M8A2 Science In Today’s World – Reflections
Use APA style citations within the text and complete references in your reference page.
This assignment will be a 750-1000 word (3 page) essay. It must include:
3 pages of text
Include in-text citations for all quotations and any information paraphrased from sources. Only ideas from your brain do not need citations! Please see the EC Library tutorial on plagiarism
Topic: We wish to bring together all the things you have learned in this course. Thus, please address the following questions in your essay:
What is the “take away message” from this course regarding the identification of reliable sources of scientific information? Give specific examples from the course readings.
What have you learned about the job (both good and bad) popular publications, such as newspapers, magazines, and websites, do in “translating” scientific research into articles targeting the average reader? Identify specific characteristics you look for to determine the reliability of these popular publications. Give specific examples from the course readings.
What have you learned about locating and evaluating reliable scientific sources, such as publications from government agencies, international agencies, and professional scientific organizations? Identify specific characteristics you look for to determine their reliability. Give specific examples from the course readings.
Identify at least two scientific topics from the course that you feel you have learned more about and, if possible, where your experiences in this course have changed your mind about those topics. Give specific examples from the course readings.
Topics:
Understanding the process of science
Climate Changes
Energy/ carbon footprint
GMO
Fresh water crisis
Steam cells
Human Microbiome
Nanotechnology
M8A2: Science in Today’s World – Reflections
We have covered a lot of information in a very short time in this course. The purpose of the course is to introduce you to some of the exciting things going on in the world of science and to make you a more informed consumer of scientific information. Scientific discoveries are influencing our world at an ever increasing rate, and the democratic process requires an informed population to make wise choices. Each new discovery brings fabulous potential benefits but also raises concerns about possible unforeseen consequences. The analysis of news reports and scientific information presented in this course has helped you to hone your critical and analytical thinking skills about complex problems. These are skills you can apply to many areas of day-to-day life. This final assignment is going to ask you to apply these skills in a reflection on what you have learned in the course, what you found most informative, and why.
Completing this activity will assist you in mastering Module Level Outcome 4.
When writing this essay, be aware that your work has to show significant effort, creative thought, and research from sources inside the modules. Use APA style citations within the text and complete references in your reference page.
This assignment will be a 750-1000 word (3 page) essay. It must include:
3 pages of text
Include in-text citations for all quotations and any information paraphrased from sources. Only ideas from your brain do not need citations! Please see the EC Library tutorial on plagiarism
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
.
A reference page with complete references in APA style.
Topic: We wish to bring together all the things you have learned in this course. Thus, please address the following questions in your essay:
What is the “take away message” from this course regarding the identification of reliable sources of scientific information? Give specific examples from the course readings.
What have you learned about the job (both good and bad) popular publications, such as newspapers, magazines, and websites, do in “translating” scientific research into articles targeting the average reader? Identify specific characteristics you look for to determine the reliability of these popular publications. Give specific examples from the course readings.
What have you learned about locating and evaluating reliable scientific sources, such as publications from government agencies, international agencies, and professional scientific organizations? Identify specific characteristics you look for to determine their reliability. Give specific examples from the course readings.
Identify at least two scientific topics from the course that you feel you have learned more about and, if possible, where your experiences in this course have changed your mind about those topics. Give specific examples from the course readings.
You are also encouraged to do your own research through our library on the topic. Do not forget to include in-text citations and complete APA style references for all sources. The Excelsior Library Citation Tip Sheets and Resources
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
will be a helpful guide. You may also wish to use a citation generator – you just insert the information, and it creates the citation in the format you indicate (MLA or APA, for example). Here are 3 citation generators to choose from:
Citation Machine
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
Bibme
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
EasyBib
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
Compose your work in a .doc or .docx file type using a word processor (such as Microsoft Word, etc.) and save it frequently to your computer. For those assignments that are not written essays and require uploading images or PowerPoint slides, please follow uploading guidelines provided by your instructor.
Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to submit your work, click “Upload Submission.” Enter the submission title and then click on “Select a file to upload.” Browse your computer, and select your file. Click “Open” and verify the correct file name has appeared next to Submission File. Click on “Continue.” Confirm submission is correct and then click on “Accept Submission & Save.”
Turnitin®
This course has Turnitin® fully integrated into the course dropbox. This means that you should only submit your assignments to the dropbox below. Please do not submit your assignment directly to Turnitin.com.
Once submitted, your assignment will be evaluated by Turnitin® automatically. You will be able to view an Originality Report within minutes of your first submission that will show how much of your work has been identified as similar to other sources such as websites, textbooks, or other student papers. Use your Originality Report as a learning tool to identify areas of your assignment that you may not have cited appropriately. You may resubmit your assignment through this dropbox as many times as you need to check to see if you have made improvements, until the due date of the assignment. However, once you have made your first submission, you will need to wait 24 hours after each subsequent submission to receive a new Originality Report. Plan accordingly as you draft your assignment. Once the due date has passed, your assignment submission will be considered final.
Evaluation
This assignment will be graded using the Written Assignment Rubric located on the Course Rubrics page within the Start Here section of the course. Please review the rubric prior to beginning your work so that you ensure your submission meets the criteria in place for this assignment. All assignments combined are worth 40% of your final course grade.
