Noise Pollution Under Stop and Go Situation Essay Example

Noise Pollution Under Stop and Go Situation Paper For instance, on the supply side, traffic flow, speed, composition, frequency of stopping and starting, road gradient and surface. When considering the affected side, the factors like proximity to road, type of land use and time of day, also affect the generation of traffic noise. 1. 2 Purpose of the Study The main purpose of the study is to assess and find out the variations in traffic noise level under Stop-Go situations. 1. 3 Objectives of the Study The objectives of this study are: * To determine the level of noise due to vehicle Start. * To determine the level of noise due to vehicle Stop. To assess variations in traffic nose level under Stop-Go situations. 1. Study Area The study area is an intersection where is located along Persian Tama road. The intersection is signaled and it is located at Saudi Town. Saudi Town is located within the Juror Barr District and it is between the Sinai and Juror Barr City Centre. It is under administrative of Juror Barr Central Municipal Council. Figure 1-1 shows the location Of study area. Figure 1 ;1: Study Area. 1. 5 Scope of the Study The scope of this study is mainly focused on the assessment level of noise under Stop-Go situations. The study area is intersection where is tied Persian Tama road with Persian Tama 1 road. The collected data are Noise level. The instrument that has been used to collect data is a survey. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2. 1 Introduction Stop-and-Go or more generally interrupted traffic is one of traffic phenomena being controlled by traffic signals at intersections. The prediction of traffic noise level in such the area needs the characteristic of traffic flow in conjunction with noise emission level of each vehicle type. The movement characteristic of traffic at an intersection can be forecasted using traffic flow horses whereas noise emission level is obtained from field measurement data. This study aiming at the collection of stop and go noise emission level which indeed relates to the level of noise pollution received by student and teacher at Seakale Meghan Sebastian Minutia Rind. As the school is located at a busy intersection, noise pollution in the school environment is expected to disturb the activities in school such as study, discussion and teaching session. We will write a custom essay sample on Noise Pollution Under Stop and Go Situation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Noise Pollution Under Stop and Go Situation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Noise Pollution Under Stop and Go Situation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Therefore, the environmental assessment of traffic noise at intersections near the school is measured. 2. Noise 2. 2. 1 Definition of Noise people who study acoustics define noise as complex sound waves that are periodic, in other words, sound waves with irregular vibrations and no definite pitch. In engineering, noise is defined as a signal that interferes with the detection of or quality of another signal. In fact, it is difficult to recognize the noise sound from others. For Instance, Is music noise? Is the hum of tires on a highway noise? Is the surround-sound movie theater noise? Is the philharmonic concert noise? And what about the accompanying beat for aerobic exercises at the health club? Sounds that are soothing for some are irritating to others. Basically, noise is unwanted sound. It is a pollutant and a hazard to human health and hearing. Noise is one of the environmental pollutants which create interference in communication and health (Augural and swami 2009; Pratt and Nagasaki 2007; Apathy et al. AAA). It an environmental stress which has received much attention in the past (Zinnia et al. 2006). The World Health Organization (WHO) considered noise as the third most hazardous type of pollution right after air and water pollutions (WHO 2005). People exposed to high-level noise may be affected in en or more of three ways: health, performance, and comfort (Media and Outshone 2001). Research regarding urban noise pollution and its consequences for the community has been studied by several countries (Apathy et al. Bibb; Kumar and Gain 1998; All 2004 Oshkosh et al. 1999). The most obvious effect of noise is damage to hearing ability, which may be temporary or permanent depending on the exposure time (Immemorial al. 2002;Hyssop and Aisha 2005). Similar study that focused on the behavior of human beings exposed to traffic noise was carried out in Canada by Michael et al. (2008). Generally, motor vehicles, which are a very significant part Of the urban environment, are an important source of noise emission, contributing 55% to the total noise (Bannered et al. 008; Naira et al. 2003). 2. 2. 2 Unit of Noise Noise levels are measured in decibels (db). The higher the decibel level, the louder the noise. The decibel (db) is a logarithmic unit for the ratio of a physical quantity, usually power or intensity relative to a specified or implied reference level. A ratio in decibels is ten times the logarithm to base 10 of the ratio of two power quantities. Being a ratio of two measurements of a hysterical quantity in the same units, it is a dimensionless unit. A decibel is one tenth of a bell, a seldom-used unit. The decibel is widely known as a measure of sound pressure level, but is also used for a wide variety of other measurements in science and engineering, most prominently in acoustics, electronics, and control theory. In electronics, the gain of amplifiers, attenuation of signals, and signal to noise ratios are often expressed in decibels. It confers a number of advantages, such as the ability to conveniently represent very large or small numbers, a logarithmic scaling hat roughly corresponds to the human perception of sound and light, and the ability to carry out multiplication of ratios by simple addition and subtraction. . 2. 3 Noise Measurement Unit used to measure sound pressure level is decibel (db). Sound can also measured using Pascal (Pa) but measurement in Pascal would therefore quite unmanageable numbers. The decibel scale is simple and easy to use without involving long linear numbers. Decibel also gives a much better approximation of the response of human ear to loudness. With every unit of decibel it must be included a weighting network at the end of it. This weighting network used to differentiate sound based on its frequency. There are three categories of weighting system that is always used, that is A,B and C. The difference between weighting network between ABA and C are A discriminates against the low frequencies. 8 also discriminates against the low frequencies but to a lesser extent, and C to the least extent. There is also a D weighting but it is used to measure noise from airplanes. In this study, the weighting network of A will be used because its characteristic is almost the same as characteristics of human ear. Instrument used to measure noise bevel at source is sound level meter. The unit used in this instrument is decibel. Sound level meter is design to react with sound is similar to reaction with human ear. The difference is that the sound measured by this instrument will be processed and changed into numbers for interpretation purposes. Sound level meter consist of microphone, amplifier, network weighting (A,B, and C) and a meter. Microphone is an important part of the instrument. The sound will enter the sound level meter through microphone and the acoustic energy of sound will be transferred into electric signal by microphone. After all the transformations have been completed the meter will process the input data in decibel values. 2. 3 Classification of the Noise Levels Both the amount of noise and the length of time you are exposed to the noise determine its ability to damage your hearing. Noise levels are measured in decibels (db). The higher the decibel level, the louder the noise. Sounds louder than 80 decibels are considered potentially hazardous. The noise figure below gives an idea of average decibel levels for everyday sounds around you. Painful 150 db rock music peak 140 db = firearms, air raid siren, jet engine 30 db = jackhammer 120 db jet plane take-off, amplified rock music at 4-6 Ft. , car stereo, band practice Extremely Loud 110 db = rock music, model airplane 1 06 db = timpani and bass drum rolls 1 00 db = snowmobile, chain saw, pneumatic drill 90 db = lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic, subway Very Loud 80 db = alarm clock, busy street 70 db busy traffic, vacuum cleaner 60 db = conversation, dishwasher Moderate 50 db = moderate rainfall 40 db = quiet room Faint 30 db = whish per, quiet library 2. Noise Pollution at School Environment Schools surrounding are the place that is considered as noise abatement zone. School environment especially located in busy area has a high rate of noise pollution. There are many new schools built near roadways in residential areas without noticing the impact of traffic activities to the school environment. Noise pollution at school environment is due to many sources. It depe nds on where the school is built. A school which is located near the city center has a very high noise pollution range because it has many sources that will lead to noise pollution. In this study area, Seakale Meghan Sebastian Minutia Rind which is located at intersection with traffic signal has the potential of Ewing noise polluted as the intersection normally congested during peak hour with many types of vehicle pass through the road. Noise from vehicles especially motorcycle, buses and trucks are very annoying and disturbing. 2. 4. 