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.
Understanding Aircrafts Part By Part by Ajeet Khurana
In a car, there might be parts that I do not care about. It is only in cases where my physical safety is concerned that I am really particular. And instead of being paranoid, I choose to be informed.
So, this article is about Aircraft parts. Knowledge and familiarity should clear some apprehensions that ignorance might create.
You know what a plane looks like. So, we go from the front to the back. To begin with, we have the cockpit. This is where the pilot sits and controls the craft. Hence, all navigational controls end up here. This is the heart of all avionics, which is a contraction for aviation electronics. Maybe, I should call it the brain of all avionics as only the final controls reside in the cockpit.
Other than navigational controls, communication and cabin controls are also predominantly available in the cockpit. So, expect to see a lot of dials, knobs, screens, light emitting diodes, bulbs, and switches. If you have ever had an opportunity to look inside a cockpit, even if you were only looking at a photograph, you would certainly have marveled at the extent of gadgetry involved.
Behind the cockpit is the rest of the fuselage, which is the body of the plane. All professions like to create words that make them exclusive. So, while an automobile engineer missed out on an opportunity, the aeronautical engineer chose to call the plane body a fuselage.
As expected, the body presents the physical structure to the plane. But it is not a passive piece of equipment as in the case of a car. Instead, it has sensors for detecting what the outside conditions are like. Additionally, it has signaling and communication equipment connected to it.
Then comes the hardworking engine, the part that needs to be the most reliable. It goes without saying that this is where all the muscle is. In addition to providing the rotors and propellers and thrust and torque, the degree of automation in an aeroplane engine is extremely high. Not just should a pilot as well as the auto-pilot, be able to constantly monitor the performance of the engine, they should actually be able to control and influence it.
In this sequence, we then reach the wings of the plane. Any flying body needs to have wings, unless it is a projectile, such as a rocket. These wings provide balance, stability, and maneuverability. Since wings needs to be mechanically manipulated, they are full of control systems, valves, bearing, pressure points, buffers, and the like.
To continue my simplistic travel down the aircraft's body, let us reach the very end. We are now at the tail. Like the wing it provides stability and balance. But the tail, more specifically the rudder, plays a pivotal role in turning the plane. This mechanism is not like that of a rudder-based boat that has the luxury of traveling in a dense medium, water. But there are similarities.
All in all, the schema of the parts of an airplane is fairly obvious. This does not at all mean that the effect of flying is anything less than monumental.
About the Author:
Welcome to the world of aviation. If you want more info on the parts of an aircraft, you should visit our pages about: Avionics, Fasteners, and Needle Bearings.
So, this article is about Aircraft parts. Knowledge and familiarity should clear some apprehensions that ignorance might create.
You know what a plane looks like. So, we go from the front to the back. To begin with, we have the cockpit. This is where the pilot sits and controls the craft. Hence, all navigational controls end up here. This is the heart of all avionics, which is a contraction for aviation electronics. Maybe, I should call it the brain of all avionics as only the final controls reside in the cockpit.
Other than navigational controls, communication and cabin controls are also predominantly available in the cockpit. So, expect to see a lot of dials, knobs, screens, light emitting diodes, bulbs, and switches. If you have ever had an opportunity to look inside a cockpit, even if you were only looking at a photograph, you would certainly have marveled at the extent of gadgetry involved.
Behind the cockpit is the rest of the fuselage, which is the body of the plane. All professions like to create words that make them exclusive. So, while an automobile engineer missed out on an opportunity, the aeronautical engineer chose to call the plane body a fuselage.
As expected, the body presents the physical structure to the plane. But it is not a passive piece of equipment as in the case of a car. Instead, it has sensors for detecting what the outside conditions are like. Additionally, it has signaling and communication equipment connected to it.
Then comes the hardworking engine, the part that needs to be the most reliable. It goes without saying that this is where all the muscle is. In addition to providing the rotors and propellers and thrust and torque, the degree of automation in an aeroplane engine is extremely high. Not just should a pilot as well as the auto-pilot, be able to constantly monitor the performance of the engine, they should actually be able to control and influence it.
