IGNOU FST CHAPTER 25 Q1

Q)How can the technological advances in mass communication benefit the distance education system in India? Discuss.
Ans)The role of media in distance education needs specific mention. It is implied that teaching is done from a distance. It is also understood that education is imparted through correspondence, audio-visuals aids, like radio, television and telephone, besides personal contacts. As against a university which enrolls students of a similar age has definite time and is schedule, and is confined to a geographical area or a campus, and 'open university' can cater to all kinds of students-of various ages, living in different and even far paces, who wish to combine education with employment or work at home. It can provide a great variety of courses. Even the pace of learning would be different for the students enrolled in the same course. IGNOU is envisaged as an institution for the entire country. One of the principal objectives of this university is to provide education to those who have been denied opportunity for higher education, wither because they live in remote and rural areas or because of any other handicap, including financial constraints and family obligations.The study centres with audio visual and library facilities form an important part of the university. Here students can meet their academic counselor and discuss their difficuties. Support form radio and television is also important in distance learning.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 22 Q1

Q)Enumerate the various practices for the prevention of disease in ancient and modern times.
Ans)Washing of hands before and after meals, daily bathing, not carrying footwear into living rooms, denial of permission to enter place where food is cooked, especially for persons who have not had a bath. These practices must have evolved through observations over a long period, that certain practices helped in preventing diseases. Isolation of mother and the new born, soon after delivery was a a common custom which also helped in preventing infection of the mother and the baby. Excavation of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa have revealed the existence of a covered drainage system and water supply. House drains emptied all waste water into the street drains. They also had arrangements for proper sanitation. Similarly, ancient civilizations of Egypt Greece and China had medical systems. Egyptians had arrangements for public baths and underground drainage.The use of mosquito nets and association of plague with rats were known to them. Hippocrates, the most illustrious Greek physician of the 5th century b.c. examined significance of climate water clothing eating and drinking to health. He was truly a man concerned with hygiene. The ancient Indian and Chinese system of medical care knew about immunization also.Inoculation with live small pox germs to prevent small pox was known to them.In 1848, England promulgated its public health act, which defined the role of the state in people's health and led to a great awareness about sanitary matters. In 1875 the Public Health Act defined the steps for a clean environment and clean water, surroundings houses and for control of offensive trades such as carrying of garbage or excreta. In this way, the spread of many diseases were controlled to a great extent. Clearing away decaying matter and dirt, removing breeding grounds for microbes which foul the air were taken up. However, these measures could not bring effective control of epidemics in urban areas. While these environmental measures were promoting health of people, specific measures to prevent disease in an individual or in the community were also being attempted.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 20 Q1

Q)How has the application of scientific knowledge improved agriculture in the arid zones dry lands and hilly regions of the country?
Ans)In the arid zone there is considerable scope for growing fruit trees like ber and pomegranate and fuel wood yielding trees like Acacia (Kikar), Prosopis (Mosquite) and Eucalyptus (Safeda). In such areas, large scale planting of shelter belts will minimize soil erosion  caused by wind. It will also help in the establishment of pastures and grazing lands. Later on this land can be used for growing pearlmillet and mungbean.
Since water is a limiting factor in drylands, as much run off as posssible should be collected in community owned ponds, so that the crops can be gived life saving irrigation. In dry lands with red soil, deep ploughing helps in conserving water. In black soils, sowing two crops at a  time is possible with surface drainage and good water management.Leaves and crop management, when mixed with soil improve its texture and water holding capacity. If crops like pigeonpea and castor have deep roots, are cultivated in these regions, the physical condition of the soil improves further, as the roots of these crops add organic matter.Now that varieties of sorghum, millets, sunflower, safflower, mustard, groundnut various pulses and cotton are available which grow within a shorter time and can withstand scarcity of water, it is possible to diversify what grows in the dry lands. A variety of crops and cropping patterns allow the farmer to make a proper choice of what to grow in different climate and soil types.There is a solution to the agricultural problem of the hilly regions. The upper regions of the hills are devoted to forestry. The next zone is developed for growing fruit trees, perennial fodder grass and legumes. The roots of legumes fix nitrogen and improve the soil. In the third zone, a mix of crops are raised on terraces constructed with low cost implements. Earthen dams are constructed with locally available material. The collect enough water to be utilized for irrigation and fish culture. Polutry, piggery, bee-keeping mushroom cultivation and related activities create a self sustaining, complete farming system that perfectly blends with the ecosystem.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 10 Q1

Q)Elucidate the astronomical methods that have provided insights about the universe.