1 Effect of Noise Research being done by Snobbery (1 974), he has determine some effects of noise pollution to school students , such as : 1. They did not hear the teacher as well 2. They found it more difficult to hear lectures and classroom discussion 3. It was more difficult to study 4. They felt it was necessary to talk loudly in class in order to be heard 5. Some teachers have to speak too loudly and 6. Outside noise bothered them Much of the research on noise and children concerns damage to the auditory system. While the possibility of hearing damage is, and should be, of concern to parents and educators, the non-auditory effects of noise on children also deserves attention. The literature on the latter topic falls into three categories; physiological effects, motivational effects, and cognitive effects. 2. 4. 1. 1 Physiological effects An elevated blood pressure level in school-aged children is associated with living or going to school near a major noise source (e. . , Stop and go, traffic light, trains). Although the blood pressure levels of children exposed to these major noise sources are within the normal range, they are higher than for children not exposed to major noise sources. Refereed to the previous statistic, the elevated blood pressure levels are of concern for two reasons. One, the levels do not habituate with continued exposure, and two, elevated pressure levels in children appear to continue this pattern into adulthood thereby increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease. In each case the noise exposure was chronic. 2. 4. 1. 2 Motivational effects Research findings suggest that exposure to uncontrollable noise may make children more vulnerable to learned helplessness. Learned helplessness means that the individual learns that the outcomes of its behavior are independent of the actions of the individual. Most of this research has been with school-aged children, including kindergà ¤rtners. One study found that children attending a school near a major airport were less likely to solve a challenging puzzle and to persist at it as well. Another study found that children exposed to noise were more likely to abdicate their choice for a reward to their teachers. The children decided to let the adult pick a prize for them rather than exercise their option to do so. Teachers in noisy schools also report greater difficulty in motivating children in their school work. Children often had less tolerance for frustration. Limited work has been done with younger children. One study in a residential setting found that 12 month- old infants in noisy homes exhibited less mastery-oriented play behavior with their toys than their counterparts in quieter homes. 2. 4. 1. 3 Cognitive effects Most of the research on the non-auditory effects of noise on children has been on cognitive effects. The research has looked at memory, attention/ perception, and academic achievement. The study on memory and noise for children parallels that of adults; there appears to be little or no effects of noise on simple memory. This holds true for both chronic and acute exposure to noise. However, if the memory task requires special attention there does appear to be some negative effects of noise. In other words, if the individual has to pay particular attention because of the difficulty of the task, noise may interfere with the memory task. 2. 4. 2 Ways to Reduce Noise Problem in Schools Environment Research done by Slater (1968) proved that student will perform better under quiet condition than noisy condition. Noise pollution in school environment disturbs during study session. Students cannot concentrate with what they are learning and consequently they will lose their interest to study. Searchers also cannot teach effectively during teaching session. This is due to uncomfortable classrooms conditions that the students cannot hear their voice clearly and the student will hardly understand what the teacher is trying to teach. There are many ways to reduce noise pollution problem from getting worst specially in school environment : 1. Construct a school building tha t has sound insulation system 2. Construct sound barrier such as high fence made from concrete wall of wood 3. Planting more trees in the schools surrounding 4. A good planning before building school 5. Stop or remove the noise 6. Society awareness about the noise problem 7. A strict laws concerning noise pollution and 8. Speed limit for road users near school surrounding 2. 5 Characteristics of Noise Waves Noise or sound is created by alternate compression and decompression of particles of the air. This causes the air pressure to fall and rise in the form of waves. Frequency (pitch) and intensity (loudness) are the two characteristics of sound. 2. 5-1 Frequency Frequency is the number of times that the air is compressed and decompressed in a second, and is measured in cycles per second, or Hertz (Haze). Low frequency produces a low pitched, bass sound. High frequency produces a high pitched, whistle sound. Human ears respond to frequencies between GHz and 20,GHz. The human voice produces frequencies between GHZ and 2,OOZE. Below GHZ and above 20,000 HAZE sound cannot be heard but it can still be harmful. The ear is most sensitive to sounds between 1000 and GHz. 2. 5. 2 Intensity Intensity is the amount of sound energy reaching the eardrum, and is measured in decibels (db). Zero decibels is the faintest sound that the average person can hear, and the loudest sound may be more than a million times this level. This is because the intensity of sound does not rise gradually each increase of 10 decibels means that the intensity increases 1 0 times. For example, a 10 decibel sound is 10 times louder than a 1 decibel sound; a 20 decibel sound is 100 times louder than a 1 decibel sound (xx); 30 Seibel are 1000 times louder (10x10x10), and so on. The ear responds to intensities from O to db. Discomfort is felt at db, and near db, pain is felt with possible rupture and permanent damage to the eardrum. Some noise intensity measurements are given in a measure called db(A) which takes into account the frequency sensitivity of the ear. db(A) measurements are obtained on a noise meter which weights the different frequency components. For example, the noise intensity for a circular saw, and the noise intensity inside a bus have the same value when expressed in db. But the noise from a circular saw contains a greater proportion of high frequencies, and is more annoying than the noise inside a bus. Therefore, the circular saw has a higher db(A) value. 2. Main Traffic Noise Sources Noise sources associated with transportation projects can include passenger vehicles, medium trucks, heavy trucks and buses. Each of these vehicles produces noise; however, the source and magnitude of the noise can vary greatly depending on vehicle type. For example, while the nose from passenger vehicles occurs mainly from the tire-roadway interface and is Hereford located at ground level, noise from heavy truc ks is produced by a combination of noise from tires, engine, and exhaust, resulting in a noise source that is approximately 8 feet above the ground. The following list provides information on the types of transportation noise sources that will be part of a roadway project, and describes the type of noise each produces. 2. 6. 1 Passenger Vehicles (cars): Noise emitted from O to 2 feet above roadway, primarily from tire-roadway interface. This category includes normal passenger vehicles, small and irregularities trucks, small to mid-size sport utility vehicles, mini- and full-size assenter vans. Typical noise levels for passenger vehicles are 72 to 74 dab at 55 MPH at a distance of feet. 2. 6. Medium Trucks (MET): Noise emitted from 2 to 5 feet above roadway, combined noise from tire- roadway interface and engine exhaust noise. This category includes delivery vans, such UPS and Federal Express trucks, large sport utility vehicles with knobby tires, large dieseling trucks, some tow-trucks, city transit and school buses with under vehicle exhaust,moving vans (U-haul-type trucks), small to medium recreational motor homes and turbochar ger trucks with the exhaust located under the vehicle. Typical noise levels for mediumistic are 80 to 82 dab at 55 MPH at 50 feet. . 6. 3 Heavy Trucks (H T): Noise emitted from 6 to 8 feet above the roadway surface, combined noise sources includes tire-roadway interface, engine noise, and exhaust stack noise. This category includes all log-haul tractor-trailers (semi-trucks), large tow trucks, dump trucks, cement mixers, large transit buses, motor homes with exhaust located at top of vehicle, and other vehicles with the exhaust located above the vehicle (typical exhaust height of 12 10th feet). Typical Jose levels for heavy trucks are 84 to 86 dab at 55 MPH at 50 feet 2. 2. 6. Road Noise Arises from Three Sources on Vehicles: * propulsion noise (engine, power train, exhaust and intake systems) Tire/road contact noise * Aerodynamic noise The engine noise is the dominant source at lower speeds (under km/h for passenger cars / under km/h for lorries), tire noise dominates above that, a nd aerodynamic noise becomes louder as a function of the vehicle speed. 2. 7 Traffic Noise Mitigation In theory, there are a number of options that can be used to reduce or mitigate traffic noise. These include traffic management, highway design, and noise barriers including earthen beers. In reality, noise mitigation is often infeasible due to space requirements, aesthetic issues and financial costs, or because the costs o;sigh the benefits. Any specific mitigation measure recommended as part of a project must be feasible and have a reasonable cost in relation to the benefit. Potential mitigation measures are described below. 2. 7. 1 Traffic Management Traffic management measures include modification Of speed limits and restricting or prohibiting truck traffic. Restricting truck use on a given roadway loud reduce noise levels at nearby receivers since trucks are louder than cars.

