We don't really think about the meaning of flowers today whenever we give them, we just pick out a pretty flower and we give it to someone but actually the real meaning behind flowers and their secret language has been lost.
The Victorians used flowers as a discreet form of communication. During the 18th century sending flower messages based on a Turkish secret language of flowers became popular. This was known as sending a 'Persian Salaam' - a coded bouquet to reveal your feelings of love or attraction. The Victorians became very knowledgeable in flower language and chose and arranged their bouquets carefully.
Of course all flowers deal with love and appreciation in some way or another, but their color or arrangement can mean different things.
For example, back then red roses stood for love as they do today, but yellow roses stood for jealousy. If you sent yellow carnations to someone, it meant you were rejecting them.
The study of the meaning of flowers is an actual science known as floriography, and it reveals an extra underlying meaning to sending or receiving flowers - subtle and secret messages can be passed through the different type of flowers.
"How charmingly a young gentleman can speak to a young lady, and with what eloquent silence in this delightful language."
Many of these secret meanings behind flowers have been forgotten over the centuries, but if there's something you want to say to someone, nothing says it like flowers.
Here are some selected list of flowers and their particular symbolic meanings:
* Aloe meaning - Grief * Alstroemeria meaning - Devotion; friendship * Alyssum meaning - Worth beyond beauty * Ambrosia meaning - Love returned * Aster meaning - Love; daintiness * Azalea meaning - Take care of yourself for me; fragile passion; temperance; * Baby's Breath meaning - Everlasting love; happiness; pure in heart * Begonia meaning - Beware * Bluebell - constancy and everlasting love * Calendula meaning - Joy * Carnation meaning (in general) - Bonds of affection; health and energy; * Chysanthemum meaning (in general) - Cheerfulness; You're a wonderful friend * Daisy meaning - Innocence; loyal love; purity; faith; cheer; simplicity * Iris meaning - Faith; hope; wisdom and valour; my compliments; eloquence; * Larkspur meaning (pink) - Fickleness; levity * Lily meaning (general) - Purity * Orange Blossom meaning - Wisdom; purity; eternal love; * Orchid meaning - Love; beauty; refinement; you flatter me * Queen Anne's Lace meaning - Fantasy * Ranunculus meaning - You are radiant with charms * Tulip(general) meaning - Fame; charity; declaration of love
There's certainly more to the meaning behind flowers than you might realize. Get out a dictionary of flowers and have fun exploring the multiple interpretations, ambiguous meanings and historical contexts behind flowers and find out what else lies behind their beautiful presence.
About the Author:
Lawlessflowers.com Ireland are experts in the meaning and interpretation of flowers...let them pick the right combination suitable for your friends and loved ones at: http://www.lawlessflowers.com/flowersireland
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Ever Wonder How Bubble Gum is Made? by Matt O'Neal & Ricky Trogdon
How would you describe your favorite gum? Is it fruity? Extra chewy? Does it leave you with "minty" fresh breath? Have you ever stopped chewing long enough to speculate how that gum was made? If you have, you're in luck. You're going to find out everything you wanted to know- and maybe a little more. If you haven't, pop in a piece of your gum of choice and enjoy the read.
If you stretch to think of things you have in common with the ancient Greeks, stretch no further - they liked to chew gum too! They would chew the resin (a sticky, gummy material) from trees in their area. It's definitely not the same gum we're used to chewing. Even the Mayans chewed gum! Once it turned into a solid mass, they chewed the sap from a Sapodilla tree. Americans directly gained their knowledge of gum from Native Americans, who chewed the resin from Spruce trees. In fact, it was this type of gum that was first sold commercially.
Things are a bit different today. Since we're all very picky and we all like our own specific types of gum, scientists have to make synthetic substances to comprise the composition of our favorite chewy treats. That means that most of the time, these substances are not naturally found in nature. Although the exact recipes of the different types of gum vary, they are all made of the same basic ingredients: gum base, corn syrup, sugar. The gum's precise flavoring is also added. Naturally, gum manufacturers are very secretive when it comes to the exact recipes of their product. Now the ingredients have to be mixed together to form the composition of your gum of choice.
First, the gum base has to be melted into the form of a thick liquid consistency. Once it has reached this point, it's put in a high powered centrifuge to get rid of anything that shouldn't be in the product that reaches your mouth, such as dirt or bark (if the gum is from a natural substance). Once the gum base has been thoroughly cleaned, it's added to the mixers. At this point, powdered sugar and corn syrup are added. The powered sugar helps the gum remain stretchy, and the corn syrup aids in keeping the gum moist and chewable. Softeners and flavoring are also added to the mixture.