Ans)”Now my own suspicion is that the universe is not only queerer than we can suppose but it is queerer than we can suppose. This remark of Haldane, a famous scientist, reflects, in a way what we feel about this subject. The universe is rather a difficult subject to study. We cannot bring it to the laboratory  to carry out experiments on it. We cannot compare it with any other universe this is the only universe we have. And finally we are a part of it. We can study it only from within. We cannot go out of it and look at it from the outside. So how do we study it. It is here that the scientific method comes to our aid. The easiest method of studying light from a cosmic object is to collect it through a telescope and record it on a photographic plate. Photographic films are exposed for a long period of time-sometimes night after night- to the light being collected by a telescope aimed at distant stars. Since the earth rotates on its axis, the stars appear to move in the sky. The telescope is rotated following the daily movement of stars at which it is aimed. Thus, its movement is synchronized with the movement of the stars being studied, stars too faint for the human eye slowly begin to register on the plate. This method of collecting and investigating light from the cosmos is called optical astronomy. As of today a huge optical telescope called the Hubble space telelscope after Edwin Hubble is in orbit around the earth. Several large telescopes are stationed in Hawaii, Australia Chile Russia UK etc. Many smaller telescopes scan the skies every night adding to our knowledge of the cosmos. The fact that stars emit radiowaves was discovered accidentally in 1932 by a young engineer Karl Jansky. He was trying to find the source of noise in a transatlantic telephone link. He make an experimental radio receiver set to study this problem. To his surpise he found that the disturbance was due to the rasio waves coming from  the milky way galaxy. This was the beginning of radio astronomy, i.e. the study of cosmic objects through radiowaves emitted by them. The radio telescope, a basic tool of radio astronomy, collects radiations from space in the radio wave region one of the largest radio telescope in the world was designed and set up by Indian astronomers at Ootacamund. The other radio telescope, a basic tool of radio astronomy are stationed in Gulamrg, Ahemdabad, Bangalore. With the coming of the spaceage, observatories equipped with telescopes and ceramics could be placed right in space, beyond the earth’s atmosphere. An observatory in space may be in the form of an orbiting satellite like the Unamanned Orbitting solar observatories, Orbitting Astronomical Observatory, Skylab, Einstein Observatory, IRAS(Infra Red Astronomy Satellite) and many others. Instruments are also put abroad high flying ballons, rockets and aircrasts to record observations. These observations can record radiation from a cosmic object in the regions of the spectrum such as the IR,UV,gamma rays and X-rays that do not penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere.AS space research came of age it became possible to send spacecrafts to other planets and even land men on the moon. These ventures also provided a rich stock of information about the solar system. For instance, astronauts of the Apollo mission to the moon in the 1970’s bought back lunar rocks and soil samples, photographs of the lunar surface and left several instruments there for further study. We have been able to send space probes, across the solar System to know about our planetary neighbours. Space probes have visited a number of planets and a host of their moons, and successfully landed on the surfaces of Mars and Venus.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 12 Q1

Q)Discuss the systems view of life.

