Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the history of technology and civil engineering. It asks who devised the method of making strong surfaced roads, often called pucca roads, using compacted layers of broken stone. This technique revolutionised road construction during the early nineteenth century and made land transport more reliable. The method is known as macadamisation, and the name itself gives a clue about the person associated with the innovation.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question mentions pucca roads and a special method of road making.
- Options include the name Mc Adam along with other engineers and invented names.
- The learner is expected to recognise the link between the road type and the inventor name.
- No detailed description of the technique is given, so the question relies on name association.
Concept / Approach:
The modern method of road building with layers of small stones, carefully graded and compacted, was developed by John Loudon McAdam, a Scottish engineer. Roads built using his method came to be called macadam roads. Later variations, such as tar macadam or tarmac, added binding materials like tar. Therefore, the correct approach is to connect the word macadam with the inventor McAdam and select that option as the answer. The other names in the options are either unrelated engineers or distractors that do not fit this specific technique.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Focus on the phrase method of making pucca roads and remember common textbook terms such as macadam roads.
2. Realise that macadam roads are named after a person whose surname is McAdam.
3. Look at the options and identify Mc Adam as the one that clearly matches this surname and concept.
4. Review other options like George Stephenson or Graham Brothers and recognise that they are known for railways or vehicles, not for this specific road building technique.
5. Select Mc Adam as the correct answer, knowing that macadamisation directly comes from his method.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, students may recall that school geography or general science chapters on transportation often describe macadam roads and explicitly credit John McAdam with improving road construction. Sometimes the name is written as John Loudon McAdam, and the word macadam is simply his surname adapted into a technical term. No such link exists between the words pucca road and the names in the other options, which are either unrelated or known for different contributions like early steam locomotives. This clear word based connection is a strong confirmation of the correct answer.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Jimi Adams appears to be a distractor and is not associated in standard references with the invention of macadam roads.
George Stephenson is called the father of railways for his work on steam locomotives and railway lines, not for inventing the modern broken stone road method.
Graham Brothers are known in the history of motor vehicles and are not credited with the development of road surfaces in this way.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a great engineer who worked on bridges, tunnels, and ships, but he did not originate the macadam system of road building.
Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to pick George Stephenson because students simply recognise his name as an engineer and do not carefully link names with specific inventions. Another problem occurs when learners do not notice the clue hidden in the term macadam and therefore treat all options as equally likely. To avoid such errors, it is useful to remember that many engineering terms are derived from inventors surnames. In this case, pucca or all weather stone roads that use compacted layers are called macadam roads after John McAdam, making Mc Adam the correct choice.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is
Mc Adam.
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