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Ecologically Sustainable Development In Australia Environmental Sciences Essay

Ecologically Sustainable Development In Australia Environmental Sciences Essay Introduction The realities of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) are emerging issues that are impacting on commercial property sector worldwide. The world today uses ample of natural resources which radically polluting the earth and destroying the natural environment. Over the past decade, green buildings and ecological sustainability began rising throughout the world.], and have emerged in the Australian property sector as a vigorous movement to create high-performance as a sustainable investment. One of the earliest general definitions of sustainability was adopted in 1987 by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), which defined Sustainable Development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs (Muldavin 2010). 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According to Beder (1996), sustainable investment has an increased significance in the property sector among all the relevant stakeholders to help save the environment, increases property values and ensures the economic growth to be continued in the future. Hence, it is vital to incorporate green features because it has great investment benefits gives an opportunity to use the resources effectively and efficiently while generating healthier and improved environment s for its occupants to live in over the entire life cycle of the building (Choi 2009). The evolution of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) in Australia The concept of sustainable development has been evolved primarily with the establishment of Our Common Future report which is published by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WECD). The report, constituted as an important turning point for the concept of sustainable development which is comprehensively produced with partnership forged around the global. The report has been the catalyst for the evolution of the other conceptualization efforts. The chronology of sustainable development in Australia proximately relates to the evolution of the sustainable development at the international level. The policy statement on the environment entitled has been released by then Prime Minister following the release of the Brundtland report. This release began the Commonwealth Governments process of adapting the concepts of sustainable development for Australian conditions (Fisheries Management Paper 2002). To emphasize the importance of the environment in sustainable development, the Australian government adopted the term Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) to make sure that there is a balanced approach to dealing with economic, social and environmental issues. In 1990, the release of Ecologically Sustainable Development: A Commonwealth Discussion Paper and the formation of nine ESD Working Groups has further established the concepts, definition and principles of ESD. Thus, the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development or NSESD has been established with the development of the reports from these groups, along with deliberation of the relevant international plans and reports. Today, NSESD is still being the major policy document for sustainable development in Australia. The NSESD, which was endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 1992, includes the official definition of ESD, a set of core objectives and a number of guiding principles. The related regulations are NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, NSW Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991, The NSW Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), The Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997, and The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The definition listed in the strategy is that, ESD is development which aims to meet the needs of Australians today, while conserving our ecosystems for the benefit of future generations. In fact, the NSESD itself fulfils Australias obligation entered into in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 to implement Agenda 21 which has been the basis for the policy making (Fisheries Management Paper 2002). Each action implemented by Environment Australia was closely related the same basis as the NSESD and the COAG were from courses of action that aim to protect forests, the ocean, water, biological diversity and a greenhouse strategy. Australias policies were based on international strategies based from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit in which Australia through the federal government led by John Howard at the time was a signatory. The Green Building Rating Tools The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) launched the Green Star rating system for buildings in 2003. The Green Building rating tool is an important attribute of the GBCA, as it helps the building occupants, owners and investors to monitor and measure the sustainability and environmental impact of their buildings, hence to improve the buildings performance toward ecological sustainability. It leads the property sector to achieve real cost savings, improve occupant health and productivity, showcase innovation in sustainable building practices and reduce the environmental impact of buildings. Green Building rating system uses stars to rate the environmental performance of a building. Green Star is a comprehensive, national, voluntary environmental rating system that evaluates the environmental design and construction of buildings. Green Star was developed to set a standard of measurement for green buildings. Also, it promotes integrated, whole-building design, recognize environmental leadership, identify building life-cycle impacts and raise awareness of green building benefits. Buildings are evaluated based on nine environmental impact categories. The nine categories of Green Star Rating Tools are; Management, Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ), Energy, Transport, Water, Materials, Land Use Ecology, Emissions and Innovation. Within each category, points are awarded for buildings that have met the overall objectives of Green Star. The implications of Green Buildings in Property Investment Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) has been a paradigm favourable change towards green buildings practices in context of property investment, becoming progressively more prominent with each passing year since late 1990s. The Property Council of Australia and the Australian Property Institute are recently giving more importance to Ecologically Sustainable Development and Green building concepts and practices. Many well-establishes principles of ESD have been embraced in Australian Federal and State Government Legislation for a number of years now. The Property Investment sector has been showing a balanced concern towards the environment where they live, work and play, placing a balanced value to the well-being and integrity of the ecological system and the environment on top of the economic well-being, health, education, law and order, infrastructure. The Property Investment sector has been continually shifting towards sustainable development. This shift towards sustainability is due to the drives for profits and also building an image for the property sector. There are many implications in embracing the concept of green buildings in the context of property investment. These are some of the most prominent implications for the operational functions, both now and in the future. With the green building practices, there is a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and reduction in wastage of valuable scarce resources such air, water and energy in the usage of commercial buildings thus provides greater recyclable usage. Also, it gives a reduction in polluting activity and toxicity levels, pertaining particularly to the use and management of industrial buildings. This is because there is a need for a greater emphasis on eco-friendly over the full life-cycle of commercial buildings and a need for greater energy efficiency in general, where commercial buildings are concerned. Besides, there is a change over from old-fashioned, highly polluting-based fuel and energy sources, to newer, cleaner, more eco-friendly and eco-efficient alternatives such as solar-based, wind-based and hydrogen-based sources. Green buildings are inexpensive to operate as they are built for water efficiency and high energy. There is a reduction in operating cost as they can save up to 20-30% of energy savings compared with industry standards. Green buildings delivers a higher return on investment and have a greater tenant attraction where it provides a healthy, environmental friendly and productive workplace that shows their obligation to corporate social responsibility. There is an enhanced marketability as green buildings have many prospective tenants in the waiting list. Green buildings have a greater comfort and productivity compared to non-green buildings in terms of fresh air, access of views of outdoors, natural light and has the control on individual workplace lighting and t emperature which directly affects the productivity. Moreover, green buildings have a reduced risk and liability. In addition, it gives a