Acid Rains Essays - Inorganic Solvents, Equilibrium Chemistry

Acid Rains Acid rain refers to all types of precipitation--rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog--that is acidic in nature. Acidic means that these forms of water have a pH lower than the 5.6 average of rainwater. Acid rain kills aquatic life, trees, crops and other vegetation, damages buildings and monuments, corrodes copper and lead piping, damages such man-made things as automobiles, reduces soil fertility and can cause toxic metals to leach into underground drinking water sources. Rain is naturally acidic because carbon dioxide, found normally in the earth's atmosphere, reacts with water to form carbonic acid. While "pure" rain's acidity is pH 5.6-5.7, actual pH readings vary from place to place depending upon the type and amount of other gases present in the air, such as sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxides. The term pH refers to the free hydrogen ions (electrically charged atoms) in water and is measured on a scale from 0 to 14. Seven is considered neutral and measurements below seven are acidic while those above it are basic or alkaline. Every point on the pH scale represents a tenfold increase over the previous number. Thus, pH 4 is 10 times more acidic than pH 5 and 100 times more so than pH 6. Similarly, pH 9 is 1O times more basic than pH 8 and 100 times more basic than pH 7. The acid in acid rain comes from two kinds of air pollutants-- sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These are emitted primarily from utility and smelter "smokestacks" and automobile, truck and bus exhausts, but they also come from burning wood. When these pollutants reach the atmosphere they combine with gaseous water in clouds and change to acids--sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Then, rain and snow wash these acids from the air. Acid rain affects lakes, streams, rivers, bays, ponds and other bodies of water by increasing their acidity until fish and other aquatic creatures can no longer live. Aquatic plants grow best between pH 7.0 and 9.2 (Bourodemos). As acidity increases (pH numbers become lower), submerged aquatic plants decrease and deprive waterfowl of their basic food source. At pH 6, freshwater shrimp cannot survive. At pH 5.5, bottom-dwelling bacterial decomposers begin to die and leave undecomposed leaf litter and other organic debris to collect on the bottom. This deprives plankton--tiny creatures that form the base of the aquatic food chain--of food, so that they too disappear. Below a pH of about 4.5, all fish die. Acid rain harms more than aquatic life. It also harms vegetation. The forests of the Federal Republic of Germany and elsewhere in Western Europe, for example, are believed to be dying because of acid rain. Scientists believe that acid rain damages the protective waxy coating of leaves and allows acids to diffuse into them, which interrupts the evaporation of water and gas exchange so that the plant no longer can breathe. This stops the plant's conversion of nutrients and water into a form useful for plant growth and affects crop yields. Perhaps the most important effects of acid rain on forests result from nutrient leaching, accumulation of toxic metals and the release of toxic aluminum. Nutrient leaching occurs when acid rain adds hydrogen ions to the soil which interact chemically with existing minerals. This displaces calcium, magnesium and potassium from soil particles and deprives trees of nutrition.

Free Essays on Nokia Corporation

Nokia Corporation Since Nokia entered the world of telecommunications it faced competition from well-established international competitors. However, it didn’t take long for Nokia to make a strong name for itself and earn global success. The ability this company has to constantly update technology, create opportunities for themselves and constantly gain new business, shaped them into the successful business that they have today. The go above and beyond what they say they do and that is â€Å"Connecting People.† Nokia is the kind of company that just knows what the people want. Having this knowledge made it easy for Nokia to climb to the top of the market share, take the lead away from its competition, and run with it. Nokia has expanded themselves into more then just phones. They have different models for digital satellite receivers called Nokia MediaMasters. They have Multimedia Terminals, which combine the Internet, television and broadband access, and they also have Mediascreens, which is a new concept of digital television with features such as the flatscreen display. That part of the product line is segmented into four different series. The series include, Performance Series, Business Series, Value Series, and Specialty Series. To read more about these series, see Exhibit A. One of the biggest aspects of the Nokia Corporation is the wireless phone product line. This product line is divided up by model. The 3300 Digital Series, the 8800 Digital Series, the 8820 Digital Series, the 7100 Digital Phone, the 6100 Digital Series, the 5100 Redefined Digital Series, the 5100 Digital Series, the 2100 Digital Series, the 9000 Communicators Series, the 282 Analog Phone, the 252 Analog Phone, a nd finally the 918 Analog Phone. When Nokia first started out they were not on well economic standing at all. Net sales and profit were both really low. In 1991-1992 net profit was negative which caused return on equit... Free Essays on Nokia Corporation Free Essays on Nokia Corporation Nokia Corporation Since Nokia entered the world of telecommunications it faced competition from well-established international competitors. However, it didn’t take long for Nokia to make a strong name for itself and earn global success. The ability this company has to constantly update technology, create opportunities for themselves and constantly gain new business, shaped them into the successful business that they have today. The go above and beyond what they say they do and that is â€Å"Connecting People.† Nokia is the kind of company that just knows what the people want. Having this knowledge made it easy for Nokia to climb to the top of the market share, take the lead away from its competition, and run with it. Nokia has expanded themselves into more then just phones. They have different models for digital satellite receivers called Nokia MediaMasters. They have Multimedia Terminals, which combine the Internet, television and broadband access, and they also have Mediascreens, which is a new concept of digital television with features such as the flatscreen display. That part of the product line is segmented into four different series. The series include, Performance Series, Business Series, Value Series, and Specialty Series. To read more about these series, see Exhibit A. One of the biggest aspects of the Nokia Corporation is the wireless phone product line. This product line is divided up by model. The 3300 Digital Series, the 8800 Digital Series, the 8820 Digital Series, the 7100 Digital Phone, the 6100 Digital Series, the 5100 Redefined Digital Series, the 5100 Digital Series, the 2100 Digital Series, the 9000 Communicators Series, the 282 Analog Phone, the 252 Analog Phone, a nd finally the 918 Analog Phone. When Nokia first started out they were not on well economic standing at all. Net sales and profit were both really low. In 1991-1992 net profit was negative which caused return on equit...