Once the concoction is blended, it is laid on belts as it cools down. While this is happening, rollers smooth the gum down. The rollers can make the gum as thin as desired, depending on the type of gum that is being made. Obviously, sticks of gum are going to be thinner than gum balls. Once the preferred thickness is reached, the gum is cut. Stick gum is cut up into sticks (Who'd have thought?) and sent to another machine for individual wrapping. If the gum is being coated with candy, like gumballs, it is cut into the shape of a pencil and then processed through machines that put it into its ball form.
Have you ever been told that if you swallow a piece of gum it'll get stuck inside your digestive track for years? It's actually not true! Research shows that this is simply wrong and just an old wives tale. The gum you chew is an indigestible substance, which means that it cannot be broken down in our bodies. However, this doesn't mean that the gum you swallow is forever stuck in the pits of your stomach. It's just going to leave your body in the same condition that it came!
The next time you reach for your favorite piece of gum, think of the chemistry behind its making. Without the exact amounts of its ingredients, it wouldn't taste the same or even have the same consistency. Want to try it out for yourself? Try the Bubble Gum Making kits available at your favorite educational toy store and start making your own gum recipes. With Scientific Explorer's Ultimate Gum Kit, you can make up to 15 different flavors of gum! Who knows? Maybe your creation will be the next thing everyone wants to chew!
References:
Behind Chewing Gum. Kidz World. 22 Jan 2008. www.kidzworld.com/article/1057-go-figure-bursting-the-bubble-on-chewing-gum.
"How is Chewing Gum Made?." Cool Quiz. 22 Jan 2008. www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/gum.asp.
"The Seven Year Glitch." Snopes. 2 Jan 2005. www.snopes.com/oldwives/chewgum.asp.
"The Story of Gum." Ford Gum. 22 Jan 2008. www.fordgum.com/story.html.
About the Author:
Matt O'Neal holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry as well as a master's in physics and an MBA. He is the owner of Atomic Elephant Toy, a store offering science kits and educational toys for children of all ages. Ricky is an English major at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.
If you stretch to think of things you have in common with the ancient Greeks, stretch no further - they liked to chew gum too! They would chew the resin (a sticky, gummy material) from trees in their area. It's definitely not the same gum we're used to chewing. Even the Mayans chewed gum! Once it turned into a solid mass, they chewed the sap from a Sapodilla tree. Americans directly gained their knowledge of gum from Native Americans, who chewed the resin from Spruce trees. In fact, it was this type of gum that was first sold commercially.
Things are a bit different today. Since we're all very picky and we all like our own specific types of gum, scientists have to make synthetic substances to comprise the composition of our favorite chewy treats. That means that most of the time, these substances are not naturally found in nature. Although the exact recipes of the different types of gum vary, they are all made of the same basic ingredients: gum base, corn syrup, sugar. The gum's precise flavoring is also added. Naturally, gum manufacturers are very secretive when it comes to the exact recipes of their product. Now the ingredients have to be mixed together to form the composition of your gum of choice.
First, the gum base has to be melted into the form of a thick liquid consistency. Once it has reached this point, it's put in a high powered centrifuge to get rid of anything that shouldn't be in the product that reaches your mouth, such as dirt or bark (if the gum is from a natural substance). Once the gum base has been thoroughly cleaned, it's added to the mixers. At this point, powdered sugar and corn syrup are added. The powered sugar helps the gum remain stretchy, and the corn syrup aids in keeping the gum moist and chewable. Softeners and flavoring are also added to the mixture.
Once the concoction is blended, it is laid on belts as it cools down. While this is happening, rollers smooth the gum down. The rollers can make the gum as thin as desired, depending on the type of gum that is being made. Obviously, sticks of gum are going to be thinner than gum balls. Once the preferred thickness is reached, the gum is cut. Stick gum is cut up into sticks (Who'd have thought?) and sent to another machine for individual wrapping. If the gum is being coated with candy, like gumballs, it is cut into the shape of a pencil and then processed through machines that put it into its ball form.
Have you ever been told that if you swallow a piece of gum it'll get stuck inside your digestive track for years? It's actually not true! Research shows that this is simply wrong and just an old wives tale. The gum you chew is an indigestible substance, which means that it cannot be broken down in our bodies. However, this doesn't mean that the gum you swallow is forever stuck in the pits of your stomach. It's just going to leave your body in the same condition that it came!