competitive advantage, command higher capital values with shorter vacant periods, slower depreciation, ultimately trading at a rental premium. Overall, as demand increases for ecological sustainability, it is seen as a more secure investment as shown by vacancies in green buildings as it offers better investment returns. Conclusions In respect to all of the ecologically sustainable development (ESD)-related legislation and the principles and practice of green buildings which has been adopted in Australia, it is now clear that buildings take responsibility in providing comfortable, safe, and prospective living or working environment for its occupants. This is because; comfort, productivity, functionality and energy efficiency are essential elements for ESD, not only for future generations, but also a necessity for current generations. Crook (2001) indicates that the term sustainability must embrace environmental, economic and as well as the social objectives. In the recent years, green buildings have captured serious attention and awareness. The current demand shows that a trend favoring green buildings are moving like hotcakes compared to those buildings that are not in terms with the principles and practice of ecological sustainability. Robinson (2008) states that getting a green rating is certainly an intelligent option in the context of Property Investment. In the rush to draw in environmentally conscious tenants, many building are promoting their green star certificates, often with no understandings of the green star rating system, how they work and what are the actual implications does the concept of green buildings have (Carter et al. 2007). The industry first of all needs to educate itself on the true meaning of Green and Ecological Sustainability. Developers and architects tries to create buildings or structures that are deemed to be iconic, but the new trend is for this status to be conferred by innovative design or sustainability rather than sheer size, as very tall buildings approach their use by date. According to Gomez (2006), green buildings have higher relative investment returns, higher market value for asset, increased productivity, higher rents and marketing advantage. Integrating Green building features into the construction of a building promises a good investment. However, further studies highlighting areas of perceived deficiency and flaws in green buildings and a more targeted effort in meeting the needs and expectations of investors in terms of workplace satisfaction, and areas that require specific attention in transitioning to green buildings are important. Ecological sustainability goals are possible to achieve but at a cost that involves a large amount of research, funds and commitment. Despite further study and data limitations and, the findings of this report concludes that building green is considered to be of great importance within the Property Investment sector because the growth and development of our communities has a large impact on our natural environment over the entire life cycle of the building.

Electing Supreme Court Justices Essay -- American Government

There is a proverb that says, â€Å"Don’t fix what isn’t broke.† This statement is very likely as true as it is old. But what happens when something is dysfunctional? The ‘something’ in question is the coveted seat of the Supreme Court Justice, which many should know is not a position that is obtained from the amazingly widespread routine of elections. Not to let out any spoilers if you were not aware, the President is the nominator of Justices to these associate positions and the Senate is the deciding group with a majority vote. I agree with the practice, currently instated because of our Constitution, but can see how some people worry over its effectiveness. There has been one case where a standing Supreme Court Justice has been impeached. This was the allegation of Justice Samuel Chase (Carliner), who served until his death due to his verdict of not guilty in 1805. As opposed to the customary impeachment of the President and select other politica l leaders, the impeachment of a Justice signifies nothing more than the investigation of accused actions of said Justice. The Justice shall serve for life, given that they remain in â€Å"good behavior† in accordance to the Constitution. Gathering from the history of the Supreme Court and its respective Justices, one impeachment, ending without dismissal, in the 221 years of activity is admirable. It would be fair to say that there could be confusion if somebody were to ask you what grounds for the impeachment of a Justice are had you no copy of the Constitution. Nobody has lived long enough to witness the impeachment of one, and what would be the point considering Justice Samuel Chase still served to his death. The near perfection of the terms served of every Justice is not the only reason that... ... bicentennial of the Supreme Court itself. Feel free to be surprised if the way we nominate Justices changes anytime soon, because how we have done it so far seems to be working like magic. Works Cited Baker, Peter, and Jeff Zeleny. "Obama Picks Kagan as Justice Nominee." Nytimes.com. The New York Times, 09 May 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. . Carliner, Leah. "Can Supreme Court Justices Be Impeached?" Congress.org. CQ-Roll Call Group, 12 Mar. 2010. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. . "Number of Votes Cast Set Record, but Voter Turnout Percentage Didn't." CNN.com. Cable News Network, 06 Nov. 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. .

“As You Like It” Essay (Advanced English) Essay

A sense of belonging can be founded through an individual’s personal aspiration to inherently connect with other people. The interaction and interconnectedness of relationships can be viewed as the most significant factor influencing an individual’s sense of acceptance within their surrounding environment and ultimately will determine the level of affiliation they can acquire personally. The comedic play â€Å"As You Like It† composed by William Shakespeare (16th Century), examines the idea of belonging to people and its significant influence over an individual. Similarly, Ang Lee’s film â€Å"Sense and Sensibility† (1997), correspondingly explores the perception of belonging through the interaction and contact with people and the relationships that are innately developed. Through the use of characterisation within both texts, the notion is thoroughly explored to exert a deepened understanding of belonging to people and how it can significantly infl uence an individual in most cases favorably. However, there are some instances where an individual cannot find a personal sense of acceptance within the relationships they withhold and therefore do not achieve a sense of affiliation within their social surroundings. The idea that people and the relationships they develop are the most influential facet in deciphering ones’ sense of belonging, is thoroughly examined within Shakespeare’s â€Å"As You Like It†. This is evident through the characterisation of Rosalind and the loving familial relationship she has with her cousin Celia. As they both were â€Å"bred together† and grew up within the court , â€Å"from their cradles† to adulthood, both Celia and Rosalind have developed an inherent familial bond for one another becoming â€Å"inseparable†. Shakespeare’ emphasised on the loving and devout nature of their relationship to the audience by demonstrating Celia’s absolute adoration for Rosalind over her own Father. This can be observed when Rosalind was banished from her home, the court, by Duke Fredrick (Celia’s father). Celia’s sense of belonging to her father was weakened as he betrayed her familial trust and so asked him, à ¢â‚¬Å"Pronounce the sentence on me my liege, I cannot live without her company†. The formality of the blank verse illustrates her detachment from her father and demonstrates the breakdown in their filial relationship. However, Shakespeare has used this to illuminate Celia’s loyalty and familial belonging to Rosalind, thus conveying their â€Å"inseparable† nature and the strong sense of affiliation between one another. (337) Similarly, in â€Å"Sense and Sensibility† the widowed mother Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are exiled from their home due to social expectations. However, even with the removal of their place of belonging it is their strong familial bonds and connections that allow them to find a sense of individual affiliation. This is evident towards the beginning of the film when they are introduced to their new home a small cottage in the country side which has just been juxtaposed with the Mansion seen in the previously. As they walk up towards the cottage their is a long shot that portrays the family walking towards the cottage together in a huddled group. Ang lee, has used this positioning of the camera and the actors to display the idea that it is within family they find belonging not place. This again supports the notion that belonging is most significantly founded within the people and relationships an individual withholds. (537) Furthermore, Shakespeare’s portrayal of the loving romantic relationship between Orlando and Rosalind additionally acts as a representation of how influential the contact between people can affect an individual’s sense of belonging. With Rosalind and