Annotated Bibliography Che Guevara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Annotated Bibliography Che Guevara - Essay Example The writing also points to the waves of radicalizations, taking place after the most influential events. Abstract: The paper is a piece of creative art rather than a genuinely scientific work, but it still describes and discusses several aspects of the politician's political and social growth. The authors outline two main factors which contributed to Guevara's interest in Marxism: first of all, he traveled across Cuba for a long time and literally in every village found the proofs of Marxist anticipations. Secondly, Che had several influential persons in his life, three of whom were his close siblings. Both factors are presented as outlook-shaping. Abstract: The article is designed to discuss Che Guevara's inborn internationalism and inclination to revolutionary thought. The author holds that the main determinant of correspondence between Guevara's standpoint and Engels and Marx's teachings was his cultural background, as the entire Cuban nation had been creating a political philosophy now known as Guevarism for centuries, so Guevara simply became a representative of common notions about ideal social and political order. Furthermore, Lowy draw a hypothesis that Guevara's writing are themselves a logical completion of Marx's politeconomical ideas, adopted to national peculiarities and thus perceived generally in cultural context. 4) BEC. The Development, Maturation and Influences on the Guevara's Ideology. Retrieved October, 25, 2005. Available at: http://www.che-lives.com/home/modules.phpname=Content&pa=showpage&pid=12 Abstract: the paper was intended as reflections upon ideological timeline of Guevara's philosophical writings, viewed as the direct response to Marxism. This political study was spreading in a conductive atmosphere of national cognitive dissonance and radical discontent with existing power. The author prioritizes psychological reasons for Guevara's acceptation of Marxism, as the main remedy against Cuban declination. Another reason for the impact of radical study on Guevara's thought was the fertile ground for further considerations, provided by the political economist. Nevertheless, the author refutes the notion that Che Guevara was a genuine Communist and in his paper evidently defines the revolutionary's political course and orientations. 5) Saunonis, T. Che Guevara - Symbole of Struggle. Four, Guerillaism and Marxism. Retrieved: October, 26, 2006. Available at: http://www.socialistworld.net/publications/che/four.html Abstract: The article demonstrates family roots of Guevara's positive response to Marxism, as Che was grown as a hero, a social marginal, as his whole family and the representatives of his social class were strong and bold enough to ignore the rigid bureaucracy of existing state regime. Furthermore, the article matches the success of the Russian Revolution and Guevara's plans for reordering Cuba. As the politician

Photosynthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Photosynthesis - Essay Example The molecule is made up of a porphyrin ring with several carbon and nitrogen bonds and a magnesium ion in the center (Starr et al., 2009). The first part of photosynthesis is the light dependent reaction occurring in the thylakoid membrane. Here chlorophyll and other accessory pigments like beta carotene absorb different wavelengths of light in the antenna complex (Starr et al., 2009). When one chlorophyll pigment absorbs a photon of light in photosystem II, the molecule reaches a higher energy state, exciting its electron. This excitation results in the loss one electron which is then passed down the electron transport chain via electron carriers. The excited electron is transferred to another chlorophyll molecule in photosystem I creating a proton gradient. The transfer of electron results in the reduction of co-enzyme NADP to NADPH (Starr et al., 2009). The created energy also helps hydrogen ions to move across the thylakoid membrane. Also at the end of the proton gradient, the enzyme ATP synthase converts ADP to ATP by a process called photophosphorylation where the converted light energy will be stored (Starr et a l., 2009). A water molecule is also split though the process of photolysis resulting in an oxygen molecule and allowing the chlorophyll pigment to regain its lost electron. Therefore, at the end of the first cycle the resulting molecules are 3 ATP, 1 oxygen, and 2 NADPH (Starr et al., 2009). The second part of the process is called the light independent reaction and occurs in the stroma within the chloroplasts and is used to take the carbon dioxide molecule and convert it into sugar. Although, it doesn’t need the light, this part of photosynthesis relies on the products ATP and NADPH to drive its process, the Calvin cycle. The enzyme RuBisCO takes the carbon dioxide molecule and uses it to catalyze RuBP (Starr et al., 2009). The carbon dioxide combines with this 5-carbon molecule in a process called carbon fixation and produces 2

Three Favorite Words in English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Three Favorite Words in English - Essay Example It is vital that the people who fall in love, should respect each other especially because no matter how people love each other, there are always individual differences that should be bridged. Therefore, it is important for two people to respect each other’s beliefs, personalities and cultures so that conflicts will be minimized and the possibility of losing the passion will diminish. Trust is also very important in a relationship bound by love because it serves as a glue that holds two different people together who do different things. The modern world now demands both male and female to contribute to the economic status of the nation and is now a challenge to modern lovers because they have to be away from each other most of the hours of the day and probably even demand more time from others. This situation exposes lovers to temptations that may be difficult to fight however, when one partner is well aware of how much trust the other has for him, and that trust is respected and valued, love can remain pure between

