Jack Kilby

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/jack-kilby

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Jack Kilby born?November 8, 1923
2. When did Jack Kilby die?June 20, 2005 (age 81)
3. Where was Jack Kilby born?Jefferson City, Missouri, USA
4. Who was Jack Kilby?Jack Kilby was an American engineer who invented the first microchip, a tiny brain for computers and phones. He was born in 1923 and worked at Texas Instruments.
5. What is a microchip and why is it special?A microchip is a small piece of semiconductor that holds many electronic parts like resistors and transistors all together. It makes devices smaller, cheaper, and faster.

Integrated Circuit (IC): A complex electronic circuit fabricated on a single chip of semiconductor material, enabling miniaturization and mass production of electronic devices.
Monolithic: Formed of a single large crystal of a mineral, or made from a single piece of material, as in a monolithic integrated circuit.
Semiconductor: A material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator, crucial for electronic components like transistors.
Digital Age: The current era characterized by the widespread use of digital technology and information.