In this sequence, we then reach the wings of the plane. Any flying body needs to have wings, unless it is a projectile, such as a rocket. These wings provide balance, stability, and maneuverability. Since wings needs to be mechanically manipulated, they are full of control systems, valves, bearing, pressure points, buffers, and the like.
To continue my simplistic travel down the aircraft's body, let us reach the very end. We are now at the tail. Like the wing it provides stability and balance. But the tail, more specifically the rudder, plays a pivotal role in turning the plane. This mechanism is not like that of a rudder-based boat that has the luxury of traveling in a dense medium, water. But there are similarities.
All in all, the schema of the parts of an airplane is fairly obvious. This does not at all mean that the effect of flying is anything less than monumental.
About the Author:
Welcome to the world of aviation. If you want more info on the parts of an aircraft, you should visit our pages about: Avionics, Fasteners, and Needle Bearings.
How To Get Into Amateur Astronomy With Tasco Telescopes by Kozan Huseyin
If you want to get your first astronomy telescope, then a Tasco telescope may be what you are looking for. These basic telescope have helped many people get there foot into being able to view the heavens from there own back yards.
I remember a Tasco telescope from Toys R Us. Walking down the isles around the science section, there was a telescope. I simply had to get it the Tasco telescope. After all I had a fond interest in seeing the Moon, stars and other space objects.
Having taken the Tasco telescope home, and pointing the Tasco telescope to the sky, from my bedroom, it took a bit to get used to. I used the Tasco telescope for a while, though it just wasn't capable of seeing other planets in any detail or size So, the telescope got taken back.
I have since found that many people start with a Tasco telescope, then few years later buy a true telescope such as Meade. The experience of owning a Tasco telescope may not be the best but it does allow easy access to start your astronomy hobby.
Tasco telescopes are considered to be one of the basic most popular first astronomy telescopes for under $100. Tasco telescope also make binoculars, rifle scopes and spotting scopes. They are easily available in sporting goods, photography, astronomy, department, and big chain stores like Kmart and Wal-Mart.
I usually don't recommend buying a Tasco telescope, because of its basic parts. A telescope is a scientific instrument after all, and getting better telescope parts, will have the effect of giving you many years of happy viewing of the heavens. A Tasco telescope does have its benefits however. If it is your first astronomy telescope and you don't know if you want to continue the hobby of astronomy, then a Tasco telescope may be ideal.
If you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a telescope, then a Tasco telescope can be ideal. Also a Tasco telescope is usually small and compact so doesn't need a lot of space when using or to store the telescope.
Tasco telescopes are lightweight and can be easily moved around. This is great news for kids, as the telescope can easily be taken inside or outside with ease. This however is not all good, as a lightweight tripod and mount can make even the slightest breeze move the telescope out of view of the space object.
The main reasons for buying a Tasco telescope would be, if you want to keep within a certain budget. If it is your first astronomy telescope, then a powerful telescope costing several hundred dollars or even possibly several thousand dollars, may not be an avenue you want to enter. Though remember for best results, get the best telescope you can. A Tasco telescope is cheap and cheerful, the Tasco telescope can be used to look at objects in the sky, and also for wildlife viewing.
About the Author:
Buy best beginner telescope, see our buy telescope buying guide. Want more information about the telescope?
Read more articles and submit articles
I remember a Tasco telescope from Toys R Us. Walking down the isles around the science section, there was a telescope. I simply had to get it the Tasco telescope. After all I had a fond interest in seeing the Moon, stars and other space objects.
Having taken the Tasco telescope home, and pointing the Tasco telescope to the sky, from my bedroom, it took a bit to get used to. I used the Tasco telescope for a while, though it just wasn't capable of seeing other planets in any detail or size So, the telescope got taken back.
I have since found that many people start with a Tasco telescope, then few years later buy a true telescope such as Meade. The experience of owning a Tasco telescope may not be the best but it does allow easy access to start your astronomy hobby.