The next time you reach for your favorite piece of gum, think of the chemistry behind its making. Without the exact amounts of its ingredients, it wouldn't taste the same or even have the same consistency. Want to try it out for yourself? Try the Bubble Gum Making kits available at your favorite educational toy store and start making your own gum recipes. With Scientific Explorer's Ultimate Gum Kit, you can make up to 15 different flavors of gum! Who knows? Maybe your creation will be the next thing everyone wants to chew!
References:
Behind Chewing Gum. Kidz World. 22 Jan 2008. www.kidzworld.com/article/1057-go-figure-bursting-the-bubble-on-chewing-gum.
"How is Chewing Gum Made?." Cool Quiz. 22 Jan 2008. www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/gum.asp.
"The Seven Year Glitch." Snopes. 2 Jan 2005. www.snopes.com/oldwives/chewgum.asp.
"The Story of Gum." Ford Gum. 22 Jan 2008. www.fordgum.com/story.html.
About the Author:
Matt O'Neal holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry as well as a master's in physics and an MBA. He is the owner of Atomic Elephant Toy, a store offering science kits and educational toys for children of all ages. Ricky is an English major at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.
The Science Behind the Classic Drinking Bird by Matt O'Neal
The physics behind this classic toy might be more complex than you think!
For centuries, students and inventors alike have been intrigued by the idea of a perpetual motion machine. Alas, the second law of thermodynamics has held up to the test of time. It can be written in several forms but Rudolf Clausius may have said it best for our purposes: in an isolated system, a process will only occur if it increases the total entropy of the system. In other words, heat will not naturally flow from a body of lower temperature to one of higher. It will however, flow in the other direction.
So what does all this have to do with our classic drinking bird? The answer: plenty. Couple this law of thermodynamics with Boyle's law stating the inversely proportional relationship of temperature and pressure relating to volume and you can begin to understand how this magical little bird can seemingly bob up and down forever.
Our thermodynamic, entropy-loving, pressure-, temperature-, and volume-driven machine (the bird) is quite a fascinating creature. Most machines-- refrigerators, cars, nuclear reactors-- produce work by creating this temperature and pressure differential. Perhaps by igniting a combustible gas, using an electric motor to compress a gas, or by splitting an atom. The bird creates this differential by dipping its beak in a glass of water. Not as intellectually exciting as smashing electrons and protons, but a temperature differential nonetheless.
Just exactly how does our drinking bird do it? First, he's made of two glass bulbs connected with a glass tube. The top bulb (the bird's head) is a simple reservoir with the tube extending from that bulb down most of the way into the lower bulb (the bird's belly). The system is partially filled with a liquid of low boiling point. When in an upright equilibrium position, the fluid is in the lower bulb and the vapor between the lower and upper bulbs is separated. In this position there is no temperature differential between the two bulbs.
But who wants a bulbous glass bird at perfect equilibrium? The trick is to change the temperature differential between the head and belly. This could be done by either warming the lower bulb (the body heat from your hand would do the trick) or cooling the top bulb. We'll get our feathered friend started by wetting his head (cooling the top bulb).
Since his head and beak are covered with a thin felt that wicks the water around the bulb when he takes a drink, the subsequent evaporation cools the bulb and creates a temperature (and thus a pressure) difference between the bulbs. With a lower pressure in his head, the fluid starts rising from the lower bulb- there's that second law of thermodynamics again with the system naturally tending toward an increase in entropy.
When enough fluid has collected in the top reservoir, the center of gravity has changed enough that the bird starts leaning forward. Right about the time he becomes horizontal, the tube in the lower bulb is no longer obstructed by the liquid in the lower bulb and the two pressure chambers equalize allowing the fluid to drain back down to the lower bulb. Now the trick that keeps it going is that when the bird was horizontal, it dipped its beak into the glass of water, wicking more fluid around the top bulb, causing it to cool again, and thus start the cycle over.
Do you think when Robert Boyle published his gas law in 1662 he had any idea it would help create this intriguing little toy that has fascinated folks for generations? Probably so. He was a pretty sharp scientist after all. When you think about it, there are several physical principles at work in this system. I can think of at least six without even straining my brain:
-The capillary action of the wicking felt
-The center of mass and torque around the pivot
-The ideal gas law (the relationship between gas particles and pressure)
-Boyle's Law (the relationship between temperature and pressure)
-Maxwell-Boltzmann equation (molecules at a given temperature can exist in different phases)
-Latent heat of vaporization (heat transfers when a substance changes states
Can you think of any more principles at work here?
© Matt O'Neal, Atomic Elephant Science & Toy Co.
