Songhee Chang

Grade 9 Science
Mr. N. Parsons
16th September 2014

Wireless Technology
My subtopic: Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi has the ability to access information and to communicate with other people around
the world who are also using Wi-Fi as well. Many people just know Wi-Fi as a way to go onto
the Internet without cables, but lots of them also dont know what it means and how it works.
Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity (or in other words the 802.11). The idea of creating WiFi derives from scientists knowledge about Radio Waves. Radio Waves are electromagnetic
radiation with wavelengths. Scientists have used their understanding of Radio Waves to create
Wi-Fi as the medium to transport information from one place to another. Similar to the other
electromagnetic spectrum like light, x-rays and others, the Radio Waves in Wi-Fi travels through
a high frequency in the open space. Later It is known to use high frequency radio signals to
transmit and receive data over a large amount of distance. Whether you are around the other
side of the world or not, you can still receive data! The frequency rate of the Wireless Fidelity is
around 2.4GHZ or 5GHZ depending on the user. But exactly how does Wifi work? Like mobile
phones, a Wi-Fi network will create radio waves to transmit its data to other networks. The same
signal will be transmitted through an antenna or a router. Once the data is converted, the data
will be sent to the internet through a wired connection, and from there it works the other way
around for the other network to receive its data.
According to the Economist.com, Wi-Fi is the bright spot to a bubble-battered market.
Wi-Fi was officially released by the FCC (Federal Communications Commissions also known as
Americas telecoms regulator) for the public to use in the year 1985. At first it was very slow, not
much couldve been done, but in the year January 2000 a new and developed Wi-Fi was
released. Now known as the 802.11. Ever since the release many companies have started to
build compatible Wi-Fi devices, such as phones and laptops that we still use today.
Like wise the other inventions, this technology has solved lots of problems for the world
we live in today. It has improved the level of communications, we had compared to 20 years
ago. Lots of companies connect with each other from all over the world just through Wi-Fi. Not
just companies but from relative to relative and from friends to friends. Everybody can use Wi-Fi
to connect with other people; it isnt that hard all you need is a device that can catch the Radio
waves. Not only has Wi-Fi improved the level of communications around the world, but it has
also improved the devices we are using today. If Wi-Fi was not invented who knows what the
devices we use today can be like. The devices such as mobile phones and laptops have been
made to be compatible with the Wi-Fi network. It would also improve when the Wi-Fi network
was improved. Somewhat like you scratch my back, I scratch yours. Wi-Fi also has developed
our knowledge about everything, by providing the recent information about the parts of the

world. It does not only come from one persons point of view, however it comes from multiple
perspectives. Such as different blogs, news reports, articles and so forth.
Although Wi-Fi has lots of advantages, it also has disadvantages. The 21st century is
now known as the technology Era. Many people have many devices, which leads to less
socializing in public but more through the net. In fact SAP (A European software corporation)
has stated that in the end of 2013, there were more mobile devices than people on Earth. There
are approximately 7 billion people in the whole entire world and if the amount of mobile devices
is larger than the amount of people, that is disappointing. Can you imagine how much money
these people are spending on mobile devices a year when they could be spending it on
something more worth while like a donation to charity or education? According to Kleiner
Perkins Caufield (a firm which was stated by Wall Street Journal, one of the most largest and
established firms) has stated that Mobile users check their phone 150 times a day, without even
noticing. Which tells us that, people would take their phones everywhere with them. Whether it
was to dinner or lunch, it would not matter. They would always be on their phones non-stop,
socializing (or not socializing) with other people somewhere around the world, when they have
actually have someone to talk to without typing in front of them. Not only does it impact us
socially, but also this invention of Wi-Fi has became unsafe for people who are using it. We may
end up talking to someone and giving out personal information to a stranger we do not even
know. They may find more information about you and end up taking disadvantage of the human
being you are. Last but not least, the Human body would be exposed to these Radio Waves
non-stop. Although you cant feel and see the waves, it definitely does impact you in a negative
way. Some short-term effects of Radio Waves transmitting your body would be fielding your
brain, interfering with your sleep, blood pressure, along with your heart rate and many more.
Some Long-term effects would be, it would create brain tumors that can lead to cancer, and it
also can create other un-discovered cancers that medicals are not aware of.
The digital age brings powerful ways to communicate, access information, and access
power. (Jason Von Kundra). This sentence stated by Kundra, that this device has a social
impact on us human beings. Gender, age, ethnicity, education and race are factors to analyze
when discussing the social impact of this invention. To start off, like I have stated before Wi-Fi is
unhealthy for the human body if the Radio waves transmit non-stop through your body that can
lead to cancer and other diseases. As for safety, Wi-Fi itself when used on the Internet is not a
safe place to be for children, teens, adults and last but not least elders. There are lots of
predators out there, fake identities and many more dangerous people. They can cover their
faces through a monitor and pretty much get away with anything, since to have Wi-Fi we dont
need a security check. So safety through the net is not the most secure. As for equality, all
races, all ages, all ethnicity and pretty much everyone can access the Internet, as long as they
have the money to pay for Wi-Fi and a computer or any compatible devices. The Wi-Fi is an
acceptable place when it comes to ethnicity, race, age and many others.
In conclusion, science has brought a lot of brilliant inventions into our lives. These
inventions brought lots of changes to our lives and changed our lifestyle as time went by. Apart
from its advantages and dis-advantages, this invention (especially the invention of Wi-Fi) has

helped and improved human communications globally. However as a human, we need to be

aware of this invention, use it wisely, know your limits and be the intelligent human beings we
are.

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The Economist. Technology Quarterly, 10 June 2004. Web. 20 Sept. 2014.

http://www.economist.com/node/2724397

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"Electromagnetic Fields and Public Health: Mobile Phones." WHO. N.p., June 2011. Web. 20
Sept. 2014.
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