UNIT 3B
THE SURPRISES OF SCIENCE
THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE
WORD MENAING
1. Released – set
free
2. Stream – channel
3. Penetrated –
pass through
4. Exclaimed –
sudden outburst of emotion
5. Benefit –
advantage, helpful
6. Acquired –
gained, got, obtained
7. Perseverance –
determination, will power to do
8. Explore – search
for more
B.2 Work in pairs
a. What do you want to aspire to become when you grow up?
DO BY
SELF
(EXPLAIN WHAT IS YOUR AMBITION IN LIFE AND WHY DO YOU WANT TO BECOME SO)
a. What are some of the science fictions?
Through Space to Mars, The Memory of Mars, A Princes of Mars and A Martian Odyssey are some of the science fictions.
B.15 Choose the
correct options: (Page 74)
a. What does Nazia want to convey in the following
line?
He realised the light was from the tube which had
penetrated the opaque black cardboard.
iv. Rontgen realised that X-rays from the
vacuum tube had passed through the black cardboard, which was opaque to visible
light.
b. What went wrong during the first attempt by the
Perseverance Mars Rover to collect a rock sample?
iv.
none of these options.
c. Which option correctly substitutes the underlined
word from the text?
In his dark laboratory, when he concealed the tube
with heavy dark cardboard, he noticed a glowing light on the
fluorescent screen passing across the room.
iii.
covered
d. Which of the following objects were the X-rays not
able to penetrate in Rontgen’s experiments?
iii. a small lead disk.
B.16 Answer the following questions:
a. Let’s not experiment towards attaining ‘that perfect result’
which is known to us already; let us experiment to discover new things. Why do
you think Nazia points out that it is important to experiment new things
without thinking too much about attaining ‘the perfect result’?
Nazia in her speech was talking about Wilhelm Rontgen’s accidental discovery of X-ray scans. Rontgen was experimenting with cathode rays in his dark laboratory and when he used fluorescent screen in place of photographic paper infront of cathode rays, the result was an amazing invention of X-rays machine. If he had not conducted his experiment, the X-ray machine would not be a reality today. Hence, research and experiment with new things has the ability to bring about unique creation.
b. Why did Rontgen not patent the X-rays? What does this tell you
about him?
Rontgen
never patented his work as he thought it should be available to everyone for
the benefit of the medical community.
This tells us that he was deeply concerned about benefit of humanity. Thus, he was very generous and selfless person. Not only that, he even donated the money which he had got from the Nobel Prize in 1901 to a scientific society. Obviously, no one can forget such noble person.
c. She exclaimed, quite shaken, “I have seen my death.” Why was Anna
shaken when she saw the X-rays for the first time? Why do you think she said
that she had seen her death?
X-rays has the ability to pass through solid object like the skins, but not through bones and metals. Thus, when he passed the X-rays through Anna’s left hand, it projected the outline of the bones and wedding ring of her hand. Normally, bones are covered under skins, which could be seen only when the body decays. Therefore, she thought she has seen her death.
d. Who Wilhelm Rontgen?
Wilhelm Rontgen is German physicist who discovered the X-rays accidentally. In 1901 he got Nobel Prize for his discovery.
e. What is Martian soil?
Martian
soil is the fine solid soil found on the surface of Mars.
B.17 Answer in details:
The Mars 2020-mission was aided by Perseverance Mars Rover – a space
robotic vehicle, designed to collect samples from the Martian soil. Why do you
think we use robotic vehicles, which are either operated by scientists on Earth
or controlled by computers to perform jobs automatically, to collect rock
samples from Mars? Why would it be difficult for us humans to do it?
When we explore
the world of unknown universe, many things and facts remain a mystery. Sending
people to unknown reality could be a high risk and unsafe too. Yet, knowing the
unknown is a thirst in the field of science. Hence robotic vehicles, which are
highly advanced and capable of conducting the activities, experiment and
investigation in the way they are designed to do so; are the best option in
space mission
Human
being needs food, oxygen and efficient suit for survival. Robots don't need them.
Besides, they can survive in any difficult conditions like extreme temperatures
or high levels of radiation. The distance is also vast, more than 200 200
million kilometres. Hence robots are best option for Mars mission.
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