Ans)The characteristics which we recognize as life, are in fact an expression of the coordinated working of various parts in an organism. Various  parts in an organism, whether plant or animal are not haphazardly put together but are organized into systems. A system is a set of some specific inter-related parts which are organized as one unit for some purpose. The parts work together and the entire combination forms one unit. A car producing company, which is organized to produce tronaport vehicles can be viewed as a system too. For the effective functioning of the company all of its parts, such as the department that purchases raw materials, the factory , the management and the sales department must work in a unison. An animal or a plant is also made up of numerous parts which define a well defined system. For example in an animal body, the parts concerned with the intake of food and digesting it, the bones are arranges as a skeleton to support the body, the heart circulating blood to different parts of the body through arteries and veins and the brain receiving signals and giving orders of various kinds together compose the system. The assemblage of all plants and animals and in and environment provided by each other as well as by the land, air and water works collectively. The way these diverse forms of life depend on each other makes one imagine this planet as a huge system. Looking at it in another way, the life and environment of the earth are a well coordinated system, within which there are subsystems like individual organisms. And within each of these sub systems , a single plant or animal, one would find a complex multicellular system. Similarly, industrial, agricultural or educational systems can be visualized as the sub-systems in the society. Organic systems maintain themselves in a given composite form and function. For example a cat remains a cat, it prowls for food, it may lat kittens, but its internal system matches on the basis of physical principles with stability. How is this stability maintained by a system? Let us take a specific example; how does a man or a woman maintain this internal stability while the environment around them changes. For instance how do they maintain a fixed temperature of thirty seven degrees, or the composition of their blood or blood pressure? It has been found that all organisms possess a kind of information and control network which directs them to adjust to various kinds of situations of survival. E.g. of you touch a snail, it withdraws into its shell. This is a kind of information and control device for protecting its life. If you sit in the sun and you feel hot, a signal which is internally generated causes perspiration and produces cooling by evaporation of sweat. This is another example of information  and control for maintain a fixed body temperature.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 17 Q1

Q)Describe the various renewable resources of energy that have the potential to fulfill the needs of the society.

Ans)Solar Energy

The energy we get from the fossil fuels like coal, is in reality sun’s energy, trapped in them millions of years ago plants make their food and grow because they use solar energy for photosynthesis. Millions of years ago, huge forests got buried in the earth’s crust and under great pressure and temperature, they were converted into coal or oil. Hence coal and oil are called fossil fuels. Solar energy is the great source for production of vegetation which serves as food and fuel for us.

Wind Energy

Like solar energy, wind flow can also be harnesses to obtain mechanical energy for fetching water from the wells or from rivers. Once the windmill is turning due to the force of the wind, it may as well run a generator to get electrical energy. In the coastal and hilly regions, where wind blows at high speed, windmill can be used for the supply of electricity to a small town. Windmills have been used since long in many countries, but in India they have been only recently introduced.

Wave and Tidal Energy

Waves and tides are another source of energy which is perpetual and can be converted into electric energy, particularly where sea water can move into a narrow cut, such as is provided naturally, where rivers flow into the sea. Energy carried by water has also been widely used in India’s hilly regions, since a wheel with pedals can be made to run when it is put in a fast flowing stream. Flour mills of small size bult on this principle were used in Kashmir for long time. In fact, large “hydroelectric” power stations work on the same principle. A natural or artificial water fall is made to turn a modern kind of pedal wheel, called a turbine,  which rotates and causes electricity to be generated.

Geothermal Energy

Hot water superheated steam of hot springs are a natural phenomenon and be used to genenerate electricity. In our country there are 46 hydrothermal areas where the temperature of the spring water exceeds 150⁰C. These hot springs can be used to generate electricity for heating homes or glass houses to grow vegetables.

Atomic Energy

In view of the fast depletion of the non-renewable resources like coal and petroleum and because of pollution  which power stations burning coal cause, there has been a move to use other means of obtaining energy. Since the energy of the atom had already been unleashed in the form of a bomb, efforts were made to release atomic energy in a controlled manner. The device used for this purpose is called an atomic reactor. Nuclear reactors produce heat which is commonly used to raise steam, which rotates turbines and generators of electric power. It is estimated that 1 kg of natural uranium, written as U²³, generates energy equal to that produced by 35,000 kg of coal. Thus production of energy from nuclear fuel like uranium is efficient, and since great loads of coal or diesel are not consumed daily, this energy is convenient.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 3 Q2

Q)In the Iron age medicine developed as a science in India and Greece, but reasons for developments were different Mention one reason for development of medicine in these two countries.
Ans)The Carakas and the Susutras in India were roaming physicians who went about healing ordinary rural folk and fostered democratic thinking and world views. Greek medicine on the other hand could continue its older traditions because of the suport it received from aristocracy.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 3 Q1