About the Author:
Matt O'Neal holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry as well as a master's in physics and an MBA. He is the owner of Atomic Elephant Toy, a store offering science kits and educational toys for children of all ages.
For centuries, students and inventors alike have been intrigued by the idea of a perpetual motion machine. Alas, the second law of thermodynamics has held up to the test of time. It can be written in several forms but Rudolf Clausius may have said it best for our purposes: in an isolated system, a process will only occur if it increases the total entropy of the system. In other words, heat will not naturally flow from a body of lower temperature to one of higher. It will however, flow in the other direction.
So what does all this have to do with our classic drinking bird? The answer: plenty. Couple this law of thermodynamics with Boyle's law stating the inversely proportional relationship of temperature and pressure relating to volume and you can begin to understand how this magical little bird can seemingly bob up and down forever.
Our thermodynamic, entropy-loving, pressure-, temperature-, and volume-driven machine (the bird) is quite a fascinating creature. Most machines-- refrigerators, cars, nuclear reactors-- produce work by creating this temperature and pressure differential. Perhaps by igniting a combustible gas, using an electric motor to compress a gas, or by splitting an atom. The bird creates this differential by dipping its beak in a glass of water. Not as intellectually exciting as smashing electrons and protons, but a temperature differential nonetheless.
Just exactly how does our drinking bird do it? First, he's made of two glass bulbs connected with a glass tube. The top bulb (the bird's head) is a simple reservoir with the tube extending from that bulb down most of the way into the lower bulb (the bird's belly). The system is partially filled with a liquid of low boiling point. When in an upright equilibrium position, the fluid is in the lower bulb and the vapor between the lower and upper bulbs is separated. In this position there is no temperature differential between the two bulbs.
But who wants a bulbous glass bird at perfect equilibrium? The trick is to change the temperature differential between the head and belly. This could be done by either warming the lower bulb (the body heat from your hand would do the trick) or cooling the top bulb. We'll get our feathered friend started by wetting his head (cooling the top bulb).
Since his head and beak are covered with a thin felt that wicks the water around the bulb when he takes a drink, the subsequent evaporation cools the bulb and creates a temperature (and thus a pressure) difference between the bulbs. With a lower pressure in his head, the fluid starts rising from the lower bulb- there's that second law of thermodynamics again with the system naturally tending toward an increase in entropy.
When enough fluid has collected in the top reservoir, the center of gravity has changed enough that the bird starts leaning forward. Right about the time he becomes horizontal, the tube in the lower bulb is no longer obstructed by the liquid in the lower bulb and the two pressure chambers equalize allowing the fluid to drain back down to the lower bulb. Now the trick that keeps it going is that when the bird was horizontal, it dipped its beak into the glass of water, wicking more fluid around the top bulb, causing it to cool again, and thus start the cycle over.
Do you think when Robert Boyle published his gas law in 1662 he had any idea it would help create this intriguing little toy that has fascinated folks for generations? Probably so. He was a pretty sharp scientist after all. When you think about it, there are several physical principles at work in this system. I can think of at least six without even straining my brain:
-The capillary action of the wicking felt
-The center of mass and torque around the pivot
-The ideal gas law (the relationship between gas particles and pressure)
-Boyle's Law (the relationship between temperature and pressure)
-Maxwell-Boltzmann equation (molecules at a given temperature can exist in different phases)
-Latent heat of vaporization (heat transfers when a substance changes states
Can you think of any more principles at work here?
© Matt O'Neal, Atomic Elephant Science & Toy Co.
About the Author:
Matt O'Neal holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry as well as a master's in physics and an MBA. He is the owner of Atomic Elephant Toy, a store offering science kits and educational toys for children of all ages.
Metabolism Explained by Grant
Metabolism is the sum of all the chemical processes carried out by living organisms. It includes anabolism, reactions that require energy to synthesize complex molecules from simpler ones, and catabolism, reactions that release energy by breaking complex molecules into simpler ones that can be reused as building blocks. Anabolism is needed for growth, reproduction, and repair of cellular structures. Catabolism provides an organism with energy for its life processes, including movement, transport, and the synthesis of complex molecules - that is, anabolism.
All catabolic reactions involve electron transfer, which allows energy to be captured in high-energy bonds in ATP and similiar molecules. Electron transfer is directly related to oxidation and reduction. Oxidation can be defined as the loss or removal of electrons. Although many substances combine with oxygen and transfer electrons to oxygen, oxygen need not be present if another electron acceptor is available. Reduction can be defined as the gain of electrons. When a substance loses electrons, or is oxidized, energy is released, but another substance must gain the electrons, or be reduced, at the same time. For example, during the oxidation of organic molecules, hydrogen atoms are removed and used to reduce oxygen to form water. In this reaction, hydrogen is an electron donor, or reducing agent, and oxygen is an electron acceptor, or oxidizing agent. Because oxidation and reduction must occur simultaneously, the reactions in which they occur are sometimes called redox reactions.
