Final answer:
It is true that early blast furnaces used a water wheel to power the bellows, crucial in maintaining airflow for smelting iron during the Industrial Revolution, before the steam engine became widespread.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that early blast furnaces used a water wheel to power the bellows is true. Early versions of the blast furnace technology, which were essential during the period of the Industrial Revolution, often utilized water wheels as a power source for the bellows. The bellows were critical in maintaining the necessary airflow to achieve the high temperatures required for smelting iron ore. The Industrial Revolution was marked by significant technological advancements, and the use of water power was prevalent before the wide adoption of the steam engine.
Indeed, the text, "Like flour mills, textile mills initially used the power of rivers to spin water wheels and turbines connected to spinning and weaving machines," supports the idea that water wheels were an essential component of early industrial machinery. These machines provided the energy needed to operate equipment in various industries, including the crucial iron and textile manufacturing sectors at the time.