Q)Discuss the developments in the areas of astronomy and mathematics, chemistry, botany and zoology during the Bronze Age
Ans)Chemistry
The level of chemical knowledge and practices in the newly ordered society is reflected in the pottery iron tools and glass objects found at various iron age sites.By the fourth or the fifth century B.C. the Indian metalworkers had attained a high degree of perfection in the techniques of producing iron and steel. Glass objects unearthed in over 30 sites indicate that the production of sites came to be known over the end of this period. Ceramic bowls, dishes, lids and carinated jars dated from about fifth century B.C. to the second century B.C. were also found in these sites. Fermented methods dyeing techniques, the preparation and use of a number of chemicals and color pigments were well known.
Botany
In the Bronze and Iron ages agriculture became the principal mode of production in all lands. It is thus not surprising that in India, botany and elementary plant physiology developed with the advances made in medicine also helped these sciences.
Zoology
The domestication of animals like horses and elephants and their use in warfare necessitated the study of their anatomy and physiology. A survey of vedic literature revealed that more than 260 animals had been known at that time. Classification of animals and study of their dietary values had been attempted. Human physiology had also been studied. post vedic literature also contains names of animals and a avast storehouse of observations on their natural history. These observations may have simulated their later thoughts and concepts about classification , heredity, embryology etc.
Astronomy and Mathematics
Much of the work in astronomy in the iron age is merely a detailed or expanded version of the astronomical knowledge already found in the rigveda. Astronomy later degenerated into astrology in the later years of this period. Sulvasutras show a fairly high level of knowledge of geometry. Arithmetic was equally well developed. Numbers in multiples of 10 going upto as high powers of 10 as 10¹²(one million million) were known and used. All arithmetic operations on numbers were well known. Sulvasutras contain several instances of addition subtraction multiplication division and squaring of fractions, quadratic equations indeterminite equations, permutation and combination also appear in the sulvasutras.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 2 Q3

Q)Discuss the technical achievements of bronze age.
Ans)The major technical advance that accompanied the rise of cities was the discovery and use of metals,particularly copper and its alloy bronze. Simultaneously, trade between societies flourished and gave rise to a qualitative change which marks the beginning of conscious science.This was possible because of this initial phase of development required that the practitioners of techniques and the priests who did only mental work solve problems together. Recording of numbers or quantities of goods, standardizing their measures, counting and calculating, making of calendars etc form the basis of quantitative science in the Bronze age.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 2 Q2

Q)Write the major factors which were responsible for the decline of the bronze age civilization.
Ans)The great development in production method that came in with the rise of production method lasted for only a few centuries. The initial outburst of technical advance was followed by a long period of stagnation. Cities rose and fell. One4 dynasty of priest kings overthrew one another. But there was no change in the pattern of production. It remained based on irrigation, agriculture, supplemented by trade with other cultures. There arose a difference between those who produced and those who appropriated the produce.This also meant a difference between the thinkers and the doers, between theory and practice. The social structure became exploitative. Peasants and urban craftsmen became poorer, many of them ending up as slaves later on. The emergence of two distinct classes the haves and the have nots on the society led to conflicts between them. This weakened the city states and ultimately put a stop to their intellectual and technical process. Increasing population and continuous barbarian invasions also bought tremendous pressure on these city cultures. They had to expand terrestrially to occupy more available land in order to feed the population. As wars became part of life, a new group of professionals came into being, who invented and made new war machines and built defensive and offensive structures.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 2 Q1