Tasco telescopes are considered to be one of the basic most popular first astronomy telescopes for under $100. Tasco telescope also make binoculars, rifle scopes and spotting scopes. They are easily available in sporting goods, photography, astronomy, department, and big chain stores like Kmart and Wal-Mart.
I usually don't recommend buying a Tasco telescope, because of its basic parts. A telescope is a scientific instrument after all, and getting better telescope parts, will have the effect of giving you many years of happy viewing of the heavens. A Tasco telescope does have its benefits however. If it is your first astronomy telescope and you don't know if you want to continue the hobby of astronomy, then a Tasco telescope may be ideal.
If you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a telescope, then a Tasco telescope can be ideal. Also a Tasco telescope is usually small and compact so doesn't need a lot of space when using or to store the telescope.
Tasco telescopes are lightweight and can be easily moved around. This is great news for kids, as the telescope can easily be taken inside or outside with ease. This however is not all good, as a lightweight tripod and mount can make even the slightest breeze move the telescope out of view of the space object.
The main reasons for buying a Tasco telescope would be, if you want to keep within a certain budget. If it is your first astronomy telescope, then a powerful telescope costing several hundred dollars or even possibly several thousand dollars, may not be an avenue you want to enter. Though remember for best results, get the best telescope you can. A Tasco telescope is cheap and cheerful, the Tasco telescope can be used to look at objects in the sky, and also for wildlife viewing.
About the Author:
Buy best beginner telescope, see our buy telescope buying guide. Want more information about the telescope?
Read more articles and submit articles
Make The Most Of Your First Telescope by Kozan Huseyin
Feeling frustrated with your first time home telescope? Don't know how to get the best out of your first time home telescope? In this article, I will give you my tips that I have learnt in the last decade with Astronomy.
::: Knowing the Heavens ::: I am about the give you some of the greatest advice I can give you. And that is to know the heavens! When I was young, I wanted to get the best planet telescope I could. My first time home telescope was not the best planet telescope and in fact couldn't show me anything more than the moon.
Later I found when I purchased a much better planet telescope years after, that there was a major situation. Yes, I had the best planet telescope, at least compared to my first time home telescope, but I found a dilemma with being able to find nebula and galaxies.
Looking back I think first learning where things where in the heavens, would have made a much better start in astronomy. Your first time home telescope may not have a comprehensive manual on how to find objects in the heavens. The best book that helped me learn exactly how to find things in space was Turn Left At Orion.
::: Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Telescope ::: Astronomy telescope have there strengths and weaknesses. Some are better suited as display planet telescopes which are hardly ever used for astronomy, while other planet telescope may only be designed with their high points to view planets and the moon; there are also planet telescopes which allow you to view the deepest regions of the sky.
Knowing the good points about your planet telescope will help you use your planet telescope much better. For example a really heavy planet telescope may not be good enough to move around much, as I found with my second planet telescope, however the benefit was that the stability of the mount, meant that it was pretty good at keeping steady when looking at objects. Whereas a small planet telescope which may have been purchased at a local toy store may not be steady enough for viewing the heavens outside, especially if it is windy outside.
::: Telescope Care ::: A planet telescope is a great instrument. Your first time home telescope is always an important one - it is your gateway to astronomy, and usually your first glimpse at seeing what the beauty of the universe contains. Your first time home telescope must be taken care off, if you are to get the best out of your planet telescope.
Ways you can keep care of your planet telescope is to put protectors back on planet telescope lenses when you finish. If you have a metal planet telescope which you keep outside, make sure you put it inside when finished. It is far too easy after spending a few hours outside to say I will bring it in tomorrow! Rain may fall on your planet telescope which could cause rust, which is not what you want. The best thing you can do, if you must leave the planet telescope out is put a plastic cover on the planet telescope to protect it. Another tip is to put Vaseline on the planet telescope mount and joints so it can be protected from the rain.
Always make sure optics are brought inside as if rain get on them they can easily get damaged. Same as the main planet telescope tube if possible. You may also need to clean the mirror if you have a reflecting planet telescope, and should always take care to clean the mirror in accordance with the planet telescope manuals suggestions.