Orlando finding themselves in the Forest of Arden due to the external influences of powerful men exerting their hate, such as Duke Fredrick and Oliver, both characters find themselves in similar circumstances. However, it is Orlando’s love that demonstrates his sense of affiliation to Rosalind through metaphorical language by comparing her to precious objects. He passionately declares, â€Å"No jewel is like Rosalind; Her worth, being mounted on the wind† which clearly exemplifies to the audience of his complete love for her. The use of extensive amount of romantic poetry and adoring tone is used to demonstrate their love towards one another. And that they find their sense of belonging with one another no matt er where they are and what place they are set, again emphasising the significance of contact between people becoming a poignant source of belonging for an individual. As each individual is intrinsically different, where relationships and interacting with other’s may offer satisfaction to some, others find greater fulfillment in self. Shakespeare clearly demonstrates this choice of belonging to self rather through the contact of other people, through the characterisation of Jaques. Being described as â€Å"melancholy† Jaques chooses not to affiliate with the people around him, and finds satisfaction in being alone. Jaques believes that â€Å"the worst fault you have is to be in love†. His cynical tone and attitude towards love and relationships demonstrate his choice not to associate himself with others. In effect, Shakespeare uses prose to enhance one’s insight into people who chose not to conform to belonging. This is a singular instance where an individual does not find a sense of belonging through the contact between people and the relationships developed, however, represents a lonely and melancholy life. Contrary to this, majority of the character’s within â€Å"Sense and Sensibility† finds a sense of belonging through the people they associate with. In ‘Sense and Sensibility’, Marian falls in love to a young suitor named Willoughby. However, Willoughby chooses not to belong to Marian due to social expectations, which essentially, caused personal consequences for his sense of affiliation. These consequences become evident within the last scene, â€Å"The marriage†, when Marian has been happily married to Brendan and the whole town is celebrating. There is a close medium shot of the both of them happily departing from the church, when the camera suddenly cuts to Willoughby up on a hill. Out from the town he is looking down on the celebrations with a saddened expression. Through the use of camera techniques and expression it becomes evident to the audience that he feels a sense of exclusion and detachment from the people he once was closely affiliated with. This further emphasises the consequences that can come to an individual when they chose expectations and society over the people and relationships they withh old. Nevertheless, the consequences of being lonely is welcoming to him and therefore, does not negatively affect him like Willoughby. Moreover, the interconnectedness and affiliation with people is the most significant factor influencing an individual’s sense of belonging or not belonging. Throughout the text â€Å"As you like it† and the film â€Å"Sense and sensibility†, this idea is thoroughly explored through the character’s represented by the composer’s and the relationship’s they developed, either familial or romantic. However, although one can find significant belonging through another person, some can chose not to belong, such as Jaques or Willoughby and by choosing not to belong it can create consequences resulting in a sense of loneliness. However, there are singular instances, like Jaques, where choosing not to belong to people can create self fulfillment in one’s self and a sense of belonging.

Nintendo Marketing Mix

QUESTIONS & IDEAL ANSWERS: . 1. Conduct a 4C's Stakeholders Analysis of the Nintendo Wii Market in 2006. Please note that an analysis is more than just a list. You need to describe each stakeholder and how they affect the strategy. †¢ Consumers (note: there's more than one target segment): The case notes that Nintendo targeted non-gamers in addition to gamers. This included consumers of any age and gender. Conversely, competitors like Sony focused on teens and males. The case also mentions moms/housewives and families as targets of Nintendo marketing. The ideal answer analyzed gamers and a few non-gamer segments, such as moms. Analysis should have included qualitative description — why is this segment interested in the Wii? — and quantitative data, such as the segment's size and value. Finding quantitative data required research beyond the case, perhaps to the U. S. Census website. Such data is not easy to find, but this extra effort is what distinguishes an â€Å"A† paper. Extra credit was given to creative segmentation, such as targeting businesses and office workers, who might play the Wii on breaks, or doctors who would recommend Wii to their patients. Company (keep this brief: focus on 2006 — no Nintendo history required): A company analysis is not a history report. It should describe the company's brand, resources, internal stakeholders, strengths and weaknesses. An ideal answer noted that Nintendo has a long reputation in gaming, but with the Wii it built a family-friendly brand â€Å"that puts smiles on surrounding people's faces. † In contrast, the competition had numerous violent games. In addition, unlike Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo is not a diversified company. Its total income is much lower than either of its primary competitors (the case Appendix contains these figures), which meant fewer resources and much more at stake. Either the Xbox or the PS3 could fail, and the parent companies would survive; Nintendo could not afford to have the Wii fail. At the same time, the gaming focus helped position Nintendo as the only pure gaming company: its name is synonymous with electronic gaming. In terms of internal stakeholders, the case talks at length about Satoru Iwata, whose vision drove the company. In a footnote, the case mentions that Iwata had experience as a game developer. By contrast, the CEO's of Sony and Microsoft have no game development experience. †¢ Competitors (keep this brief: describe both direct competitors and indirect competitors, but focus on strengths and weaknesses — how much of a threat do they pose? ) The case discusses the key direct competitors, Sony and Microsoft. Sony had a strong reputation in high-quality electronics, and its PS2 and PS3 systems emphasized technological sophistication. Sony focused on hardcore gamers with increasingly violent games. This recipe translated into early sales success — but also high prices. Sony's weakness was its increasingly bureaucratic nature, and the decline of its other businesses. While Sony was cutting costs and laying off workers, they also had production problems with the PS3 — a complicated and expensive piece of technology that is supposed to be a multimedia entertainment hub. This made Sony vulnerable to a challenge. Microsoft was primarily a software company with a controversial brand. Research beyond the case reveals criticisms of Microsoft's monopolistic tendencies, and the fact that Apple was positioning Microsoft as dull and low quality. Research also reveals significant quality-control problems with the Xbox. Microsoft relied heavily on market timing and quantity of games to promote the Xbox, along with Xbox Live, which enables consumers to play each other online. Despite weaknesses, Microsoft and Sony were still formidable competitors — Nintendo knew it couldn't compete by doing the same things they were. Nintendo had to do something vastly different — even disruptive. Indirect competitors include PC games, Web-based games and phone-based games. You could even mention non-gaming entertainment, such as YouTube and Facebook, as indirect competitors. Community (focus on complements and collaborators): Game-software developers were both collaborators and complements. These developers worked with Nintendo to create games exclusively for the Wii — such games do not work on any other platform, so their fate is tightly tied into the Wii's. They were complements in that hardware sales affected software sales, and an interesting game could boost Wii sales. The broader community, according to the case, includes doctors and therapists who recommend the Wii Fit to patients. Thinking outside the case study, the community also includes the news media — like the New York Times — reviewed the Wii and reported on the shortage and long lines of buyers. This increased desire for the product, and enabled Nintendo to limit its advertising expenditures. 