By: T.J. Bechtel

Indicator

5.1.5 – Explain that technology extends the ability of people to make positive and/or negative changes in the world.

Terms

Transistor: a solid-state electronic device that is used to control the flow of electricity in electronic equipment and usually consists of a small block of a semiconductor (as germanium) with at least three electrodes

Vacuum Tube: an electron tube evacuated to a high degree of vacuum

Semiconductor: any of a class of solids (as germanium or silicon) whose electrical conductivity is between that of a conductor and that of an insulator in being nearly as great as that of a metal at high temperatures and nearly absent at low temperatures

Background Info.

The transistor is a three terminal device. In a three terminal device we can control electric current or

voltage between two of the terminals by applying an electric current or voltage to the third terminal.

The vacuum tube actually was created about 50 years prior to the transistor.

In 1947, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, working at Bell Telephone Laboratories, were trying to understand the nature of the electrons at the interface between a metal and a semiconductor. They realized that by making two point contacts very close to one another, they could make a three terminal device - the first "point contact" transistor.

They quickly made a few of these transistors and connected them with some other components to make an audio amplifier. This audio amplifier was shown to chief executives at Bell Telephone Company, who were very impressed that it didn't need time to "warm up" (like the heaters in vacuum tube circuits). They immediately realized the power of this new technology.

Explanation (cont.)

creating your own transistor radio. http://www.vintageprojects.com/radio/tra

nsistor-radio.pdf shows steps to creating your own vintage transistor radio

the students will research more recent creations that use transistors and create a time line of the modifications.

Explanation (cont.)

http://semiconductormuseum.com/Museum_Index.htm This website has some information of

different transistors and how they are used. Students will write an essay for this

lesson plan the students will mention more technological advances we take for granted. the students will “design” their own made

up invention. They will create this out of provided

material, or make a drawing of their product.

Explanation (cont.)

The students will create a speech to explain their new creations. They will write the speech as if they

would be presenting their new product as a sales pitch. This would tie in with English Standards..

Have the students create a price for their device and make them have an explanation for their pricing. Ex: cost of materials, cost of labor, etc.

Resources

www.merriam-webster.com http://nobelprize.org/

educational_games/physics/transistor/history/

http://www.pbs.org/transistor/index.html

http://www.vintageprojects.com/radio/transistor-radio.pdf

http://semiconductormuseum.com/Museum_Index.htm