Science / Year 10 / Science as a human endeavour / Use and influence of science

Curriculum content descriptions

examine how the values and needs of society influence the focus of scientific research (AC9S10H04)

Elaborations
  • considering the use of genetic testing for decisions such as genetic counselling, embryo selection, identification of carriers of genetic mutations and the use of this information for personal use or by organisations such as insurance companies or medical facilities
  • researching how the values of 19th and early 20th century Australian society, combined with scientific misconceptions about heredity and evolution, influenced policies and attitudes towards First Nations Australians
  • recognising that financial backing from governments or commercial organisations is needed for scientific developments and that this can determine what research is carried out
  • examining the link between scientific research and real-world applications such as space research and new material development
General capabilities
  • Ethical understanding Ethical understanding
  • Personal and social capability Personal and Social capability
ScOT terms

Values (Psychology)

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Digital stories

The three short stories in this resource look at Australian bread-making in 3 different eras – pre-colonial, colonial and near-future. They explore how environmental world views and practices have differed across time.

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PRIMED Science - Year 10

This set of learning activities explores the ‘wicked problems’ of climate change, food security and biosecurity. Students explore genetic inheritance patterns using examples from primary production, investigate selective breeding and genetics processes then examine a range of scientific case studies in agriculture that ...

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Introduction to Ocean Acidification

In this series of activities students investigate how carbon dioxide affects the pH of water, and how carbon dioxide may affect fish and other marine species. They then brainstorm changes that can be made to reduce human impact on reefs, research carbon capture and storage technology, and design a device to remove carbon ...

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Investigating Ocean Acidification: Student Investigations

In this activity, students explore the impacts of carbon dioxide on the marine environment. Students investigate the effect of carbon dioxide on water and the effect of acids on organisms with calcium carbonate shells. This resource is part of a suite of resources from Queensland Museum focused on ocean acidification.

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Future transport – air taxis

In this lesson, students learn about advanced air mobility, and explore the infrastructure requirements to adapt cities and towns for eVTOLs.

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Food security and global farming

The expected growth in world population from 6.8 billion in 2010 to over 9 billion by 2050, the demand for food will increase by around 70 per cent. This collection of articles from the CSIRO describes some of the research that is underway to improve the world's agriculture sector to address this growing demand. The web ...

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Low-carb cars

This ABC In Depth feature article explores the electric car as an alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles, with a brief reference to hydrogen powered cars. This article is comprehensive, but it is dated at 2008.

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Catalyst: How high will sea levels rise?

Much of the world’s population will eventually have to deal with the consequences of sea-level rise, but the question is: how high will the water get? Dr Graham Phillips investigates how scientists are turning to the distant past to predict the impact of rising sea levels. Watch scientists explore 120,000-year-old coastlines, ...

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Catalyst: Tsunami prevention in the Pacific

By investigating sediments and debris left by devastating tsunamis throughout history, Japanese scientists are making discoveries that change the way we understand disaster prevention in the Pacific. Watch as research teams examine rocks and mud layers; create digital simulations of past tsunamis; and investigate the seabed ...

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Engineering clean rivers

Figuring out how to clean up contaminated rivers is a big challenge. It's also tricky to work out where the most contaminated parts of a river system are and whether its fish are safe to eat. Watch this video and learn how engineering has helped to solve these problems. Why do you think engineers looked to the bottom of ...

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Climate change and the rising sea level

What is the correlation between global warming and the rising sea level? This animation explains the link between the two and the consequences of a continual sea level rise. How are some communities combating this problem? Can you think of some other ways we could address this problem?

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What Greenland's ice tells us about climate change

Why is it so important to keep our eyes on Greenland's ice and what does it have to do with climate change science? Watch this short animation from NASA to find out!

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Can photons and atoms generate laser?

Electrons around atoms can absorb and emit photons of particular colours of light – see three different atomic models explain what's going on.

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NASA celebrates Aura's ten-year orbit!

Aura is a NASA satellite that in 2014 celebrated ten years orbiting Earth, collecting data about the planet's atmosphere and climate. Aura is helping scientists better understand global systems, including the composition of gases in the ozone layer, air pollution and climate change. Watch to learn more about this space ...

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Catalyst: When does life begin?

The use of embryonic stem cells for medical research is a hotly debated ethical issue, with much of the discussion focusing on when human life begins. Listen to the views both of scientists and of some people from several faith traditions. In a major stem-cell breakthrough, scientists have discovered a new type of stem ...

Interactive

2024 Dreaming

Explore options for houses, work, food and transport in 2024 in this multimedia presentation from Radio National. A useful resource for stimulating discussion about applications of science and implications for society and the environment as well as current issues and developments in science. Gives examples of how different ...

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Chemicals on the Great Barrier Reef

This program deals with a range of human impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. Herbicides from land runoff have been traced to algae and sea grasses in river mouths and coastal zones along the Great Barrier Reef. Effects include retardation of photosynthesis and growth of corals. Other pressures on the reef include high water ...

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Catalyst: Plants and increased levels of carbon dioxide

We know that most plants use carbon dioxide to make their own food. So what might plants look like in 100 years if carbon dioxide levels continue to increase - will they become enormous and overtake our backyards? View the possible effects of changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide on plants and, in turn, humans and other animals.

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BTN: Curbing the carp population

Find out why European carp fish are called 'river rabbits' in Australia. Listen to how they came to Australia and what makes them such a pest now.Discover how a local entrepreneur is exploiting the new resource while scientists are doing their best to cap the carp population explosion.

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Catalyst: Geoengineering - a solution to climate change?

What is geoengineering, and how is it being investigated by scientists as a means of combating climate change? Learn about some climate control techniques that could slow down or even reverse the effects of global warming. Hear an atmospheric physicist explain the pros and cons of geoengineering techniques.