Transistor Documentary Questions

What technology was used prior to transistors to amplify a signal?
Venerable Vacuum Tube

How did it change the history of communications in the US?
It impacted business, education, and culture by way of making communication available from coast to coast across the United States.

What was the metaphor that the video used to describe how this technology worked?
The metaphor used was having monkeys throw electrons into a specific target while concurrently having shutters opening and closing.

Describe the break through in the 1947 that made the transistor a reality?
The point-contact transistor occurred during issues with an initial experiment with water on a silicon plate. They ended up not using water and changing the material of the plate to geranium. Then they used a thin layer gold and upon close contact with the plate voila a transistor.

What do we learn from watching this video about group and team dynamics that we can apply to our own situation?
Comprised of experimental physicist, theoretical physicist, and team leader theoretician. All three were ambitious to a fault and their egos got in the way. It's important for our situation of group dynamics in the classroom as it's important to remember the end result and not to let your own ideas get in the way of the final vision as it can cause rifts in dynamics.

What was successful about this team?
All three were ridiculously smart and came from different fields thus allowing a greater abundance of ideas ultimately culminating in the transistor being created.

What was its downfall?
All three had giant egos and Bill Shockley specifically was overly ambitious causing a rift in the entire team.

What medic and social changes occurred as a result of the transistor?
Social changes include aiding in globalization with increased distance of communication; that's really really huge. Medical devices could also be powered more exponentially, the pacemaker comes to mind as a large medical change (used by millions of people today).