Student 28

Growing up around cars and especially this 1960 Ford Thunderbird sparked my passion for cars when I was told that this car would be mine when I was older. When I would watch and help my dad work on the Thunderbird as well as other cars we owned, I would acquire tidbits of knowledge while helping my dad which made me curious to learn more.

For example, I noticed that the Thunderbird sounded different from modern cars. I asked my dad why and learned that engines work by making lots of small explosions which drive the wheels. The difference in engine technology between old and modern cars created a different sound for the Thunderbird which I loved. This experience can connect to the core theme of TOK through knowledge and the knower because being curious about cars led me to learn new knowledge about car engines.

My dad would also point out how differently the Thunderbird is built from modern cars. He would tell me that the Thunderbird is made from large metal panels which would be difficult to replace if an accident were to occur. I held onto this piece of knowledge until I later learned that modern cars are different because they have lots of smaller panels for crumple zones to increase safety. This experience connects to the optional theme of knowledge and technology because observing the difference between older and modern cars gave me the knowledge that modern cars are much safer with the new technologies that are implemented into them which were not standard in older cars. New technologies such as seat belts, airbags, and crumple zones which all work together to improve the safety of driving. Being surrounded by cars in my childhood allowed me to gain knowledge of the technologies in cars and has improved my knowledge as a knower.

RC Helicopters were a large part of my childhood because I was fascinated by the mechanics of how they worked and were able to fly so I was determined to obtain this knowledge. I learned that the remote was able to control the helicopter through the use of radio waves. Although I knew that radio waves controlled the helicopter, I still did not know what radio waves exactly were. That was until this year whenI learned all about waves in my physics class. This experience connects to the TOK key concept of interpretation because the idea of waves became easier to interpret after connecting them to my RC helicopter.

However, I was still confused by the mechanics of how helicopters flew so I researched to gain certainty on this niche piece of knowledge. I learned that the main rotors of the helicopter provide lift as well as rotational torque, which is counteracted by the tail rotors to keep the helicopter stable. My curiosity of how helicopters worked connects to the key concepts of certainty and truth because I am now certain of the truth behind how helicopters fly.

Nonetheless, I am still interested in learning more about aircraft. The personal experience of playing with RC helicopters and being curious about them has driven me to gain more knowledge of how aircrafts in general work. This is one of the reasons why I want to become an aerospace engineer, to improve my knowledge on helicopters and possibly make a career of creating aircraft. My knowledge as a knower never ends as I stay curious and constantly strive to gain new knowledge.

During the summer of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic I built many models. One of the models I built was of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, otherwise known as the A-10 Warthog. The A-10 is unique because the entire aircraft was built around the gun, while building the model I could see some of the consequences of this decision in the design choices while assembling the model.

I noticed that the front landing gear was off center, I then realized that it was to make room for the large gun. I began to notice other unconventional features and researched why they were implemented. The tail of the A-10 has two vertical stabilizers and I learned that it was an intentional redundant feature to increase survivability. The large straight wings of the A-10 are designed to maximize maneuverability at low altitudes.

The experience of assembling this model of an A-10 built my knowledge of technology as a knower. The key concept of justification applies to this object as all of the unique design choices of the A-10 are justified by their ability to improve the performance of the aircraft. The knowledge I obtained from this experience has further influenced me to take interest in a future career of aerospace engineering where I can design my own unique aircraft.