology can be approached in many interdisciplinary ways. The
natural sciences are concerned with anthropogenic planetary processes and transformations—
those induced by human activities.

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• In this respect, the analysis and discussions are concentrated on physical, chemical, and
biological systems through diverse disciplines such as geology, atmospheric chemistry,
hydrology, soil science, and plant biology.
• However, many social science professionals are also involved in these discussions, since analysis
of environmental changes also involves social causes. The scope of human intervention in the
environment and how it is managed bear particular importance in that humans are now the main
causes of environmental changes .
• People affect the biophysical system by diverting resources (e.g., energy and matter) to human
uses, and by introducing waste into the environment, thus causing environmental problems.
• Some environmental problems occur locally on micro levels (water quality and quantity, noise,
local air pollution, hazardous materials, traffic, overcrowding, etc.) and can be solved by local
decision makers, while others take place globally on the macro level (acid rain, desertification,
natural-resource depletion, climate change, depletion of biodiversity, hazardous materials, toxic
and nuclear wastes) and necessitate international cooperation.
• However, there are crucial manifestations of global environmental problems as local problems
accumulate to become global crises .
• Inthis article both micro-level and macro-level environmental problems will be discussed, and
references to the resources of information will be made when necessary.

Q.6: Elaborate sunlight, soil and water as basic resources for agriculture.
Ans: Agriculture is the science and art of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key
development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species
created food surpluses that enabled people to live in cities. The history of agriculture began thousands
of years ago. After gathering wild grains beginning at least 105,000 years ago, nascent farmers began to
plant them around 11,500 years ago. Pigs, sheep and cattle were domesticated over 10,000 years ago.
Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world. Industrial agriculture based on
large-scale monoculture in the twentieth century came to dominate agricultural output, though about 2
billion people still depended on subsistence agriculture into the twenty-first.
Modern agronomy, plant breeding, agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, and technological
developments have sharply increased yields, while causing widespread ecological and environmental
damage. Selective breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry have similarly increased the
output of meat, but have raised concerns about animal welfare and environmental damage.
Environmental issues include contributions to global warming, depletion of aquifers, deforestation,
antibiotic resistance, and growth hormones in industrial meat production. Genetically modified
organisms are widely used, although some are banned in certain countries.
gronomic factors such as weed competition, insect feeding or leaf diseases can reduce leaf surface area
and interfere with sunlight capture by crops. In theory, as the amount of captured radiation energy
increases, crop production will also increase. When plant leaves absorb the energy of the sun for

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photosynthesis, the temperature of the leaf surface increases. Plants respond by releasing water through
the stomata to cool the leaf surface.

Plant leaves take up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water is taken up by plant roots. Sunlight
provides the energy plants need to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates and oxygen. The
carbohydrates produced by photosynthesis are used for vegetative and reproductive growth and to
increase crop biomass. Because solar energy is needed for photosynthesis, it only occurs during daylight.
While soil is frequently referred to as the "fertile substrate", not all soils are suitable for growing crops.
Ideal soils for agriculture are balanced in contributions from mineral components, soil organic matter
(SOM), air, and water. The balanced contributions of these components allow for water retention and
drainage, oxygen in the root zone, nutrients to facilitate crop growth; and they provide physical support
for plants. The distribution of these soil components in a particular soil is influenced by the five factors
of soil formation: parent material, time, climate, organisms, and topography. Each one of these factors
plays a direct and overlapping role in influencing the suitability of a soil for agriculture.
Water is essential for maintaining an adequate food supply and a productive environment for the human
population and for other animals, plants, and microbes worldwide. As human populations and economies
grow, global freshwater demand has been increasing rapidly In addition to threatening the human food
supply, water shortages severely reduce biodiversity in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, while
water pollution facilitates the spread of serious human diseases and diminishes water quality.

Q-7: How human body battles against germs? Explain.

Ans: The immune system has a vital role: It protects your body from harmful substances, germs and cell
changes that could make you ill. It is made up of various organs, cells and proteins.
As long as your immune system is running smoothly, you don’t notice that it’s there. But if it stops
working properly because it’s weak or can't fight particularly aggressive germs you get ill. Germs that
your body has never encountered before are also likely to make you ill. Some germs will only make you
ill the first time you come into contact with them. These include childhood diseases like chickenpox.
Without an immune system, we would have no way to fight harmful things that enter our body from the
outside or harmful changes that occur inside our body. The main tasks of the body’s immune system are
• to fight disease-causing germs (pathogens) like bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi, and to
remove them from the body,
• to recognize and neutralize harmful substances from the environment, and
• to fight disease-causing changes in the body, such as cancer cells.

