Science: Systems, Technology and Design (SCIE10002)

Human beings have developed skills in managing their environment, designing and constructing systems to make use of both biological and physical resources. The outcomes of this resource use have also brought about the need to consider carefully the sustainability with which these resources are used, their impact on the living world and ethical questions of resource use. In this subject, students will consider both natural and constructed structures and systems and their impact, integrating the contributions of biology, chemistry, environmental sciences, engineering and physics.

Careful development of students’ academic skills is embedded in this subject.

Topics include:

• Energy in chemical and biological systems: reduction and oxidation reactions, energies of reaction and transformed and transferred energy, productivity of ecosystems and photosynthesis;
• Food systems: ecosystems, sustainable use and management of our natural resources ensuring adequate quantity and quality of food production and effective food distribution;
• Structures: structures in the natural environment and built environment – mechanics and materials relevant to structures (analysis of forces and understanding the behaviour of materials in stable structures);
• Electrical systems and energy use: production and transmission of electrical energy, and efficiency of those processes – transformation of other forms of energy into electrical energy (electric and magnetic forces, electric circuits).