When you think of science and technology, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is manmade inventions like the wheel, the steam engine, and telephone. A more common conception of science is that it is a pure endeavor to understand the universe. It usually employs deductive and predictive methods in order to collect data and make certain scientific conclusions. However, there are a lot of difference between science and technology that people are often not aware of.
- The first difference between science and technology is that one employs reasoning and hypothesis, while the other uses observation and experiment to back up its claims. A good example would be Newton’s theory of gravity. He explained how gravity acts on the planets through his equation, i.e. “the distance from any point on the earth to the center is equal to the weight of the object that causes that difference”. This simply means that if an object weighs more, then the distance will also be greater. This is a very basic example, but you can see how much different science and technology have become from this simple concept.
- Another big difference between science and technology is that while the former typically employs laws and observation in order to arrive at its predictions, the latter tends to utilize a more intuitive process. An example would be when an aircraft lands at a runway, the laws of physics state that it will travel along a straight line until it touches down on a land-based object. While planes cannot know this beforehand, pilots use this knowledge to their advantage by planning their routes in such a way as to minimize the effect of landing on nearby bodies of water, land masses, or other terrestrial objects.
- There are a few more differences between science and technology that most people don’t realize exist. For instance, while airplanes can be powered by several different types of fuel, none of these fuels actually provide the same energy output. This is because the amount of energy of a fuel can supply is limited by its chemical make-up and mass. The same is true with nuclear fission, which is the process used to power the United States’ arsenal of nuclear weapons. There is also the issue of radiation and its effects, which have long been a source of controversy between scientists and technology.
In addition, while the concepts of evolution and creationism are based on religious beliefs, the study of science utilizes scientific methods. This means that while many people do not fully understand the specifics of how science and technology work, they do realize that these theories play a key role in society. Without society being able to function without scientific thinking and technology, we wouldn’t be able to produce such products as automobiles, computers, television sets, and other technological innovations that we take for granted today.
Hopefully this article has given you some examples of the difference between science and technology. It can be a difficult subject to navigate, but hopefully this introduction has helped to clear up the fog around the topic.
Science and technology are simply an observation of how things appear to be when used carefully, and its application. It can be considered to be part of a larger process of understanding. It’s important to remember that what appear to be science and technology in the smallest terms may be nothing more than a fancy word for understanding. Understanding the broad perspective of science and technology may help us to pursue knowledge and innovation, giving us a better tomorrow and the future.