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The immune system can be activated by a lot of different things that the body doesn’t recognize as its
own. These are called antigens. Examples of antigens include the proteins on the surfaces of bacteria,
fungi and viruses. When these antigens attach to special receptors on the immune cells (immune system
cells), a whole series of processes are triggered in the body. Once the body has come into contact with a
disease-causing germ for the first time, it usually stores information about the germ and how to fight it.
Then, if it comes into contact with the germ again, it recognizes the germ straight away and can start
fighting it faster.
The body’s own cells have proteins on their surface, too. But those proteins don’t usually trigger the
immune system to fight the cells. Sometimes the immune system mistakenly thinks that the body's own
cells are foreign cells. It then attacks healthy, harmless cells in the body. This is known as an autoimmune
response.
There are two subsystems within the immune system, known as the innate (non-specific) immune system
and the adaptive (specific) immune system. Both of these subsystems are closely linked and work
together whenever a germ or harmful substance triggers an immune response.
The innate immune system provides a general defense against harmful germs and substances, so it’s also
called the non-specific immune system. It mostly fights using immune cells such as natural killer cells
and phagocytes (“eating cells”). The main job of the innate immune system is to fight harmful substances
and germs that enter the body, for instance through the skin or digestive system.
The adaptive (specific) immune system makes antibodies and uses them to specifically fight certain
germs that the body has previously come into contact with. This is also known as an “acquired” (learned)
or specific immune response.
Because the adaptive immune system is constantly learning and adapting, the body can also fight bacteria
or viruses that change over time.

Q-8: List and explain the popular media of mass communication in present times.
Ans: Mass communication is the process of imparting and exchanging information through mass media
to large segments of the population. It is usually understood for relating to various forms of media, as
these technologies are used for the dissemination of information, of which journalism and advertising
are part of. Mass communication differs from other forms of communication, such as interpersonal
communication and organizational communication, because it focuses on particular resources
transmitting information to numerous receivers. The study of mass communication is chiefly concerned
with how the content of mass communication persuades or otherwise affects the behavior, the attitude,
opinion, or emotion of the people receiving the information.
Normally, transmission of messages to many persons at a time is called mass communication. But in a
complete sense, mass communication can be understood as the process of extensive circulation of
information within regions and across the globe.

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Through mass communication, information can be transmitted quickly to many people who generally
stay far away from the sources of information. Mass communication is practiced multiple mediums, such
as radio, television, social networking, billboards, newspapers, magazines, film, and the Internet.
Advertising, in relation to mass communication, is marketing a product or service in a persuasive
manner that encourages the audience to buy the product or use the service. Because advertising generally
takes place through some form of mass media, such as television, studying the effects and methods of
advertising is relevant to the study of mass communication. Advertising is the paid, impersonal, one-
way marketing of persuasive information from a sponsor. Through mass communication channels, the
sponsor promotes the adoption of products or ideas. Advertisers have full control of the message being
sent to their audience.
Journalism, is the production and distribution of reports on events for presentation through the media.
The study of journalism involves analyzing the dissemination of information to the public through media
outlets such as newspapers, news channel, radio station, television station, and more recently, e-readers
and smartphones.
Social media, in its modern use, refers to platforms used on both mobile devices and home computers
that allow users to interact through the use of words, images, sounds, and video. Social media includes
popular sites such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as sites that can aid in business networking such
as LinkedIn.The use and importance of social media in communications and public relations has grown
drastically throughout the years and is now a staple in advertisements to mass audiences. For many
newer companies and businesses geared towards young people social media is a tool for advertising
purposes and growing the brand. Social Media provides additional ways to connect and reach out to ones
targeted audience.
Television began to change to include more complicated and three-dimensional characters and plots.
PBS launched in 1970, and was the home for programming that would not be suitable for network
television. It operates on donations and little government funding, rather than having commercials. On
January 12, 1971, the sitcom All in the Family premiered on CBS, and covered the issues of the day and
portrayed a bigot named Archie Bunker. By 1972, the sales of color television sets surpassed that of
black-and-white sets. In the 1980s, television became geared towards what has become known as the
MTV Generation, with a surge in the number of cable channels.

Q-9: Prepare a note on artificial intelligence and robotics.

Ans: In computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, is
intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans.
Leading AI textbooks define the field as the study of "intelligent agents": any device that perceives its
environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of successfully achieving its goals. Colloquially,
the term "artificial intelligence" is often used to describe machines (or computers) that mimic "cognitive"
functions that humans associate with the human mind, such as "learning" and "problem solving".

