Positive impacts

Science and technology can bring benefits to people's lives. A benefit is a positive effect of a product or a process.

For example:

• catalytic converters and gas scrubbers reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants
• fuels cells power electric cars and reduce emissions of air pollutants where the car is being driven
• composite materials are designed to improve the properties of material making the product better to use
• nanotechnology creates nanoparticles with uses ranging from clothing to medicine
• syntheticfertilisers increase crop yields
• water purification techniques produce potable water and therefore reduce illness from waterborne diseases
• catalysts allow industrial processes to be faster, sometimes at lower temperatures which reduces energy requirements
• cracking makes better use of crude oil and so conserve oil reserves

Question

How has the use of low sulfur fuel benefited people?

Reveal answer

Low sulfur fuel significantly reduced the emission of sulfur dioxide from cars. This has benefited people's health.

Risks

A risk is an estimate of the likelihood that an undesired outcome will happen. The size of a risk is estimated based on the chance of it happening in a large sample, and over a specified length of time.

Advances in science and technology can bring risks. Scientists devise ways to reduce these risks.

For example:

The burning of fossil fuels increases the emission of air pollutants such as carbon dioxide. This gas is a greenhouse gas. Increased emissions of greenhouse gases brings a risk to human health and of climate change.

Scientists have designed catalytic converters and gas scrubbers to help mitigate (reduce) these emissions.

Question

What is a risk of using nanoparticles?

Reveal answer

Nanoparticles are so small that they are easily breathed in or can enter the body through broken skin. There is a risk that this could cause health problems.