http://www.ck12.org Chapter 1. Introduction to Physical Science
Other Examples
There are many other examples that show how technology and science work together. Two are pictured inFigure
1.17. Another example is the microscope. It may have been invented by Galileo around the same time as the
telescope. Like the invention of the telescope, the invention of the microscope also depended on scientific knowledge
of light and lenses.
Q:How do you think the invention of the microscope helped science advance?
A:The microscope let scientists view a world of tiny objects they had never seen before. It led to many important
scientific discoveries, including the discovery of cells, which are the basic building blocks of all living things.
FIGURE 1.17
Seismometers and spectrometers are
both technological devices that led to im-
portant scientific discoveries.Summary
- Science and technology help each other advance. Scientific knowledge is used to create new technologies.
New technologies often allow scientists to explore nature in different ways and make new discoveries. - Examples of technologies that have helped science advance include the telescope and microscope.
Explore More
Read this short article about scientific discoveries made possible by the invention of the microscope. Then answer
the questions below.
http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/physics/microscopes/discoveries/
- What was the focus of the first scientific studies using the microscope? What was the significance of their
results? - How did the microscope help scientists understand diseases?
- How did quantum theories of physics change microscope technology?