Q) Discuss the achievements in the areas of transport and quantitative science during the Bronze Age.
Ans)Transport
River valley civilizations were characterized by settlements settlements along rivers which needed among another things, stones and wood form distant places to make houses and monuments. The desire to control large territories led to the need for efficient transport. Since the rivers were easy flowing, water transport was  most probably developed first. Dugout canoes and rafts made of reed and bamboo were used for carrying goods in bulk. The sail was invented marking the first use of inanimate use of locomotion. The river went in a known direction, it was like a road, but one could easily loose one's way on high seas. New ways of finding location and direction had to be searched. The most primitive method was of the land finding bird. Navigation by sun and stars had become a common practice. Tree trunks came in handy as rollers. The discovery of wheel revolutionized land transport, though it is not possible for us to say, from historic evidence, where the wheel was first invented. Its use for making carts which transported goods and passengers was possibly one of the most significant developments of the bronze age. The real ingenuity in developing this means of transport was in joining the solid roller or wheel to the body of the cart in such a way that it could turn without coming off.
Quantitative Science
Writing developed, either as a sketched symbol standing for a whole idea in Chinese, or symbols and sounds going together as in Mesopotamian Cuneiform or the Egyptian hieroglyphics. The standardization of exchange in the form of weight led to the use of balance, a scientific invention of great consequence. Exchange also necessitated simple calculations such as addition and subtraction of numbers, which led to arithmetic. The use of bricks for building houses gave rise to the ideas of right angle and the straight line which led to the birth of what we call geometry. The practice of building in brick also gave rise to the concept of areas and volumes of figures and solids, which could be calculated from the length of their sides. At first only the volume of rectangular blocks can be estimated. Later in Egypt, mathematics became sufficiently advanced to make it possible to calculate the volume of the pyramid. The ability to count  and calculate found immediate use in certain areas such as making of calendars and in the consequent development of astronomy. Another occupation that came to be very prestigious with the growth of cities was that of medicine. The basis for chemistry was laid in the observations and practices of jwellers, metal workers and potters. They knew about at least nine chemical elements-gold, silver, tin, lead, mercury, iron sulphur, and also about a variety of dry and liquid reagents.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q12

Q)Highlight the characteristics of scientific knowledge.
Ans)Endeavors of science enrich the body of scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge is never at a standstill. It is a dynamic and an ongoing process. It is an ever growing enterprise which will never end. This is because, in science, there is no single ultimate truth to be achieved after which all scientists can retire. A remarkable feature of scientific knowledge is that it is never complete. The more we add to this knowledge the more questions arise about the unknown mysteries of nature. New information is thus continuously gathered, New theories arise if new facts cannot be explained by the existing ones. Practitioners of science can never lay claim to a complete or ultimate knowledge. We have seen that science is not static. Going a step further we may say that scientific knowledge is also not immutable. Nothing can remain unchallenged in science. In fact some of the most honored scientists are those, who try to alter modify or replace existing theories by providing revolutionary evidence or argument. In this sense science is a self correcting enterprise i.e. it is open to change. Many hypothesis proposed by scientists turned out to be wrong. Science is generated by and idea of free inquiry, the idea that any hypothesis no matter how strange, deserves to be considered on its merits. Thus science is not dogmatic.It does not unreasonably insist on standing by preconceived notions, concepts ideas that have been proved wrong through careful experimentation. Science progresses by disproving. It has no high priests who cannot be questioned. What would be considered highly undesirable in science is the unquestioned acceptance of things as they are. Last but not the least scientific knowledge is objective. That is, scientific results are verifiable and repeatable by anyone anywhere if proper facilities are available. This feature of science of science is related to the ultimate test of any scientific statement; that it should be in accord with the observations of the natural world. Science prefers hard facts to the dearest illusions of scientists. To be accepted, all new ideas must survive rigorous standard of evidence. Sometimes it takes years, or even hundreds of years, before the ideas are verified. Nonetheless in the long run, no brilliant arguments, high authority or aesthetic appeal can save a scientific theory which disagrees with experiment or observation of nature.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q11

Q)Explain why it is important to know the history of science?
Ans)Science and human affairs are closely linked together, they give rise to what we call as human civilization.Today many questions related to life and happiness worry us. Now how do we answer these questions which are of vital interest to us.One approach is characterized by the famous of Henry Ford, "History is bunk",. According to this approach, all earlier knowledge that is useful is absorbed in the present state of knowledge. What has been left out are only the mistakes about which we should not bother. But this approach does not answer the basic questions.To understand why science is being misused more and more to produce deadly weapons, it is not good enough to blame the scientists who are presently engaged in defence research. Instead we have t look at history in order to show that how knowledge including scientific knowledge has been further used to narrow the interest of dominating groups. Whether in tribal life or in agricultural societies, or in industrial countries, competition for economic domination has led to destructive use of science. Although new discoveries enriched science, they too were employed , in course of time for expanding empires, winning markets and controlling natural resources. And this has always benefited very small sections of people or only a few countries.It can be easily seen that none of the questions which arise out of intimate interaction of science with out lives in general, can be answered without due reference to the history of science. 