Theories of Adolescent Risk Taking

Theories of Adolescent Risk Taking Adolescence is seen as a period when an individual is unable to competently assess risk. There is a general belief that adolescents believe that they are invulnerable to risk thereby unable to perceive certain behaviors. Because of this, adolescents are adjudged to be less aware of risk. This provides the reason the reason why there are legal limitations on adolescents’ right (Bellotti, 1979, Gardner, Scherer Tester, 1989). On the other hand, some view adolescents as having the capability to making informed and competent decisions as adults (Melton, 1984). This means that some see adolescents as seeing themselves as invulnerable. This idea is supported by Elkind’s theory (1967, 1978). In this theory, Elkind argues that people become cognitively egocentric when they first enter into formal operations. Because of this, adolescents believe that they are unique and special making them immune to certain things. They see themselves as invulnerable to harm. This geocentricism and invulnerability are expected to reduce as the individual moves from middle to late adolescents. But some believe that this theory on geocentricism is not associated with adolescence transition into formal operations, and that it is not limited to adolescence alone (Frankenbreger, 2000, Gray Hudson, 1984). In addition, research has not found any positive correlation between geocentricism and perception of invulnerability (Dolcini et al., 1989). Social researches on adolescence have not been helpful in resolving the debate between adolescents’ perception of invulnerability to risk and adolescents’ competence. There are numerous inconsistent studies on this issue. There are factors that may be responsible for these inconsistencies. According to Millstein and Halpern-Felsher (2002), these inconsistencies maybe due to the methods used to measure risk perception. Some researchers used probabilistic assessment, that is, the chance that an outcome will occur (Quadrel et al., 1993, Gochman Saucier, 1982) while other researchers like Finn and Brown (1981, Cohn, Macfarlane et al. (1995) examined adolescents’ perception about harm, that is â€Å"the amount of harm that could be caused(p. 401). This has the ability to cause disparity between the studies and also questions the validity of these findings. Another cause of this disparity is failure of researchers to consider behavioral experiences across ages and control for it. While some of the earlier studies that focused on adolescents’ age group and those that compared adolescents and adults found a significant difference in awareness of and consideration of risks (Ambuel Rappaport, 1992, Chassin et al., 2001), some others found few differences. One of the studies that did not support the idea of adolescents’ invulnerability is the one conducted by Millster and Halpern-Felsher (2002). In their studies, they took into account the above identified problems in studying adolescents and young adults risk perception. While other researchers used participants’ parents to measure comparison between adolescents and adults risk perception, these researchers use unrelated childless adult to eliminate this problem. Their reason for using unmarried young childless adults was because those with children may have a greater awareness of risk because of their positions as parents compared to childless and non parent/unmarried young adults.This is because using adolescent participants’ parents may create problem of non independence between the groups. They used 433 adolescents and 144 young adults between the ages of 20 30 as comparison group from racially diverse population and from geographically and demographically similar area. They tried to find out age differences in risk judgement and if adolescents risk judgment differ from those of adults, and if vulnerability perceptions to harm are more prevailed in adolescents than adults. In the result, they found a significant difference between young adults’ and adolescents’ risk judgment. Also, there was a significant age group differences between older adolescents and younger adolescents. Older adolescents assessed probability of negative outcome to be lower than younger adolescents. The study challenges the general belief that due to adolescents’ developmental status, they view themselves as invulnerable as well as underestimate risk. Adolescents don’t see themselves as invulnerable, though they may fail to perceive specific risk related to a specific behavior, and at the same time, may over estimate the benefit of such behavior. Even after controlling for behavioral experiences, younger adolescents perception of risk was greater than older adolescents, and adolescents perceived greater risk that young adults. Because younger adolescents have been taught that engaging in risky behavior results in significant risk, they are likely to be lieve it (Millstein Helperin-Felsher, 2001). But with increased exposure to peer risk behavior coupled with maturation, adolescents are able to observe that not all risky behaviors have a negative outcome. The researchers observed that the participants over estimated risk. Young people already have a sense of heightened vulnerability and that continuous emphasis on the negative outcome of risk might be counterproductive, in that it might conflict with adolescents’ own experiences as they might realize that not all risky behaviors result in negative outcome. The result of this study is in contrast with the popular belief that adolescents perceive risk less than adults do and that adolescents also see themselves as invulnerable. Another research that is consistent with the above finding is the work done by Baumgartner and Peter (2010). They investigated adolescents’ and adults’ perception of internet risk, especially online sexual risk. Previous studies on online risks founf that adolescents are vulnerable (Mitchell, Finkellor Wolak, 2001, 2007b, Yabarra, Mitchell, Finkellor, Wolak, 2007). These findings are based on the assumption that adolescents are massive internet users. There are scientific/research evidence to prove that adolescents are more vulnerable online that adults and that adolescents reported a very negative feeling such as being afraid from online sexual solicitation (Mitchell et al., 2001). Some reasons for this unwanted online sexual solicitation include the fact that due to adolescents’ massive developmental changes at his stage, the need to relate to others increases thereby making them vulnerable to unwanted sexual solicitation (Singelman Rider, 2003). On the other hand, adults may not be keen on interacting with strangers, thereby decreasing the risk of unwanted sexual solicitation. Another reason for this vulnerability is that adolescents spend more time online and this may increase their chances of receiving unwanted online sexual solicitation (Jones Fox, 2009). The empirical evidence to support that adolescent take greater risk than adolescents have been inconsistent. The difference between adults and adolescents risk perception may be because adolescents today are more familiar with internet amd newer social networks compared to adults. In their study of 1765 Dutch adolescents and 1026 Dutch adults, done through online survey, Baumgartner and Peter (2010) investigated age and gender differences in unwanted online sexual solicitation. The result showed that female adolescents and young female adults are at the greatest risk of this online harassment. This may be because of the specific online activities that they are involved in, or may be because they are just the targets of these perpetrators. A reason for this may be because these groups of people use the internet as a means of communication rather than for entertainment, and the the use of internet for chatting increases the chance of unwanted sexual solicitation. Because one of the cha llenges during adolescence is identity formation, these adolescents may use the internet to relate to others by self disclosure or to share intimate details (Mazur Kozarian, 2010, Calvert, 2002). They also found that young girls find this undesirable and may be more emotionally and cognitively vulnerable to such messages compared to older female adult. This means that adolescent girls feel vulnerable with such behaviors, this is in contrast to the general belief that adolescents perceive some behaviors as risky. An emerging adult may cope better in such situation, but an inexperienced adolescent may be more vulnerable and may need protection than adults. There was also evidence of increased online risk for older adolescents male and adults compared to younger adolescents. This may be because as one gets older, one partakes in more risky behavior compared to when one was younger. This is evidence against the notion of adolescents’ invulnerability. Another reason for this increased online sexual risk found among older adolescents and adults may be because sexual interest does not decline with age or after adolescence, and sexuality being an important part of adults, engaging in online sexual risk may help satisfy these sexual needs. Though these evidence that adolescents do not engage in more risk than adults does not mean or suggest that adolescents’ behaviors should be neglected. Risk behaviors are interpreted differently by adolescents and adults (Parsons et al., 1997). It is seen as a normal thing when adults give out private information about themselves online based on the assumption that adults can handle any negative consequence from such behavior unlike adolescents, such behaviors may be frowned at because any negative outcome may be detrimental and may affect their normal development. In addition, although risk may have potential negative outcome, it also serves an important cause in adolescent development (Jessor, 1992, Igra Irwin, 1996) as it helps adolescents develop autonomy and maturity. It also helps in coping with anxiety and frustration. Online sexual risk may also help adolescents in developing their sexual identity. Hence, online sexual risk behavior should not be viewed as detrimental to adolescents, but it could also serve to facilitate healthy development. This study shows that adolescents, especially younger adolescents are risk aware, and that the fear of adults about adolescents’ online sexual risk behaviors is unfounded. A study by Haase and Silbereisen (2011) linked the effect of negative affect on adolescents’ risk perception. This study is in contrast to the above studies that adolescents have a higher risk perception than adults. And that this depends on the affect. That perception depends on our mood or emotion either positive or negative. Other studies have linked positive affect to lower risk perception (Johnson Tversky, 1983). This means that adolescents who are emotionally open are influenced by this. The Haase and Silbereisen (2011) study examined the effect of positive affect on adolescents’ and adults’ risk perception. The study involved the use of audio-visual method to induce emotion. Research has shown that negative emotion leads to a higher risk taking, because the individual tries to overcome the bad mod through engaging in activities that are rewarding in short run and can potentially have harmful effect on the long run (Tice, Bratslavsky Baumeister, 2001). Bu t from the result of the study, they found that when an individual is in a good mood, he is less likely to perceive some risky behaviors like smoking and alcohol drinking as risky. The study also examined the effect of mood across age groups. It was found that positive affect lowers risk perception across age groups, whereas negative affect led to lower risk perception among mid adolescents but did not for early adolescents and young adults. This may be because developmentally, mid adolescents have a high stress vulnerability (Spear, 2000), and a higher risk taking (Steinberg, 2008). Therefore, it has been shown that affective influences play a big role in adolescents risk taking. When adolescents are in good mood and excited, they tend to indulge in risky behaviors or they may judge some behaviors as risk free. Because previous studies have used questionnaire to assess adolescents’ risk taking, using experiment showed that adolescents partake in risk behavior and that this risk taking is influenced by affect either positive or negative. This means that adolescents and adults may be more risk averse when they are faced with situations that do not give rise to great emotions, and this may not be captured in questionnaire study. This result in conflicting findings on adolescents risk taking, but using experimental design may show the real situation when the adolescents are faced with strong emotions. Feelings may alter risk perception.