Among all living things, microorganisms are particularly versatile in the ways in which they obtain energy. The ways different microorganisms capture energy, and obtain carbon, can be classified as autotrophy - "self feeding" - or heterotrophy - "other-feeding". Autotrophs use carbon dioxide (an inorganic substance) to synthesize organic molecules. They include photoautotrophs, which obtain energy from light, and chemoautotrophs, which obtain energy from oxidizing simple inorganic substances such as sulfides and nitrites. Heterotrophs get their carbon from ready-made organic molecules, which they obtain from other organisms, living or dead. There are photoheterotrophs, which obtain chemical energy from light, and chemoheterotrophs, which obtain chemical energy from breaking down ready-made organic compounds.
Autotrophic metabolism (especially photosynthesis) is important as a means of energy capture in many free-living microorganisms. However, such microorganisms do not usually cause disease. We emphasize metabolic processes that occur in chemoheterotrophs because many microorganisms, including nearly all infectious ones, are chemoheterotrophs. These processes include glycolysis (oxidation of glucose to pyruvic acid), fermentation (conversion of pyruvic acid to ethyl alcohol, lactic acid, or other organic compounds), and aerobic respiration (oxidation of pyruvic acid to carbon dioxide and water). Glycolysis and fermentation (anaerobic processes) do not require oxygen, and only a small amount of the energy in a glucose molecule is captured as ATP. Aerobic respiration does require oxygen as an electron acceptor and captures a relatively large amount of the energy in a glucose molecule in ATP.
A large number of microorganisms obtain energy by photosynthesis, the use of light energy and hydrogen from water or other compounds to reduce carbon dioxide to an organic substance that contains more energy. Glucose is produced by photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, algae, and green plants. Photosynthetic organisms then use the glucose or other carbohydrates made in this way for energy.
Like nearly all other chemical processes in living organisms, glycolysis, fermentation, aerobic respiration, and photosynthesis each consist of a series of chemical reactions in which the product of one reaction serves as the substrate (reacting material) for the next: A -> B -> C -> D -> E, and so on. Such a chain of reactions is called a metabolic pathway. Each reaction in a pathway is controlled by a particular enzyme. In this pathway, A is the initial substrate, E is the final product, and B, C, and D are intermediates.
Metabolic pathways can be catabolic or anabolic (biosynthetic). Catabolic pathways capture energy in a form cells can use. Anabolic pathways make the complex molecules that form the structure of cells, enzymes, and other molecules that control cells. These pathways use building blocks such as sugars, glycerol, fatty acids, amino acids, nucleotides, and other molecules to make carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, or combinations such as glycolipids (made from carbohydrates and lipids), glycoproteins (from carbohydrates and proteins), lipoproteins (from lipids and proteins), and nucleoproteins (from nucleic acids and proteins). ATP molecules are the links that couple catabolic and anabolic pathways. Energy released in catabolic reactions is captured and stored in the form of ATP molecules, which are later broken down to provide the energy needed to build up new molecules in biosynthetic pathways. Bacteria transfer approximately 40% of the energy in a glucose molecule to ATP during aerobic metabolism and 5% during anaerobic fermentation processes. Yields are higher in aerobic processes because their end products are highly oxidized, whereas end products of anaerobic processes are only partially oxidized.
. . .To Learn More Visit Here
About the Author:
Purveyor of Sciences
All catabolic reactions involve electron transfer, which allows energy to be captured in high-energy bonds in ATP and similiar molecules. Electron transfer is directly related to oxidation and reduction. Oxidation can be defined as the loss or removal of electrons. Although many substances combine with oxygen and transfer electrons to oxygen, oxygen need not be present if another electron acceptor is available. Reduction can be defined as the gain of electrons. When a substance loses electrons, or is oxidized, energy is released, but another substance must gain the electrons, or be reduced, at the same time. For example, during the oxidation of organic molecules, hydrogen atoms are removed and used to reduce oxygen to form water. In this reaction, hydrogen is an electron donor, or reducing agent, and oxygen is an electron acceptor, or oxidizing agent. Because oxidation and reduction must occur simultaneously, the reactions in which they occur are sometimes called redox reactions.
