MP8085

NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

SEMESTER 1 EXAMINATION 2008-2009

MP8085 – History of Great Inventions November 2008 Time Allowed: 2 hours INSTRUCTIONS 1. This paper contains SEVEN (7) questions and comprises THREE (3) pages. 2. Answer ALL SEVEN (7) questions. 3. Marks for each question are as indicated. 1. Multiple-choice questions

(i) The wheel was invented in (a) The Sumerian Kingdom (b) India (c) China (d) Egypt

(4 marks) (ii) Writing was invented by the

(a) Chinese (b) Sumerians (c) Egyptians (d) Phoenicians

(4 marks) (iii) The Indo-Arabic numeric system was invented by

(a) Plato (b) Aristotle (c) Aryabhata (d) al-Khwarizmi

(4 marks) (iv) The first helicopter was invented by

(a) Archimedes (b) Alexander the Great (c) Thomas Newcomen (d) Leonardo da Vinci

(4 marks) Note: Question 1 continues on page 2.

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MP8085

(v) Photography was invented by (a) Jethro Tull (b) James Watt (c) Thomas Newcomen (d) William Talbot

(4 marks) (vi) The era following the industrial revolution in 1830s has often being regarded as the

Age of (a) Communication (b) Motion (c) Television (d) Automobile

(4 marks)

(vii) Who was the inventor of the mechanical computer? (a) Charles Babbage (b) Joseph Swan (c) Guglielmo Marconi (d) Alexander Fleming

(4 marks)

(viii) What were the first words uttered on the telephone? (a) “Mr Holmes, go home!” (b) “Mrs Watson, go home!” (c) “Mr Watson, come here!” (d) “Mrs Holmes, come here!”

(4 marks)

(ix) Leo Hendrik Baekeland was credited for inventing the most versatile product in the early 1900s. What did he invent? (a) aeroplane (b) steam engine (c) bakelite (d) space shuttle

(4 marks)

(x) Who was responsible for developing the Bombe code breaking machine in the Second World War? (a) Charles Babbage (b) Mary Anderson (c) Alan Turing (d) Bill Gates

(4 marks)

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MP8085

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2. It is said that the invention of the wheel is as important in mechanics as the invention of fire in science, money in economics, and the vote in politics. Where and when was this invention made? Give at least two reasons for the wheel being invented relatively late. Some sophisticated civilizations knew about the wheel, but never used it except in children toys. Name at least two of these civilizations. What was the reason for them not using the wheel?

(10 marks) 3. The epoch between 1.4 million years B.C.E. and C. E. 1 is known as the epoch of

harnessing fire. Which two elements were harnessed during the epoch between C. E. 1 and C. E. 1649? What were the two important improvements in ship design that made sea travel faster and more prolonged? Who made these improvements? What were three other improvements made by the same people?

(10 marks) 4. What is the difference between money and capital? Briefly discuss the positive and

negative roles that capital plays in the process of invention? (10 marks)

5. Describe briefly the impact of X-rays on society. (10 marks)

6. How has the discovery of penicillin changed society?

(10 marks) 7. Describe briefly the evolution of the modern computer. How has miniaturization

changed society? (10 marks)

End of Paper

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