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q13

Q)With an example explain the components that make up the method of science?
Ans)We are aware of the fact that plants make their own food by using sunlight carbon dioxide and water and give off oxygen in this process. Sunlight is make up of different colors visible to the eye which you might have seen in a rainbow. the question we may like to ask is whether light is equally effective in photosynthesis or light of any specific color is more effective than the others. We can have a set of hypothesis as

• Light of all colors is equally effective
• Light of one specific color is more effective than other color.

The nest step is to set up a hypothesis. The experiment can be easily set up. We take three twigs of a water plant like hydrilla, submerge them separately and cover them with bell jars. Then we wrap each bell jar with cellophane papers colored green yellow and red and put the three sets out in the sunlight. Thus each of these twigs is getting light of only one color.We assume that the amount of light reaching the twigs is the same. After some time we observe bubbles coming out of water in the bell jar.The rate at which bubbles come out indicates the rate at which plant is able to make its food. In this experiment there are four factors which are like to vary; the three twigs could be different, the amount of carbon dioxide in the three bell jars and the colors of light they could receive could vary. To test the effect of any of these factors we have to ensure that one of these remains the same.Thus if we are testing for the effect of light of different colors, the twigs, the amount of water and carbon dioxide in all the cases should remain the same in all the three cases. We can take similar twigs from the same plant and we can assume that carbon dioxide is same i each bell jar because they are of equal size. We can also assume that the amount of water  is same in each bell jar. Now if the rates at which gas bubbles come out in the three bell jars are different we can say that this is due to difference in colors.In this case we conclude that the rate is highest in the case of twig receiving red light. Thus we conclude that red light is more effective in food making by plants when compared with green or yellow colored light. This rejects the first hypothesis and gives us a partial proof for the second one. We could continue this experiment and test whether other colors like orange blue etc are more effective than red.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q10

Q)The theories of science are influenced by its needs, its capacity to absorb and utilize ideas. Explain this statement taking relevant examples from the history of science.
Ans)The practical application of science leads to its growth. But the advance of science depends upon something more than just the practical aspect. An equally important part of science is theory and concepts, which have played an important role in its advance. The theoretical framework links together the practical achievements in science and gives them an intellectual unity. Major advances in science occurred when a particular theory was proved or disproved. Theory is ultimately linked with practice. It has often happened that an important theory became very formal and came to be used mechanically,  without any fresh ideas or new approaches. Then a new contact with practical experience bought forth its limitations. And it had to be modified or rejected, leading to another major advance in science.The level of practical advance of a society depends upon the prevailing social conditions. For example there are scientific methods to prevent birth and population control, but social conditions in such countries do now allow such an application of science, or in agriculture mechanism could increase productivity. But in regions where farmers have small pieces of land mechanization not possible.The theories of science are also influenced by the general intellectual atmosphere in which the scientists work. It often happens that a theory that fits into the general intellectual atmosphere and so is accepted universally, impedes further scientific advance. New theories based on newly discovered facts may be radically different form the existing ones. Therefore they come into conflict with the prevailing ideas and social thought.  This conflict has in the past lead to persecution of scientists. For instance in the seventeenth century, Galileo used a telescope to see and to show others that the moons of the planet Jupiter revolved around it. This was very much like what he was proposing: that the earth revolved around the sun. He could also show that there were hills and valleys on the surface of the moon.  But these ideas were against the prevailing concepts that the sun revolved around the earth and God had created the perfectly spherical moon. This new theory when published , led to the trail of Galileo. Nevertheless, history shows that barring a few exceptions new ideas in science overcame opposition and came to be accepted in due course of time. This not only lead to great leaps in science but also molded the intellectual thinking in general.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q9