Among all living things, microorganisms are particularly versatile in the ways in which they obtain energy. The ways different microorganisms capture energy, and obtain carbon, can be classified as autotrophy - "self feeding" - or heterotrophy - "other-feeding". Autotrophs use carbon dioxide (an inorganic substance) to synthesize organic molecules. They include photoautotrophs, which obtain energy from light, and chemoautotrophs, which obtain energy from oxidizing simple inorganic substances such as sulfides and nitrites. Heterotrophs get their carbon from ready-made organic molecules, which they obtain from other organisms, living or dead. There are photoheterotrophs, which obtain chemical energy from light, and chemoheterotrophs, which obtain chemical energy from breaking down ready-made organic compounds.
Autotrophic metabolism (especially photosynthesis) is important as a means of energy capture in many free-living microorganisms. However, such microorganisms do not usually cause disease. We emphasize metabolic processes that occur in chemoheterotrophs because many microorganisms, including nearly all infectious ones, are chemoheterotrophs. These processes include glycolysis (oxidation of glucose to pyruvic acid), fermentation (conversion of pyruvic acid to ethyl alcohol, lactic acid, or other organic compounds), and aerobic respiration (oxidation of pyruvic acid to carbon dioxide and water). Glycolysis and fermentation (anaerobic processes) do not require oxygen, and only a small amount of the energy in a glucose molecule is captured as ATP. Aerobic respiration does require oxygen as an electron acceptor and captures a relatively large amount of the energy in a glucose molecule in ATP.
A large number of microorganisms obtain energy by photosynthesis, the use of light energy and hydrogen from water or other compounds to reduce carbon dioxide to an organic substance that contains more energy. Glucose is produced by photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, algae, and green plants. Photosynthetic organisms then use the glucose or other carbohydrates made in this way for energy.
Like nearly all other chemical processes in living organisms, glycolysis, fermentation, aerobic respiration, and photosynthesis each consist of a series of chemical reactions in which the product of one reaction serves as the substrate (reacting material) for the next: A -> B -> C -> D -> E, and so on. Such a chain of reactions is called a metabolic pathway. Each reaction in a pathway is controlled by a particular enzyme. In this pathway, A is the initial substrate, E is the final product, and B, C, and D are intermediates.
Metabolic pathways can be catabolic or anabolic (biosynthetic). Catabolic pathways capture energy in a form cells can use. Anabolic pathways make the complex molecules that form the structure of cells, enzymes, and other molecules that control cells. These pathways use building blocks such as sugars, glycerol, fatty acids, amino acids, nucleotides, and other molecules to make carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, or combinations such as glycolipids (made from carbohydrates and lipids), glycoproteins (from carbohydrates and proteins), lipoproteins (from lipids and proteins), and nucleoproteins (from nucleic acids and proteins). ATP molecules are the links that couple catabolic and anabolic pathways. Energy released in catabolic reactions is captured and stored in the form of ATP molecules, which are later broken down to provide the energy needed to build up new molecules in biosynthetic pathways. Bacteria transfer approximately 40% of the energy in a glucose molecule to ATP during aerobic metabolism and 5% during anaerobic fermentation processes. Yields are higher in aerobic processes because their end products are highly oxidized, whereas end products of anaerobic processes are only partially oxidized.
. . .To Learn More Visit Here
About the Author:
Purveyor of Sciences
Solar Pool Covers by Angelina Gibsen
With solar technology making more and more advancements in recent years more people are looking into it as an option for heating their pool. The fact is, that in many instances solar power can be relied on to heat a pool several degrees depending on certain climatic conditions.
However; a solar powered pool cover can be used by itself or to augment a more traditional gas or electric pool heating system. There are basically two types of solar powers pool covers and they are referred to as passive and active solar powered pool covers. As a general rule of thumb, any passive solar powered system, including pool covers referres to a system that has no mechanical or energy powered moving parts in it.
This means that a passive solar powered pool cover will require that you remove or pull it back by hand and they will without exception tend to be less expensive. An active solar powered pool cover will be powered by electricity and with the simple push of a button, it can be rolled or pulled back.
Solar powered pool covers all work on the same basic principle in that they effectively keep heat trapped in under the cover. In an uncovered pool, heat is continually being given off through evaporation and on windy days even more heat is given off. If you are considering a pool cover to help keep your pool clean then you may want to consider going with a solar powered pool cover, so you can also keep your pool warm at the same time.
This is because when it comes to keeping your pool warm, a solar powers pool cover is one of the most cost effective methods of doing so and it can and will extend your pool season further into the colder months then normal.
