Su Song

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/su-song

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 Su Song born?1020 AD
2. When did Su Song die?1101 AD
3. What is the primary field of innovation?Horology and mechanical engineering
4. What is the major treatise?Xinyi Xiangfayao (1092), detailing astronomical clock designs
5. Who was Su Song and why is he famous?Su Song was a Chinese inventor and scientist from the Song Dynasty. He is famous for building the first mechanical astronomical clock tower in China.
6. What was special about Su Song's clock tower?The tower used water power, an escapement mechanism, and a moving armillary sphere to observe the stars. It also had 133 clock jacks that sounded alarms and showed the time.

Polymath: An individual whose knowledge spans a significant number of subjects, demonstrating broad intellectual capability.
Hydro-mechanical: A system that utilizes both water power and mechanical components for operation, as seen in Su Song's clock.
Escapement Mechanism: A mechanical linkage in clocks and watches that controls the release of energy, enabling precise timekeeping.
Armillary Sphere: A model of celestial spheres used in astronomy to demonstrate the apparent motions of stars and planets.