In this chapter, we will explore some amazing inventions from Britain during the 20th century. These inventions have had a huge impact on our lives and the world.
Key Inventions and Their Inventors
1. Television
- Inventor: John Logie Baird
- When: 1920s
- First Broadcast: 1932, between London and Glasgow.
2. Radar
- Inventor: Sir Robert Watson-Watt
- When: 1935
- Purpose: To detect enemy aircraft using radio waves.
3. Radio Telescope
- Inventor: Sir Bernard Lovell
- Where: Jodrell Bank, Cheshire
- Significance: Once the largest radio telescope in the world.
4. Turing Machine
- Inventor: Alan Turing
- When: 1930s
- Importance: Important for the development of computer science.
5. Insulin
- Co-discoverer: John MacLeod
- When: Early 20th century
- Use: Treats diabetes.
6. DNA Structure
- Discoverers: Francis Crick and others
- When: 1953
- Impact: Major advances in medicine and crime fighting.
7. Jet Engine
- Inventor: Sir Frank Whittle
- When: 1930s
- Role: Revolutionised air travel.
8. Hovercraft
- Inventor: Sir Christopher Cockerell
- When: 1950s
- Function: Can travel over water and land.
9. Concorde
- Developed by: Britain and France
- First Flight: 1969
- Significance: Only supersonic passenger aircraft.
10. Harrier Jump Jet
- Developed in: The UK
- Feature: Can take off vertically.
11. ATM (Cashpoint)
- Inventor: James Goodfellow
- First Use: 1967, Barclays Bank, Enfield.
12. IVF (In-vitro Fertilisation)
- Pioneers: Sir Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe
- First Test-tube Baby: 1978, Oldham.
13. Cloning
- Leaders: Sir Ian Wilmot and Keith Campbell
- Achievement: Cloned Dolly the sheep in 1996.
14. MRI Scanner
- Co-inventor: Sir Peter Mansfield
- Importance: Non-invasive imaging for medical diagnosis.
15. World Wide Web
- Inventor: Sir Tim Berners-Lee
- First Transfer: 25 December 1990.
Questions
Easy Level Questions
- Who invented the television?
- A) Alan Turing
- B) John Logie Baird
- C) Sir Robert Watson-Watt
- D) Francis Crick
- What year was the first television broadcast made?
- A) 1935
- B) 1920
- C) 1932
- D) 1946
- Who developed radar?
- A) Sir Frank Whittle
- B) Sir Robert Watson-Watt
- C) James Goodfellow
- D) Sir Christopher Cockerell
- What does radar help to detect?
- A) Weather
- B) Enemy aircraft
- C) Ships
- D) People
- Where was the first cashpoint installed?
- A) London
- B) Manchester
- C) Enfield
- D) Birmingham
- Who co-discovered insulin?
- A) Sir Ian Wilmot
- B) John MacLeod
- C) Alan Turing
- D) Sir Robert Edwards
- What is the main purpose of an ATM?
- A) To take photos
- B) To withdraw cash
- C) To watch TV
- D) To make calls
- Which aircraft can take off vertically?
- A) Concorde
- B) Harrier Jump Jet
- C) Jet Engine
- D) Hovercraft
- Who is the inventor of the World Wide Web?
- A) Sir Peter Mansfield
- B) Sir Tim Berners-Lee
- C) Sir Frank Whittle
- D) Alan Turing
- What year was the first test-tube baby born?
- A) 1976
- B) 1990
- C) 1978
- D) 1953
Medium Level Questions
- In what decade was the jet engine developed?
- A) 1940s
- B) 1930s
- C) 1920s
- D) 1950s
- What significant discovery was made in 1953?
- A) Radar
- B) DNA structure
- C) Television
- D) Hovercraft
- Which inventor worked on a radio telescope?
- A) James Goodfellow
- B) Sir Bernard Lovell
- C) Sir Frank Whittle
- D) John Logie Baird
- What is IVF used for?
- A) To clone animals
- B) To treat infertility
- C) To create electricity
- D) To make medicine
- Who invented the hovercraft?
- A) Sir Ian Wilmot
- B) Sir Christopher Cockerell
- C) Francis Crick
- D) John MacLeod
- In what year did Concorde begin carrying passengers?
- A) 1967
- B) 1976
- C) 2003
- D) 1969
- Which British scientist is known for their work on MRI scanners?
- A) Sir Alan Turing
- B) Sir Peter Mansfield
- C) James Goodfellow
- D) Sir Robert Edwards
- What was the first successful radar test?
- A) 1935
- B) 1945
- C) 1925
- D) 1965
- Who led the cloning of Dolly the sheep?
- A) Keith Campbell
- B) Alan Turing
- C) Sir Robert Edwards
- D) Sir Tim Berners-Lee
- What device is used for cash withdrawal?
- A) ATM
- B) MRI
- C) Turing Machine
- D) Radar
Hard Level Questions
- Which of the following inventions was created first?
- A) Radar
- B) Television
- C) Jet Engine
- D) DNA Structure
- Who was awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of DNA’s structure?
- A) Alan Turing
- B) Francis Crick
- C) John MacLeod
- D) Sir Frank Whittle
- What was the main purpose of Alan Turing’s invention?
- A) To create the World Wide Web
- B) To influence computer science
- C) To treat diabetes
- D) To develop radar
- In which city was the first test-tube baby born?
- A) London
- B) Oldham
- C) Glasgow
- D) Manchester
- When did Sir Christopher Cockerell invent the hovercraft?
- A) 1930s
- B) 1950s
- C) 1960s
- D) 1970s
- What year did the World Wide Web first successfully transfer information?
- A) 1989
- B) 1990
- C) 1995
- D) 2000
- Which of the following inventions was developed for air travel?
- A) MRI Scanner
- B) Cashpoint
- C) Jet Engine
- D) Turing Machine
- Who were the pioneers behind IVF?
- A) James Goodfellow and Alan Turing
- B) Sir Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe
- C) Keith Campbell and Sir Ian Wilmot
- D) John MacLeod and Sir Peter Mansfield
- What was the significance of the Harrier jump jet?
- A) It was the first supersonic passenger aircraft.
- B) It could take off vertically.
- C) It was the first radar device.
- D) It was the largest radio telescope.
- In what year was Dolly the sheep cloned?
- A) 1990
- B) 1996
- C) 2003
- D) 1978
Answers
Easy Level Answers
- B
- C
- B
- B
- C
- B
- B
- B
- B
- C
Medium Level Answers
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- A
- A
- A
Hard Level Answers
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- C
- B
- B
- B