2. Create a positioning map. Your map must include the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox, and the target consumer segments you described in question 1. You may hand-draw the map or use any software you prefer, but the map must be pasted into the body of your document. †¢ You choose the criteria that are most relevant and important. You're allowed to guess what the consumer segments want, but you will receive extra credit if you can find any research or data on gamer preferences. †¢ Do you see any opportunities on this map for new competitors? We discussed positioning maps in the forum. You needed to draw a similar map here. The two criteria must be product features important to consumers. For video games, this might include price, complexity, family friendliness or graphics quality. It does NOT include sales (few consumers care how much money a company makes) — though you could argue for â€Å"scarcity† or â€Å"popularity† as viable criteria. Consumer segments should appear on the map according to their preferences. This example uses Price and Game Complexity as criteria: [pic] The blue star represents the Wii, the green triangle Xbox, and the red circle PS3. The PS3 combines the highest price with the highest complexity, while the Wii combines the lowest of both. Consumer segments are represented as letters: NG = Non-Gamers, CG = Casual Gamers, HG = Hardcore Gamers. The Hardcore Gamers prefer the PS3 in terms of complexity, but would like a lower price. The Non-Gamers want a low price (they don't want to pay anything) and a simple game. The Casual Gamers want something in between, but are closest to the Wii. You can see that the Wii appeals to two segments, while the PS3 and Xbox fight over just one segment. This leaves an opening in the middle for a competitor who can appeal to the Casual Gamers — the iPhone, perhaps? All these positions are based on qualitative analyses presented by the case. For this exam, I allowed you to simply estimate what consumers wanted. In the real world, you would conduct market studies and consumer surveys to find exact preferences. If you actually did find actual research or survey data on segment preferences in video games, I gave you extra credit. Also, on an ideal map, the symbols vary in size depending on sales and value. Since Wii led the market, its star would be bigger than either the circle or the triangle. Hardcore Gamers might be the most valuable segment, since they're willing to spend more money on games; the HG would then be bigger than the other letters. Drawing a positioning map tends to be the most challenging question in this exam, so I am fairly lenient in grading. However, many students still have trouble with it. That's why it's important to participate in the forum. 3. Describe Nintendo's Marketing Mix strategies for the Wii. Be sure to describe the strategies behind each element of the marketing mix, and how they differentiated the Wii from the competition. †¢ Product (keep this brief: focus on Wii's Unique Selling Proposition — what makes it truly different): The Wii's unique selling proposition — compared to the Xbox or PS3 — is simple games based on physical motion. Consumers don't need thick manuals or long learning curves to enjoy the Wii, which attracts casual gamers and non-gamers. You could also discuss Wii's family-friendly, non-violent games. †¢ Price (for the United States only): In 2006, the Wii sold for $250 (or $249) and included five games for a â€Å"complete† product, yet Nintendo still profited on each unit sold. (The games are less sophisticated and cost less to produce than the competition's. ) Sony's PS3 started at $599 and was cut to $499. The Xbox sold at $479. Despite these significantly higher prices, both Sony and Microsoft lose money on each unit sold. Neither the PS3 or the Xbox originally came with games, so to make a profit, Sony and Microsoft charged high licensing fees to game developers. This in turn translated into expensive games. †¢ Place (think in terms of retailers and product supply): The Wii sells through traditional and online retailers, such as Best Buy. More significantly, in 2006, the Wii was continuously in short supply. This is an important distribution (place) issue. If consumers can't buy your product, you not only won't make money, you send business to your competition. However, in the case of the Wii, the shortages actually increased consumer desire for the product. Since there were long lines and waiting lists for the product — and numerous major news stories about it — consumers assumed the Wii was good. Since there was a greater supply of PS3's and Xboxes than demand, consumers assumed they weren't as interesting. Consequently, some consumers simply waited for new Wii shipments; others searched stores and websites and paid higher than the retail price. Some analysts believe Nintendo had a policy of intentional scarcity. This is a common practice in marketing: some companies produce a limited supply of a certain product to increase its perceived value. For example, luxury car companies have â€Å"limited edition† models, fashion designers produce a few of each product, most universities do not accept everyone who applies. The Wii shortages increased both consumer desire and news coverage — which was key since Nintendo could not compete against Microsoft and Xbox in advertising. †¢ Promotion (describe the advertising budget and any ads): This required research, since the case was not explicit about advertising expenditures. Searching for Nintendo advertising budget on Google reveals a number of estimated figures, ranging from $85 million to $200 million. Any reasonable estimate was fine if it was referenced and came from a trustworthy source (not someone's personal blog). The important point was to have you practice corporate research, and to show that Nintendo did not rely on â€Å"word of mouth† alone to generate sales; it spent millions of dollars to get the word out. More research reveals the Nintendo Wii commercials (http://us. wii. com/tvcm_usa_gallery. jsp), which emphasize people enjoying the game, not the graphics. The very first commercial (found on YouTube and other video sites) shows two Japanese men visiting American homes with the game and announcing, â€Å"Wii would like to play. † This underscored the Japanese origins of the Wii, which enhanced its credibility. In addition, the case mentions a word-of-mouth campaign in which suburban housewives were given games in hopes that they would share its value as family entertainment. Overall, the promotions establish the Nintendo brand as family friendly, fun and physical. By contrast, ads for the Xbox and PS3 emphasized the sophisticated graphics and often fast, violent action — not an attraction for casual gamers. 4. Answer just ONE of the following questions. If you answer more than one, only the first answer will be accepted. This is your opportunity to use your imagination, so be creative. Your recommendations here had to make sense based on the company's brand and resources. You couldn't just say â€Å"spend more money on advertising† or â€Å"increase distribution. † Of course, all companies would like to do that (unless product scarcity is part of their plan) — but could they afford to? Your answers also had to be specific — you couldn’t just say you would make your product â€Å"higher quality† or â€Å"more fun. † You needed to state exactly what you wanted to achieve. More points were granted for originality and creativity. If you decided to work for Sony or Microsoft, and all you did was copy Nintendo, you didn't get many points. Above all, your answers had to be marketing driven. If you talked about improving factory efficiency or hiring the best engineers, those were answers for another class. A. If you were the VP of Marketing for Nintendo, what would you have done differently? This is the hardest of the three questions, since Nintendo was already successful. You could make more products available so that there weren't any shortages, but how would this affect the benefits of product scarcity? Also, assuming Nintendo was already producing as many games as it possibly could, where would it get the extra production capacity? You could argue that Nintendo should have launched with a higher price, using a skimming strategy to profit off early adopters, and then lower pricing as production caught up. That would make sense — but it wouldn't have created the buzz of the product shortages. Some other ideas could involve different target segments, such as schools or hospitals. B. If you were the VP of Marketing for Sony, how would you respond to the Wii? One of Sony's advantages is that it's the only one of the three companies to produce entertainment content, such as music and movies (like â€Å"Spider-Man†). How could they have leveraged that content to make the PS3 more attractive? Sony also produces other electronics equipment. Could you have integrated those products, perhaps in a bundling special (buy a Sony HDTV and get a PS3 free) or by making a game that uses a Sony Camcorder? C. If you were the VP of Marketing for Microsoft, how would you respond to the Wii? Microsoft's key advantage is that it creates the operating system that runs most of the world's computers. Is there a way to combine personal computers and the Xbox? (That would have helped them compete against Apple, as well. Since Microsoft lost money on the Xbox console, why not just focus on the software market? D. Is there another competitor that might be a significant threat to all three of these companies? If so, who is it, and why are they a threat? How should Nintendo respond to them? PC Games and the phone-based games are two possible competitors. Dell, for example, makes sophisticated gaming computers under its Ali enware brand. Nintendo's response could include making its controllers compatible with Dell computers. Or perhaps Nintendo could collaborate with Apple to make iPhones interact with the Wii. There were lots of possibilities here.

