1-4.Physics in Relation to Technology

The progress and development in technology of a society has a deep relationship with the use of physics and the other branches of science. With the use of new inventions made in science, the mechanisation in technology has increased which has resulted in more production and changes in environmental relationship, adjustments and constitution of society.

In technology, non-resources are changed into the sources by the use of laws of Physics. Thus technology is the applied Physics.

Important Fact
Physics has a special contribution in the progress of Technology

For example, after the discovery of electron and the theory of propagation of electromagnetic waves in a substance and vacuum, various electronic devices, telecommunication devices, radar, automatic electronic machines, computer etc., have been developed.

With the study of laws of thermodynamics, steam engine was developed and there has been an industrial revolution. By the law of gravitation, it could be possible to launch spacecrafts and geo-satellites in space. Geostationary satellites are used in telecommunication and for weather forecasts. After the discovery of radioactivity, many radio-isotopes could be invented which are used as tracers to cure many diseases and in other fields like agriculture etc. With the study of transformation of energy, hydroelectric and nuclear electric power stations have been established. By studying reflection and refraction of light rays, various optical instruments such as microscope, telescope, binoculars, cinema projectors etc., have been made. All these examples clearly illustrate that physics has a special contribution in the progress of technology. Following table gives some important technologies and their related scientific principles.

Devices	Principles
1. Aeroplane	Bernoulli's theorem.
2. Steam engine	Thermodynamics.
3. Generator	Faraday's laws of electromagnetism.
4. Rocket	Law of conservation of momentum.
5. Nuclear reactor	Fission of uranium nucleus by the slow moving neutrons.
6. Radio and television	Propagation of radio waves.
7. Laser	Amplification by population inversion.
8. Particle accelerators	Motion of charged particle in electric and magnetic fields.
9. Hydroelectric energy	Conversion of gravitational energy into electrical energy.
10. Computer	Numeral logic circuits.
11. Very high magnetic field	Superconductivity.
12. Optical fibre	Total internal reflection of light.
13. Photoelectric cell	Photoelectric effect.
14. Electron microscope	Wave nature of electrons.