Module 8: Module Notes: What Is Nanotechnology?
Computer graphic of a molecular tube, an example of nanotechnology.
Each of the coloured spheres represents a single atom: carbon (blue), oxygen (red), and hydrogen (yellow).
Nanotechnology involves the construction of devices at the molecular level.
Start this module by becoming familiar with the contents of Nanotechnology: Big Things from a Tiny World
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
[PDF, file size 1016 KB] and NanoSense: Introduction to Nanoscience
(Links to an external site.)
Links to an external site.
[PDF, file size 3.34 MB].
Nanotechnology is the science and technology of small things – in particular, things that are less than 100nm in size. For example, one nanometer (nm) is about 3 atoms long; for comparison, a human hair is about 60-80,000 nanometers wide.
Scientists have discovered that materials at small dimensions can have significantly different properties than the same materials on a larger scale. If we can understand these differences and learn how to control the assembly of small structures, then there are endless possibilities for improved devices, structures, and materials.
Nanotechnology is a highly interdisciplinary area of science. It is at the intersection of chemistry, physics, biology, and all areas of engineering. Most scientists and engineers agree that nanotechnology means:
The objects being studied are small (100 nanometers or less);
The objects have unique properties because of their small size;
Scientists and engineers can control the structure and composition on the nanometer scale in order to control the object’s properties; and
Scientists and engineers also have positional control. Molecules and atoms can be properly positioned with respect to one another, as we have done with large structures (NanoSense).
Nanostructures—objects with nanometer scale features—are not new. There are many natural nanoscale materials that have unique properties, particularly because of the nanoscale features. There are many examples of nanostructures in nature in the way that plants and animals have evolved. Scientists and engineers have begun to understand and control nanostructures and their properties to make new, functional materials and devices. Many things in our future will be based on engineered nanomaterials and devices.
Most of our devices and objects are constructed by starting with large pieces of materials and molding or shaping them to the desired size. Nanotechnology is different, in that devices and objects can be constructed by starting at the atomic level, building materials and structures atom by atom. The term self-assembly is used to describe the process of using the forces of nature to assemble nanostructures. Nanomaterials created this way have already resulted in a number of consumer products.
These materials have unique properties because of their small size. At the nanoscale, properties of materials behave differently and are said to behave according to atomic and molecular rules. Researchers are using the unique properties of materials at this small scale to create new and exciting tools and products, which will change our lifestyle and economy.
Illustration demonstrating the effect of the increased surface area provided by nanostructured materials. The cube on the left is 1 cm square; the next cube is a 1 cm square made from 1 mm square cubes; finally, there is a cube made from 1 nm square cubes. The available surface area increases from 6 cm squared to 60 cm squared to 60 million cm squared.
In this course, we have studied a great many areas of science. In all of these and others, nanotechnology can have a significant impact, making products faster, lighter, stronger, safer, and cleaner. Here are a few examples:
Transportation: The hulls of airplanes are currently made from metal, yet diamond has a strength-to-weight ratio over 50 times that of the aluminum used for airplanes. Today, diamond is expensive, we cannot make it in the shapes we want, and it shatters. Nanotechnology allows us to make shatterproof diamond inexpensively in exactly the shapes we want because of positional control. Using nanostructured diamonds, a Boeing 747 whose unloaded weight would be 50 times lighter could be just as strong as the current model.
Solar energy: Nanotechnology can help cut costs of solar cells and the equipment needed to place them in homes and businesses, making solar power economical. Engineers would not need to make new or improved solar cells: Simply making inexpensively what we already know how to make (expensively) would move solar power into the mainstream.
Medical diagnostics and therapeutics:Surgical tools the size of molecules with molecular level precision could let us directly heal, at the molecular and cellular level, some of the root causes of disease and poor health.
Scientists and engineers cannot say for sure how long it will take for these and other nano systems to be used in our daily lives; however, if we pursue nanotechnology with a sense of purpose, molecular manufacturing will happen sooner. The experts think we will have to develop the nano – or molecular – manufacturing technology this decade in order to keep pace with our technology trends and needs. Scientists now know there is no law of nature that can keep us from developing nanotechnologies. A large-scale coordinated effort of many scientists and engineers will be required to stay on task.
Nanotechnology offers the promise of revolutionizing the tools and products that are part of our daily lives. The activities in this module will introduce the principles and applications of this exciting area at the intersection of science and engineering.
It is recommended that you read the materials assigned and the Module Notes and take the quiz while this material is still fresh in your mind. Then, read over and at least start the module assignment and move on to the Discussion Board activities. You must post to the Discussion Board(s) by Thursday. When you are ready, please proceed to the learning activity, M8A1: Module Quiz.
Looking for a Similar Assignment? Order now and Get 10% Discount! Use Coupon Code “Newclient”
M8A2 Science In Today’s World – Reflections was first posted on August 31, 2019 at 4:54 pm.
©2019 "Academicheroes.com". Use of this feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this article in your feed reader, then the site is guilty of copyright infringement. Please contact me at Academicheroes.com
Looking for a Similar Assignment? Order now and Get 10% Discount! Use Coupon Code "Newclient"