Analysis of Silver in an Alloy Essay Example

Analysis of Silver in an Alloy Essay Example Analysis of Silver in an Alloy Paper Analysis of Silver in an Alloy Paper Analysis of Silver in an Alloy Introduction In this experiment an alloy of silver will be analyzed to determine its silver content. The silver-copper alloy will be dissolved in nitric acid, the silver will be precipitated as silver chloride, and the silver chloride will be filtered, washed, dried and its mass determined. From the mass of the silver chloride formed and the mass of the original sample, you will be able to calculate the percent of silver in the alloy. Because the results are based on the mass of a product, this procedure is classified as a gravimetric analysis. Silver and copper are very nonreactive metals. Neither will dissolve in hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid. The oxidizing acid nitric acid, HN03, is required. In acidic solutions the nitrate ion is an excellent oxidizer, and it will oxidize Ag(s) to Ag+(aq) and Cu(s) to Cu2+(aq). The reduction product is the gas NO. As the colorless nitrogen monoxide gas forms, it immediately reacts with the oxygen in the air to produce the orange-brown gas N02. The half-reactions for the oxidation of silver and copper by nitric acid are as follows: Ag(s) > Ag+(aq) + e- Cu(s) > Cu2+(aq) + 2e- 4H+(aq) + NO3- (aq) + 3e- > NO(g) + 2H2O(l) Once the silver and copper ions are in solution, they can be separated from each other by precipitating the silver ions as silver chloride. Silver chloride (AgCl) is very insoluble in water, while copper(II) chloride (CuCl2) is soluble. The addition of chloride ions to the solution will precipitate essentially all of the silver and none of the copper. The silver chloride precipitate is then filtered from the solution. Experimental Methods Follow protocol as listed for Laboratory Experiment #1 in â€Å"Experiments for Advanced Placement Chemistry† by Sally Ann Vonderbrink, Ph. D. With these modifications: instead of using a Gooch Crucible and fiber glass pad, we used a Buchner Funnel and filter paper. Theoretical Methods Balance out the half reactions of Ag and NO3- 3( Ag(s) > Ag+(aq) + e- ) 4H+(aq) + NO3- (aq) + 3e- > NO(g) + 2H2O(l) 3Ag(s) + 4H+(aq) + NO3- (aq) > 3Ag+(aq) + NO(g) + 2H2O(l) Calculate amount of NaCl needed to precipitate NaCl > Na+ + Cl- Ag + Cl > AgCl(s) .3015 g Ag 1 mol Ag 1 mol Cl 1 mol NaCl 58. 44 g NaCl 107. 7g Ag 1 mol Ag 1 mol Cl 1 mol NaCl = . 1635g NaCl multiply needed NaCl x 2 .1635 x 2 = . 3269 g NaCl Calculate the percent of Ag in the Alloy .3555 g AgCl 1 mol AgCl 1 mol Ag 107. 87 g Ag = . 2675 g Ag 143. 23 g AgCl 1 mol AgCl 1 mol Ag % Ag = . 2675 g Ag x 100 = 75. 25% .3555 g AgCl Calculate the percent error between percents of Ag in an Alloy % error = actual – experimental x 100 = actual = 90. 08 – 75. 25 x 100 = 16. 46 % 90. 8 Results Experimental Results: We first weighed our original sample of silver alloy, as shown in table 1. Then added 10 ml of nitric acid to the silver alloy which dissolved, by heating, the alloy into silver and copper ions as nitrite gas escaped in an orange cloud. After the alloy was completely dissolved we added a solution of sodium chloride dissolved in distilled water. When calculating out sodium chloride we doubled the necessary amount to make sure that a full and complete reaction occurred when once again heating. After letting that sit over night covered in para-film to form large precipitate particles of silver chloride we filtered the particles from the solution with the buchner funnel. We used a diluted nitric acid as our wash because it helped to keep the precipitate from forming to small particles. We then heated the sample so we could weigh out the final product as shown in table 1, and then calculated the percent of silver as shown in table 3. Theoretical Results: In table 2 it shows the necessary amount of sodium chloride that was needed for this reaction to four decimal places. While in table 1 it is shown that we had to round to two decimal places lacing a small error. And not only that but also the fact that as table 2 shows that the final amount needed was . 0131 g less to the actual mount that we added from table 1. During the procedure our percent error must of have come from loosing the silver ions. After heating we had to wash the moisture of the watch glass back into the beaker and there could have been a possibility that we didn’t wash of all of the silver back into the beaker. When it precipitated, some of the particles may have peptized causing us to filter out some of the silver chloride precipitate. Also when removing the filter paper from the buchner funnel some of the precipitate may have been lost, which is just due to human error. Which all experiments have. Discussion In the lab you must first dissolve the alloy in nitric acid; if the allot doesnt completely dissolve it may cause some error in your final result because not all of your silver ions were dissolved. You then must make a solution of distilled water added with sodium chloride. Once you calculate the amount of sodium chloride needed you must double the amount for the experiment to push the reaction to a full completion. This essentially should precipitate all of silver and none of the copper. No accurate balance is needed to measure out the sodium chloride because as long as you have an excess of sodium chloride to provide enough chloride ions to precipitate all of the silver ions its is safer than having a need of more chloride ions.. Before adding the sodium chloride solution to the dissolved silver you must rinse any moisture on the bottom of your watch glass back into the beaker of dissolved silver so that way not silver is lost. Thus causing a source of error if not all of the silver ions were still in the beaker upon adding the sodium chloride solution to precipitate the silver as silver chloride. You wash to remove all of the other chemicals from the silver chloride precipitate. There will be copper(II) nitrate, nitric acid and excess sodium chloride. These have to be washed through to make sure only (wet) sodium chloride is left in the filter. The nitric acid in the wash water will not interfere with the weight of the silver chloride because it will be washed through with the filtrate leaving the solid sodium chloride in the filter paper. If the silver chloride is not cool when its mass is determined the calculated percent would be too high, because if we do not dry the precipitate in the oven then the water in the filter paper and solid will affect the weight making it higher. We need for that excess water to be dried out to have a good calculation. We dont use hydrochloric acid to both dissolve and precipitate the silver because the acid cannot dissolve either silver or copper because they are insoluble when mixed. It could work to make a precipitate but not to dissolve the alloy. A special filter crucible rather than plain filter paper is used because it gives rapid filtering and helps pull the soluble material and water through. Also you have to wash several times so this speeds up the process. Observations made throughout the experiment is that when the solution of the alloy when dissolved with the nitric acid, were being heated a yellow orange gas of nitric escaped which smelled like rusted metal. The liquid that was left behind had an aqua color to it. But once the sodium chloride was added it turned into a cloudy blue. When this new solution is heated for 15 minutes the sodium chloride begins to precipitate into white clumps of the bottom of the beaker. When precipitate is filtered and dried in oven it then looks like white dust particles. Conclusion In this lab, the percent of silver in the alloy was calculated by dissolving the alloy in nitric acid to precipitate the silver as silver chloride. By weighing the mass of the precipitate you are able to calculate the percent of silver in the original sample. Anytime you are wanting a quantitative percent of an element in an alloy dissolving it in a solution then precipitating the solution should give you the result s you want as long as it is insoluble in the reaction. Improvements that we could o made during the experiment are that my partner and I should have divided the lab in a better way in which we both could have the job done faster and with more patience. Because one of the sources of error that could be possible is that when we are washing the solution back into the beaker we could have not washed it properly and some silver could have been left behind. Data Tables Mass of Ag alloy, g 0. 