About the Author:
Written by Angelina Gibsen. Find the latest information on Solar pool covers
However; a solar powered pool cover can be used by itself or to augment a more traditional gas or electric pool heating system. There are basically two types of solar powers pool covers and they are referred to as passive and active solar powered pool covers. As a general rule of thumb, any passive solar powered system, including pool covers referres to a system that has no mechanical or energy powered moving parts in it.
This means that a passive solar powered pool cover will require that you remove or pull it back by hand and they will without exception tend to be less expensive. An active solar powered pool cover will be powered by electricity and with the simple push of a button, it can be rolled or pulled back.
Solar powered pool covers all work on the same basic principle in that they effectively keep heat trapped in under the cover. In an uncovered pool, heat is continually being given off through evaporation and on windy days even more heat is given off. If you are considering a pool cover to help keep your pool clean then you may want to consider going with a solar powered pool cover, so you can also keep your pool warm at the same time.
This is because when it comes to keeping your pool warm, a solar powers pool cover is one of the most cost effective methods of doing so and it can and will extend your pool season further into the colder months then normal.
About the Author:
Written by Angelina Gibsen. Find the latest information on Solar pool covers
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Our Own Galaxy And Gas Cloud To Collide by Jason Witt
When you receive the Seal you will begin to understand things from an eternal perspective. So you will be amazed to find out about a cloud of gas rushing toward our own galaxy due to be here in around 30 million years.
A giant cloud of hydrogen is on a collision course with our own galaxy, known as the "Milky Way" galaxy. And when they officially collide, in 20 to 40 million years, there will be a grand fireworks show in the night sky.
Even though it may still seem quite far away--8000 light years--it is actually quite close relative to the vast expanse of the entire universe. 8000 light years is truly close, and not far.
A light year is a distance and not a time. It is the distance light travels in one year, which is quite far in our humble opinion. We do not currently know of anything that travels faster than light.
This hydrogen cloud is far enough away that the light from stars in the Milky Way would take 8000 years to reach it. But it will take much longer than 8000 years to reach us. It is moving much more slowly than the speed of light.
The cloud, named Smith's Cloud, is only moving at 150 miles a second. That is pretty slow relative to many other objects in the universe. Nevertheless it is due to hit the Milky Way, and produce some spectacular effects.
It is likely that a number of stars will be formed when Smith's Cloud hits the Milky Way. And they will be massive stars, short lived, which will become supernovae at the end of their lives.
So there will be an Independence Day celebration going off in at least one part of the sky, choreographed at snail's pace, happening over the course of a few million years.
A supernova happens when a star explodes at the end of its life. It becomes quite bright for a short time, outshining all the surrounding stars in its galaxy before the flame dies down and it returns to relative dimness.
Until now, astronomers did not know much about Smith's Cloud. They did not know whether it were a part of the Milky Way or not. But a recent study has clarified everything about the heavenly body.
They pointed the Green Bank Telescope tens of thousands of times at Smith's Cloud, doing a detailed study of the hydrogen in it. And Smith's Cloud is big. It is about 30 times the diameter of the full moon.
The shape of Smith's Cloud is like a comet, and that shows it is coming into contact with the gases of the outer fringe of the Milky Way. Astronomers speculate that the gravity of the Milky Way may be starting to tear apart Smith's Cloud.
But it will hit the Milky Way in millions of years. It is not heading directly for the region of the sun and the planet earth. So it will cause fireworks in the night sky but it will not compromise life on earth.
When you are sealed you will begin to see the wonders of eternity. Tens of millions of years is a long time to wait for a show of bright explosions in the sky. But you will be able to wait--you will have the time when you are sealed.
Because when you are sealed you will live forever. God will grant you eternal Life. So you will be able to watch the progress of the universe as millions of years pass when you receive the Seal.
About the Author:
And now Jason would like to invite you to get your FREE report Are You Making These Mistakes as a Christian? and "Get God's 'Seal of Approval' and Get the Victory Over Evil" Jason Witt
A giant cloud of hydrogen is on a collision course with our own galaxy, known as the "Milky Way" galaxy. And when they officially collide, in 20 to 40 million years, there will be a grand fireworks show in the night sky.
Even though it may still seem quite far away--8000 light years--it is actually quite close relative to the vast expanse of the entire universe. 8000 light years is truly close, and not far.
A light year is a distance and not a time. It is the distance light travels in one year, which is quite far in our humble opinion. We do not currently know of anything that travels faster than light.