The Genome Revolution :: Genetics Biology Hereditary Essays Papers

Ever since the rediscovery of Gregor Mendal’s pea plant experiments through which he determined the laws of hereditary, new interests in the Genome Revolution ignited. Opinions were across the charts from being drastically pessimistic to the contrasting optimistic. Through the years up to recent day, issues concerning the impact of the fields of medicine, reproduction, insurance, law and even our sense of self have completely filled the minds of those who are in touch with the happenings of the Genome Revolution, whether they are against or for it. The affects of the Genome Revolution will be felt both individually and also as a society. In the Rio Grande Valley, the mentality of the people is for the most part that of indifference, because they feel they are not affected by most occurrences through out the world. For instance, when the horrible catastrophe of 9-11 occurred, the rest of the country was frightened of another attack, but my peers and myself disregar ded the possibility of the attack being in our particular part of Texas. With the Genome Revolution moving along at full throttle, the Rio Grande Valley will receive a shocking revelation: that people in the Valley will be affected by the changes and discoveries in this particular field of science, and that they may be able to afford to sequence their own genome. With the advancement of the Genome Revolution, the consequences will start being felt in the near future. The field of Medicine will greatly be furthered with the help of genome sequencing. By making it possible to make plants with drugs in their DNA structure, people will be able to take the drug in a purer, safer form because the plant is not susceptible to human or animal diseases such as potatoes that contain a drug for liver cirrhosis. With the Rio Grande Valley being so close to the border of Mexico, many diseases tend to get passed over to the United States causing the people in the Valley to take precaution of these dangers by using injected vaccinations. I know that I would rather eat a fruit that contained the vaccine for influenza than get a shot every year. On the other hand, the seeds of a plant such as this could somehow get released uncontrollably into the environment and effect it in an unpredictable way.