3015 g 6M Nitric Acid, ml 10 ml Mass of NaCl added, g 0. 34 g Distilled water, ml 25 ml Mass of filter paper, g 0. 3765 g Distilled water, ml 150 ml 6M Nitric Acid, ml 2 ml Mass of filter paper with the AgCl precipitate, g .7320 g Mass of AgCl precipitate, g .3555 g Table 1 – experimental measurements Needed NaCl, g .1635 g Grams of NaCl * 2 .3269 g Table 2- Calculated values ( theoretical measurements) Percent of Ag in alloy 75. 25% Actual percent of Ag in alloy 90. 08% Percent error 16. 46% Table 3- calculated percent error in percent of Ag in alloy

Restructuring the Siemens Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Restructuring the Siemens Company - Case Study Example There are a number of definitions of corporate restructuring ranging. Froud (2000) defines restructuring as the collective activities that involve the introduction of financial instruments, dissolution, increasing equity ownership and reduction of corporate assets. Usui (1996) defines restructuring as activities that a corporate engages in when under pressure, Bowman (1999) on the hand states that restructuring involves the reorganisation of division, streamlining of operations and spun offs with the aim of improving performance and restructuring is the utilisation of assets in a more productive way in order to improve share holder returns. Bowman (1999) states that there are three modes of restructuring which include portfolio restructuring, financial restructuring and organisational restructuring. Portfolio restructuring include those actions aimed at changing the asset mix owned by a firm and they include spin offs and sale of assets. Financial restructuring on the other hand are those actions aimed at changing the capital structure of a company and they include leveraged buyout and debt equity swap. Finally organisational restructuring involve changes in the organisation structure of the firm and they include redesigning and employee downsizing. Restructuring has both negative and positive impacts. Positive impacts include enhanced productivity, reduced production costs and increased shareholders' wealth and Negative impacts include lay offs. Bowman (1999) states that performance is determined by market performance and accounting performance. Market performance relates to change in the share prices of a company after restructuring while accounting performance relates to changes in profit, return on investment and equity. Restructuring in the Siemens Company: Restructuring of the company started in 1966 whereby the company the company organised its production into division and there was decentralisation of control, this was aimed at improving the response to consumer requirements, the division included data system, power engineering, electrical installation, medical engineering, components and electrical installations which all worked independently, Siemens (2009) states that sales during these years ranged at DM 10 billion a year and employment was approximately 270,000 employees. Further restructuring efforts were evident in the year 1969 when the company made it possible for employees to purchase shares at discounted prices. In 1990 further changes were implemented, the seven units were further divided into 15 units, (Siemens (2009)) Before 1990 over 60% of Siemens consumers were public institutions, this protected the company from fluctuating prices in the market and product prices remained relatively constant, privatisation of public institutions began in the 1990's and this led to a decline in domestic sales, because the domestic market was already saturated the company opted to expand its market size by investing abroad, in 1985 domestic sales amounted to 53% and only 10% in the US and by the year 2001 domestic sales am

Online Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Online Marketing - Essay Example It critically assesses the distinctiveness of the marketing strategy approach of these companies, when compared to traditional retailers. It also tries to predict the likely future of retailing and the role on online retailers. It finally discusses more general implications for strategy theory and practice of the growth of online retailers. Online retailing refers to the process enabling consumers to buy goods and services through the Internet, with the retailer being referred to as a virtual store, online store, web-store, web-shop, internet shop, e-store or online shop. It is a type of electronic commerce used for business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) transactions. This form of shopping has penetrated many aspects of our life, especially since the 1990s, linking us to a capitalist way of life in our everyday living. It enables us purchase whatever we require, whenever we require it. Online stores have the advantage of convenience since they are available round the clock and the buyers can access them from at the convenience of their homes and work. This is unlike the traditional physical stores that can only be accessed during the official working hours. Moreover, many online stores give links to supplementary product information like manufacturer's specifications, demonstrations, safety procedures and instructions. This form of shopping also enables a consumer to search and compare prices among various vendors by use of search engines. Backcountry's success story: A case study Backcountry was founded in 1996 with a mere $2,000 capital as a pure online retailer focusing on outdoor gear. It stated making profits in 1997, exactly a year after its founding, experiencing a triple digit growth six years in a row that culminated to 134 per cent in 2003. In 2004, Backcountry's sales revenue was $27.5 million dollars, an 84 per cent increase from the previous year's $14.7 million. These figures further rose by 89 per cent in 2005, settling at $52 million. The company earned great reputation for providing good quality outdoor gear on its website www.backcountry.com. Moreover, the company created niche sites aimed at addressing specific needs for of target groups and catering for distinct customers. For instance, the price-sensitive athletes had www.explore64.com, bargain seekers www.SteepandCheap.com and www.backcountry.com, snowboarders www.dogfunk.com while hardcore skiers had www.tramdock.com. In 2002 Backcountry implemented a new customer service solution known as 'click-to-chat technology.' This earned the company many chatting interactions that resulted to improved customer satisfaction ratings as well as increased sales volumes. The company was therefore among the very first online retailers to adopt the live chat technology, earning itself the title of an established industry innovator. The company however soon realized that this technology only improved customer satisfaction levels without translating to increased sales. In order to leverage its employees' expertise and maximize its profitability, the retailer ventured into transforming