This hydrogen cloud is far enough away that the light from stars in the Milky Way would take 8000 years to reach it. But it will take much longer than 8000 years to reach us. It is moving much more slowly than the speed of light.
The cloud, named Smith's Cloud, is only moving at 150 miles a second. That is pretty slow relative to many other objects in the universe. Nevertheless it is due to hit the Milky Way, and produce some spectacular effects.
It is likely that a number of stars will be formed when Smith's Cloud hits the Milky Way. And they will be massive stars, short lived, which will become supernovae at the end of their lives.
So there will be an Independence Day celebration going off in at least one part of the sky, choreographed at snail's pace, happening over the course of a few million years.
A supernova happens when a star explodes at the end of its life. It becomes quite bright for a short time, outshining all the surrounding stars in its galaxy before the flame dies down and it returns to relative dimness.
Until now, astronomers did not know much about Smith's Cloud. They did not know whether it were a part of the Milky Way or not. But a recent study has clarified everything about the heavenly body.
They pointed the Green Bank Telescope tens of thousands of times at Smith's Cloud, doing a detailed study of the hydrogen in it. And Smith's Cloud is big. It is about 30 times the diameter of the full moon.
The shape of Smith's Cloud is like a comet, and that shows it is coming into contact with the gases of the outer fringe of the Milky Way. Astronomers speculate that the gravity of the Milky Way may be starting to tear apart Smith's Cloud.
But it will hit the Milky Way in millions of years. It is not heading directly for the region of the sun and the planet earth. So it will cause fireworks in the night sky but it will not compromise life on earth.
When you are sealed you will begin to see the wonders of eternity. Tens of millions of years is a long time to wait for a show of bright explosions in the sky. But you will be able to wait--you will have the time when you are sealed.
Because when you are sealed you will live forever. God will grant you eternal Life. So you will be able to watch the progress of the universe as millions of years pass when you receive the Seal.
About the Author:
And now Jason would like to invite you to get your FREE report Are You Making These Mistakes as a Christian? and "Get God's 'Seal of Approval' and Get the Victory Over Evil" Jason Witt
Going to Solar Energy by Mike Dodd
If you want information on renewable energy sources, you've come to the right place. The environmental importance of alternative forms of energy production is extremely important in today's world. The use of solar power, wind power and micro-hydro power should be actively encouraged to every consumer and home owner alike everywhere. Solar power, wind power and micro-hydro power are non-polluting, renewable and sustainable forms of energy. The sun has produced free energy for years and solar energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as heat and electricity. It can be used to heat water for use in homes, buildings, or swimming pools. It can also be used to heat spaces such as inside homes, offices and other important buildings. Solar energy can be converted to electricity and there are two different ways of doing that. First, photovoltaic devices, also known as PV devices or solar cells, can change sunlight directly into electricity. They are often used in remote locations that are not connected to electrical grids. They are also used to power smaller devices such as watches and calculators. They are even used to power road signs that we often see everywhere. The other way is more of an indirect method used in solar power plants. They generate electricity by heating a fluid from power collected from the use of photovoltaic devices then using the heated fluid to generate steam which is in turn used to power generators. Some advantages of photovoltaic systems are that the conversion from sunlight to electricity is direct and bulky mechanical generator systems with moving parts are not necessary in order for the system to produce power. Also the environmental impact is minimal at most and the system requires no water for cooling and generates no by-products that are harmful to the environment. Photovoltaic cells, or photovoltaic devices (PV devices) as they are called are very much like batteries and they generate direct current (DC) which is generally used for small loads used for light electronic equipment. When DC from photovoltaic cells is used for commercial applications or sold to electric utilities using the electric grid, it must be converted to alternating current (AC) using a device call an "inverter". Inverters are solid state devices that convert DC power to AC which in needed in the stead of DC for some applications, especially commercial uses. The performance of a photovoltaic array is absolutely and totally dependent upon sunlight and climate conditions. Climate conditions, including clouds and fog, have a significant effect on the amount of solar energy received by a photovoltaic device and its performance. Most current technology photovoltaic modules are about 10 percent efficient in converting sunlight. Further research is being conducted to raise this efficiency to 20 percent. Understanding and installing your own solar electric system will give you a feeling of confidence and self-reliance. It will make you feel better about harming the environment less.
About the Author:
The author, Mike Dodd, has studied the field of renewable energy sources and know the advantages of using solar energy. Renewable energy sources is one of his specialties.
About the Author:
The author, Mike Dodd, has studied the field of renewable energy sources and know the advantages of using solar energy. Renewable energy sources is one of his specialties.
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