Q)Prepare an account of the social function of science.
Ans)Now we will see the major functions of science, the influence of science in on society and the social factors that impede the growth of science.Science has always played a crucial role in production.Generally science thrived whenever a society had organized itself to increase production of goods and create a degree of satisfaction among its members. The growth of science not only increases production but also leads to improvement in the methods of production. And when methods of production evolve and develop to new stage societies transform. For example when agriculture was the main means of production human habitations were scattered over large rural areas with their own lifestyle. But when factory based production became common industrial towns grew up because a large number of people were working in one place with a life very different form a rural life.The practical application of science leads to its growth. But the advance of science depends upon something more than just the practical aspect. An equally important part of science is theory and concepts, which have played an important role in its advance. The theoretical framework links together the practical achievements in science and gives them an intellectual unity. Major advances in science occurred when a particular theory was proved or disproved. Theory is ultimately linked with practice. It has often happened that an important theory became very formal and came to be used mechanically,  without any fresh ideas or new approaches. Then a new contact with practical experience bought forth its limitations. And it had to be modified or rejected, leading to another major advance in science.The theories of science are also influenced by the general intellectual atmosphere in which the scientists work. It often happens that a theory that fits into the general intellectual atmosphere and so is accepted universally, impedes further scientific advance. New theories based on newly discovered facts may be radically different form the existing ones. Therefore they come into conflict with the prevailing ideas and social thought.  This conflict has in the past lead to persecution of scientists.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q8

Q)"The growth of science is influenced by its needs, capacity to absorb or utilize ideas." Explain this statement with the help of examples.
Ans)The practical application of science leads to its growth. But the advance of science depends upon something more than just the practical aspect. An equally important part of science is theory and concepts, which have played an important role in its advance. The theoretical framework links together the practical achievements in science and gives them an intellectual unity. Major advances in science occurred when a particular theory was proved or disproved. Theory is ultimately linked with practice. It has often happened that an important theory became very formal and came to be used mechanically,  without any fresh ideas or new approaches. Then a new contact with practical experience bought forth its limitations. And it had to be modified or rejected, leading to another major advance in science.The theories of science are also influenced by the general intellectual atmosphere in which the scientists work. It often happens that a theory that fits into the general intellectual atmosphere and so is accepted universally, impedes further scientific advance. New theories based on newly discovered facts may be radically different form the existing ones. Therefore they come into conflict with the prevailing ideas and social thought.  This conflict has in the past lead to persecution of scientists.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q7

Q)State any three ways in which the growth of science influences the growth of production processes in a society.
Ans)Generally science thrived whenever a society had organised itself to increase production of goods and create a degree of satisfaction among its members. The growth of science not only increases production but also leads to improvement in the methods of production. And when methods of production evolve and develop to new stage societies transform.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q6

Q) 'Science plays a crucial role in the maintenance and development of production processes in a given society.' Discuss this statement with the help of two examples from the history of science.
Ans) Science plays a crucial role in the maintenance and development of production processes in a given society.Generally science thrived whenever a society had organised itself to increase production of goods and create a degree of satisfaction among its members. The growth of science not only increases production but also leads to improvement in the methods of production. And when methods of production evolve and develop to new stage societies transform. For example when agriculture was the main means of production human habitations were scattered over large rural areas with their own lifestyle. But when factory based production became common industrial towns grew up because a large number of people were working in one place with a life very different form a rural life.

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q5

Q)What are the conditions that determine that the fruits of science are used for human good or for destructive purposes?
Ans)The specific areas of social life such as trade, 'markets' and natural resources health etc. set definite problems for science to solve. Unfortunately military activity has been one of the major goals for science throughout history. Such goals do not lead to and in fact pervert scientific activity. Most scientists in modern times have taken a position against such a perversion of their work. This stand taken by scientists all over the world against using space to install deadly weapons is an example of this. The fruits of scientific labor can be used for human good or they may be misused. For instance, science in a society based on private profit, would lead to production of goods which can be sold for profit rather than those which are really needed. And if weapons can be a source of profit weapons can be produced rather than the medicine for the ailing. All of us and scientists in particular need to be aware of this.   

IGNOU FST CHAPTER 1 Q4

Q)Do you think stability lead to social stagnation and eventually stagnation in science?
Ans)History of science is a story of how social and economic pressures arising out of a given form society necessitate particular inventions and innovations.These innovations are gradually used and absorbed by dominant social forces to stabilize their domination.The stability eventually leads to social stagnation. For example stagnation in a given geographical area or society does not always lead to radical changes in the same area or society. New ideas are sometimes transmitted through human interaction, due to trade and other means of communication to other geographical locations.There the society may be conductive to a rapid change.Again in a given society successive changes may be rapid in a particular epoch.In a different epoch in the same locality changes may be extremely slow.To understand this we have to understand the specific social, cultural and economic conditions of a given society.