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Vulcanized Rubber
Up until this point rubber had been used predominantly in handbags and shoes whilst its full potential was yet to be tapped. Charles Goodyear a pioneer in the progression of rubber and its applications spent every breathing minute for approximately 10 years attempting to stabilize rubber. In 1839 he conducted an experiment testing nitric acid, lime and turpentine which subsequently culminated in the invention of vulcanized rubber. -
Vulcanised Rubber Impacts
This specific rubber is the cornerstone of modern-day tires as well as transition belts seals and more. The social and economical impacts of this are the ability to freely drive and for long distances on resilient tires as well as a new market for trade and jobs in the creation/sales of vulcanized rubber. -
Internal Combustion Engine
An internal combustion engine uses a fuel that combusts in the presence of oxygen and a spark. The explosive combustion pushes a piston in a cylinder. The piston's movement drives a crankshaft that turns the wheels on a vehicle or blades on a turbine. Internal combustion engines are most commonly used to fuel automobiles, ships and aeroplanes. This has become quintessential as it provides a motor for cars and it utilizes gasoline, however, the gasoline is expensive and not efficient. -
Internal Combustion Engine Impacts
In transportation, the gasoline internal combustion engine
have been adapted for use in travel by sea, land, and air. This has served to make trade more rapid and less expensive. Also to be considered is the impact on farming and food production. Tractors and other modern farming equipment, play a significant role in the abundance of food in the world. The use of tractors to plant, and harvest as well as to pull heavy loads has helped to increase the amount of land a single farmer can work. -
First car invented
Karl Benz was an Austrian mechanical engineer that was the pioneer in inventing the first-ever automobiles. The car was centred around an internal combustion engine and was comprised of three wheels. This created a subsequent craze for the production and perfection of automobiles similarly to the space race of the mid 1900s -
Road Asphalt
A Belgium chemist by the name of Edward De Smedt observed the culmination of asphalt mined in Switzerland and pebbles and crushed stone, to produce early paved roads in France. He conducted many experiments finding that the combination of asphalt, coal dust and sand was the best option, he later patented this as “Sheet asphalt pavement”. -
Road Asphalt Impacts
Road Asphalt has become quintessential in our everyday lives as cities infrastructure are built around roads and their asphalt, although it has to lead to the influx in urban sprawl as people crave well-built areas to live. It allows for the transport of goods and services such as home deliveries and mobile services such as plumbers and electricians. Although it has spurred the increase in the use of non-renewable fuels as cars which drive on the road chew through petrol. -
The invention of the Model T
Ford’s attempt at creating a car was the Model T, this was America’s first automobile and the first car ever to be produced at mass scale on an assemble line. The use of an assembly line impacted the economy by creating new jobs out of a new invention and the monumental leap in technology made the car substantially more affordable than its predecessors. The top speed of the Model T reached 45mph which was still slower than a horse at a full galloping speed. -
Thermal Cracking Gasoline
Gasoline has been in circulation since the mid-1800’s but the process was in efficient and slow and with the subsequent demand for gasoline after the creation of the internal combustion engine a faster production method was needed. William Burton and Robert Humphrey added chemicals to crude oil then applied both with heat and pressure and it worked. They coined this method “Thermal Cracking” doubled the amount of gasoline that could be produced from a given amount of oil. -
Gasoline Impacts
The economical and social impacts of Gasoline are vast one of which is the fact that it is the fuel source for cars which allow them to drive. This creates the ability for transportation of goods, access to remote places and general travel. It has however created a reliance on a non-renewable resource which is slowly diminishing although many businesses have been born around the premice of selling gasoline. -
First publicly mass-produced car
In the early 1920’s cars started to become mass produced on long assembly lines and represented a social distinction between the elite and average person. Although, as cars gained traction and popularity they generated more revenue and more people were able to afford them. The increased availability allowed manufacturers like ford to make the car so accessible that the average American could afford/own one. Between 1900-1920 car owners in American went from 8,000 to 8,000,000 -
Hydrogen Powered Cars and Impacts
Hydrogen fuel-cell car is an electric vehicle but its key difference compared with any EV currently on sale in Australia is that, instead of drawing power from pre-charged batteries, the hydrogen car produces its electricity as it's required - in-house, so to speak. The impacts of this reduce the need for electric batteries which are almost impossible to dispose of without hurting the environment. As well as, the need for gasoline which is hurtful to the environment and is quickly running out. -
Autonomous Cars
Self-driving cars are poised to revolutionize the transportation industry by the year 2050. There have been many significant shifts in the auto industry since the beginning of commercial auto production roughly eight decades ago (Previously mentioned), but the basic formula of a human operator guiding a vehicle using a steering wheel and pedals has held pretty steady across that time span.