Astronomy can be great fun with your first time home telescope. Add to your first time home telescope a great manual to help you find objects in the night sky and you have a powerful combination of a Astronomy hobby that will last for years to come. There are also some great astronomy magazines that will help you monthly find objects in the night sky and what objects can be seen in the night sky.
About the Author:
Looking for first telescope? See buy telescopes buying guide
::: Knowing the Heavens ::: I am about the give you some of the greatest advice I can give you. And that is to know the heavens! When I was young, I wanted to get the best planet telescope I could. My first time home telescope was not the best planet telescope and in fact couldn't show me anything more than the moon.
Later I found when I purchased a much better planet telescope years after, that there was a major situation. Yes, I had the best planet telescope, at least compared to my first time home telescope, but I found a dilemma with being able to find nebula and galaxies.
Looking back I think first learning where things where in the heavens, would have made a much better start in astronomy. Your first time home telescope may not have a comprehensive manual on how to find objects in the heavens. The best book that helped me learn exactly how to find things in space was Turn Left At Orion.
::: Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Telescope ::: Astronomy telescope have there strengths and weaknesses. Some are better suited as display planet telescopes which are hardly ever used for astronomy, while other planet telescope may only be designed with their high points to view planets and the moon; there are also planet telescopes which allow you to view the deepest regions of the sky.
Knowing the good points about your planet telescope will help you use your planet telescope much better. For example a really heavy planet telescope may not be good enough to move around much, as I found with my second planet telescope, however the benefit was that the stability of the mount, meant that it was pretty good at keeping steady when looking at objects. Whereas a small planet telescope which may have been purchased at a local toy store may not be steady enough for viewing the heavens outside, especially if it is windy outside.
::: Telescope Care ::: A planet telescope is a great instrument. Your first time home telescope is always an important one - it is your gateway to astronomy, and usually your first glimpse at seeing what the beauty of the universe contains. Your first time home telescope must be taken care off, if you are to get the best out of your planet telescope.
Ways you can keep care of your planet telescope is to put protectors back on planet telescope lenses when you finish. If you have a metal planet telescope which you keep outside, make sure you put it inside when finished. It is far too easy after spending a few hours outside to say I will bring it in tomorrow! Rain may fall on your planet telescope which could cause rust, which is not what you want. The best thing you can do, if you must leave the planet telescope out is put a plastic cover on the planet telescope to protect it. Another tip is to put Vaseline on the planet telescope mount and joints so it can be protected from the rain.
Always make sure optics are brought inside as if rain get on them they can easily get damaged. Same as the main planet telescope tube if possible. You may also need to clean the mirror if you have a reflecting planet telescope, and should always take care to clean the mirror in accordance with the planet telescope manuals suggestions.
Astronomy can be great fun with your first time home telescope. Add to your first time home telescope a great manual to help you find objects in the night sky and you have a powerful combination of a Astronomy hobby that will last for years to come. There are also some great astronomy magazines that will help you monthly find objects in the night sky and what objects can be seen in the night sky.
About the Author:
Looking for first telescope? See buy telescopes buying guide
Thursday, January 3, 2008
How To Refine Silver Using Household Chemicals by Mirko Davidovic
Throughout history silver has played a major role in all aspects of society. It has been used as a metal of choice for currencies, barter and trade. The bourgeois used it as a metering wealth status. Advances in medicine, electronics and others, are made largely to unique properties of silver. Silver, along side with gold, are the two precious metals sought after. The supplies are dwindling, while the demand is reaching an all time high.
Not surprisingly, the price of silver has more than tripled in recent years. Both silver and gold are the commodity to hedge against the falling dollar. It is becoming a "must-have" in personal investment portfolios.
Scrap silver is all around us. It comes from variety of sources with diversified metal purity. This article is designed to refine your own silver using readily available household chemicals. The methods you are about to be introduced to will produce more than 99% of pure silver!
The first step in refining is to dissolve the silver. The best way is to use dilute Nitric Acid. Good concentration is around 40 - 50%. Concentrated Nitric Acid is one chemical that will be hard to obtain.
