Inventions andthe Scientific Process

A Classroom Lesson from

The Mathematics & Science Center

Inventions and the Scientific Process

Where do ideas come from?

How do you know if an idea is good (or not)?

How do scientists develop and test their ideas?

Why Learn About Inventions? It’s fun!

It relates science to YOUR daily life.

They’re unique; we remember the strange and different…

… so we can tie methods of inquiry and science to the study of inventions!

Some Inventors and their Inventions…

Note how each happened

Think about the characteristics of each inventor

Think how the scientific method relates to the process of invention

Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790 The “Franklin”

Stove

The Glass Harmonica

Bifocal glasses

Did he “invent” electricity?

Friedrich Kekule’ 1858 Wanted to be an

architect, not a chemist!

Kekule’ StructuresInstead of H2O,

H – O -- H

Galileo 1564 - 1642 17 years old

Saw swinging lamp in church

The Pendulum

Thomas Edison 1876 Simply worked all

the time (Genius is 1 % inspiration and 99 % perspiration)

By accident – and keen observation --invented phonograph!

Albert Einstein 1905 Used pencil,

paper, & his mind – NO LABS!

Knew by “feeling”

General Theory of Relativity

“Ugly” equations

Elijah McCoy 1872 Mechanical

Engineer and Train “Oilman”

Invented the automatic lubricator for engines

“The Real McCoy”

Alexander Graham Bell 1876

Interested in “Visible Speech” & the deaf

Knew little about electricity – so he invented telephone

Founded the National Geographic Society

Art Fry 1974 3M Scientist… … & choir

member Developed the

Post-it Note!

Chester Carlson 1938 Invented

electrostatic photocopying method

IBM, RCA, GE, and other companies turned him down

XEROX

Jack Kilby 1959 Worked for Texas

Instruments

The Integrated Circuit

Photo Credit: usps.gov

Cassidy Goldstein 2004

The Crayon Holder!

Photo Credit: BKFK.com

How do Inventions Happen? Close observation Sheer dumb luck – timing Motivation -- $ ? Search for an answer to a problem Creative approaches and strategies By asking, “what if?” and Brainstorming Using “models”… followed by a period of testing or scientific

analysis.

Traits of Inventors Unique – different individuals

Risk-takers – follow their instincts

Ask questions -- & pay attention to answers

Inspired – passion about subject

Task commitment – persistence

Which of these traits do you have?

Inventions:

are PRODUCTS we create which are… Unusual

Appropriate for a job

Transformed from something else

Condensed (refined after testing)

Pathways to Inventions First, find a PROBLEM that you want to

solve.

Develop your IDEA.

Then, TEST your idea.

And finally, you will EVALUATE your results.

Finding Your Problem

Make a “bug list” of things that bother you…

What “bugs” you? What can you improve? Messy room? Pencils that break? Heavy school backpacks? Little brothers or sisters?

You can come up with an idea from your bug list!

Developing Invention Ideas

Use Synectics (analogies)

Compare your idea to another thing, or even to yourself!

How is ______ like a ______ ?

How am I like a ______?

More Ways to Develop Ideas

Combine Opposites!

What is exactlyopposite to myidea that I couldsomehow combinewith it?

Idea

Opposite

And More Invention Ideas!Use the SCAMPER Method:For my idea, what can I …. Substitute Combine Adapt Modify – Magnify – “Minify” Put to other Uses Reverse or Rearrange … to make it WORK!

Photo credit: lbl.gov

Put Your Idea to THE TEST!

Once you have an idea, then put your idea to the TEST to see if it works!

In other words, design a test to see if your hypothesis for your invention is supported (or not)!

The Process of Invention and Science An idea (or problem) = hypothesis

Develop a “bug” list = observe/describe

Build/design = testing

“Back to the drawing board” = rethink hypothesis and try a new variable

Establish criteria to evaluate = analysis of results

Will the public buy it? = conclusion

More Invention Strategies Change your perspective Work problems backwards Break your own rules for past success Develop new reading habits Be a “risk-taker” Combine opposites Listen! Listen! Listen!

Once begun is half-done!

“If I have a thousand ideas a year, and only one turns out to be good, I’m

satisfied.”

Alfred Nobel

Photo Credits Most photos are from the public domain

of pictures of great inventors that have been used and reprinted numerous times over the years.

Other sources include: BKFK (By Kids for Kids ) usps.gov lbl.gov