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Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and science that includes mechanical engineering,
electronic engineering, information engineering, computer science, and others. Robotics deals with the
design, construction, operation, and use of robots, as well as computer systems for their control, sensory
feedback, and information processing.
Artificial Intelligence or AI gives robots a computer vision to navigate, sense and calculate their reaction
accordingly. Robots learn to perform their tasks from humans through machine learning which again is
a part of computer programming and AI.
Since the time John McCarthy has coined the term Artificial Intelligence in 1956, it has created a lot of
sensation. This is because AI has the power to give life to robots and empower them to take their
decisions on their own. Depending on the use and the tasks that the robot has to perform different types
of AI is used. They are as follows:
1. Weak Artificial Intelligence
This type of AI is used to create a simulation of human thought and interaction. The robots have
predefined commands and responses. However, the robots do not understand the commands they do only
the work of retrieving the appropriate response when the suitable command is given. The most suitable
example of this is Siri and Alexa. The AI in these devices only executes the tasks as demanded by the
owner.

2. Strong Artificial Intelligence

This type of AI is used in those robots who perform their tasks on their own. They do not need any kind
of supervision once they are programmed to do the task correctly. This type of AI is widely used
nowadays as many of the things are becoming automated and one of the most interesting examples is
self-driving cars and internet cars. This type of AI is also used in humanoid robots which can sense their
environment quite well and interact with their surroundings. Also, robotic surgeons are becoming
popular day by day as there is no human intervention required at all.

3. Specialized Artificial Intelligence

This type of AI is used when the robot needs to perform only specified special tasks. It is restricted only
to limited tasks. This includes mainly industrial robots which perform specified and repetitive tasks like
painting, tightening, etc.
It is a field of engineering focused on the design and manufacturing of robots. Robots are often used to
perform tasks that are difficult for humans to perform or perform consistently. Examples include car
assembly lines, in hospitals, office cleaner, serving foods, and preparing foods in hotels, patrolling farm

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areas and even as police officers. Recently machine learning has been used to achieve certain good
results in building robots that interact socially.

Q-10: ‘How society influences scientific development’ – explain giving suitable examples.
Ans: Technology society and life or technology and culture refer to dependency co-dependence, co-
influence, and co-production of technology and society upon the other (technology upon culture, and
vice versa). This synergistic relationship occurred from the dawn of humankind, with the invention of
simple tools and continues into modern technologies such as the printing press and computers. The
academic discipline studying the impacts of science, technology, and society, and vice versa is called
science and technology studies.
The simplest form of technology is the development and use of basic tools. The prehistoric discovery of
how to control fire and the later Neolithic Revolution increased the available sources of food, and the
invention of the wheel helped humans to travel in and control their environment. Developments in
historic times, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical
barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. Science influences
society through its knowledge and world view. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by
scientists influence the way many individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the
environment. The effect of science on society is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental.
Technology has many effects. It has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global
economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted
by-products known as pollution and deplete natural resources to the detriment of Earth's environment.
Innovations have always influenced the values of a society and raised new questions in the ethics of
technology. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, and
the challenges of bioethics.

Philosophical debates have arisen over the use of technology, with disagreements over whether
technology improves the human condition or worsens it. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar
reactionary movements criticize the pervasiveness of technology, arguing that it harms the environment
and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism view
continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition.
Societal challenges often inspire questions for scientific research, and social priorities often influence
research priorities through the availability of funding for research.
Technology influences society through its products and processes. Technology influences the quality of
life and the ways people act and interact. Technological changes are often accompanied by social,
political, and economic changes that can be beneficial or detrimental to individuals and to society. Social
needs, attitudes, and values influence the direction of technological development.

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Science and technology have advanced through contributions of many different people, in different
cultures, at different times in history. Science and technology have contributed enormously to economic
growth and productivity among societies and groups within societies.
Scientists and engineers work in many different settings, including colleges and universities, businesses
and industries, specific research institutes, and government agencies.
Scientists and engineers have ethical codes requiring that human subjects involved with research be fully
informed about risks and benefits associated with the research before the individuals choose to
participate. This ethic extends to potential risks to communities and property. In short, prior knowledge
and consent are required for research involving human subjects or potential damage to property.
Science cannot answer all questions and technology cannot solve all human problems or meet all human
needs. Students should understand the difference between scientific and other questions. They should
appreciate what science and technology can reasonably contribute to society and what they cannot do.
For example, new technologies often will decrease some risks and increase others.

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