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The Little Transistor That Could
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Purpose
To explore the nature of technology through the history of the transistor.
Context
In this investigation, students will look at the development of a technology that has had a huge impact on modern life—the transistor. Students will look at some of the constraints that affected the development of the transistor and will examine the wide-ranging effect of a single innovation. Students will examine how the engineers at the Bell Labs used knowledge of science and technology, together with strategies of design, to solve practical problems. This is important because even in middle school, students typically do not distinguish between an engineering model of experimentation where the goal is to produce a desirable outcome, and the scientific model of experimentation where the goal is to understand the relation between cause and effect. Although the main focus of this investigation is not on the scientific aspects of the transistor, it would be helpful if students have already had some exposure to the physical properties of conductors and insulators.
Planning Ahead
Materials:
You could print out pictures of transistors ahead of time by going to The Radio Museum Rottenburg's page of transistors.
Motivation
Tell students that sometimes a single invention can change everybody's life. That was true of the transistor. Before the transistor, electronic devices like the radio and television had to use vacuum tubes. A vacuum tube, which was big and broke easily, was either a glass or metal tube with the air sucked out of it. Electricity passed through it to make the radio or TV work. In 1947, the transistor was developed. The transistor used less power and generated less heat, so electronic devices could be made much smaller. One of the first products made with the transistor was the small, transistor radio. Throughout the 1950s, transistor radios were very popular with American teenagers because they were portable.
Development
This investigation focuses student thinking on ways in which technology can help people. Students explore two resources and investigate the nature of technology as it relates to the development of the transistor. Begin by having students use the The Little Transistor That Could student E-Sheet to go to The Transitor from Lucent Technologies. Follow the text animations for several minutes and have students read aloud the list of innovations made possible by the invention of the transistor. Working in small groups, students should explore these resources: Students should use The Little Transistor That Could student sheet to answer these questions as they explore the resources: - What was the problem that the developers of the transistor were trying to solve?
- Name some of the early uses of the transistor. (These include telephones, hearing aids, and personal radios.)
- What were the advantages of the transistor over the vacuum tube? (It was cheaper to make, smaller, and more reliable.)
- Do we still use transistors? (Yes, they are an integral part of virtually every electronic device.)
- In what way has the transistor changed modern life? Give specific examples.
(Note: You can also print out any of the downloadable background documents from Lucent Technologies' media kit.) Discuss the answers to the questions with the entire class. In the discussion of side effects of transistor technology, steer student attention to the number of jobs created by the technology. Have students brainstorm on the number of occupations that exist today that might not have been possible without the transistor. You can use this to help students develop an understanding of the great variety of occupations related to technology.
Assessment
Ask students to write a one-page essay in response to this statement: When we take technological innovation for granted, it's a sign of that technology's success. Have them use the transistor as an example, but also mention several other technological innovations that we take for granted.
Extensions
In Engineer It! students will use the same steps as an engineer to design boats, build bridges, windmills, and airplanes and then test their performance in water tanks, shake tables, and wind tunnels. Each area–either Wind, Water, or Structures–in this online exhibit has a challenge for students to solve.
Advanced students can learn more about transistors at The Transistor.
Created :09/06/2000
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