Since 9/11 the availability of Nitric Acid has been drastically reduced and for a good reason. Nitric Acid is one of the main components to make explosives.
For our refining purpose we will need relatively small amount of Nitric Acid. To make this, we will use concentrated Sulfuric Acid. Sulfuric Acid is commonly used as a liquid drain opener, readily available from any hardware store. The one that we will use is more than 95 percent pure. The second ingredient needed is Sodium Nitrate. It is readily available fertilizer from any gardening store.
Pour 200ml of hot distilled water to a pre-heated 1liter Pyrex container, 1 quart mason jar will work. Add approx. 400 gm of Sodium Nitrate to dissolve (Potassium Nitrate can be used as well). Once the Nitrate is completely dissolved allow it to cool down well below the boiling point, but still hot. To this solution SLOWLY add 110 ml conc. Sulfuric Acid while stirring. Do not allow the solution to boil. Cool the solution to room temperature.
Place the jar in the freezer and allow the solution to reach ~ -5 degrees Celsius. Once all of the precipitate has settled, pour off the solution to a glass container with a tightly sealed lid. Discard the precipitate. (Make sure not to transfer any of the sulfate salt) You have just made over 300ml of ~ 50% Nitric Acid.
Fair Word Of Caution! You are dealing with concentrated acids. Take all safety precautions when dealing with concentrated acids. Make sure you wear rubber gloves, face shield and protective clothing. If you spill any of the acid, wash with plenty of water.
To refine Silver, dissolve several ounces of scrap metal in Nitric Acid. This will take some time, but make sure that all of the metal is in solution. Heating the solution will speed up the reaction. Do Not Boil.
Filter the solution using several coffee filters, keeping the clear solution. The Silver dissolved is in the form of Silver Nitrate.
The easiest way to get the Silver to drop out of the solution is to use Copper. Copper pipe, plate or any piece of solid copper will do. Suspend the Copper, using household twine in the acid solution. A white-grayish precipitate will start to accumulate around the copper. Tap gently the suspended Copper, and the Silver precipitate will sink to the bottom. What you are doing here is replacing the Silver Nitrate with Copper Nitrate, causing Silver to drop out of the solution.
Allow the solution to sit overnight and all of the precipitate will settle to the bottom.
The remaining solution should be crystal-blue in color. If not, use more Copper to get all of the Silver out. Filter the solution using several coffee filters, this time keeping the precipitate. Wash it several times using distilled water. There should not be any blue Copper Nitrate around the filter. Discard the spent solution and dry the filtrate. This precipitate is Silver. Place the dry precipitate in a crucible or a small graphite container. In a circular motion, using a torch, melt the precipitate in nuggets or the desired shape.
The result is over 99% pure Silver!
About the Author:
Mirko Davidovic-CEO of fyi4u, winemakingplus; formal education in Chemical Eng Tech.,Biochemistry and Psychology.Here is a unique way to accumulate Silver and Gold Never before possibleReal Gold...Real Deal
Not surprisingly, the price of silver has more than tripled in recent years. Both silver and gold are the commodity to hedge against the falling dollar. It is becoming a "must-have" in personal investment portfolios.
Scrap silver is all around us. It comes from variety of sources with diversified metal purity. This article is designed to refine your own silver using readily available household chemicals. The methods you are about to be introduced to will produce more than 99% of pure silver!
The first step in refining is to dissolve the silver. The best way is to use dilute Nitric Acid. Good concentration is around 40 - 50%. Concentrated Nitric Acid is one chemical that will be hard to obtain.
Since 9/11 the availability of Nitric Acid has been drastically reduced and for a good reason. Nitric Acid is one of the main components to make explosives.
For our refining purpose we will need relatively small amount of Nitric Acid. To make this, we will use concentrated Sulfuric Acid. Sulfuric Acid is commonly used as a liquid drain opener, readily available from any hardware store. The one that we will use is more than 95 percent pure. The second ingredient needed is Sodium Nitrate. It is readily available fertilizer from any gardening store.
Pour 200ml of hot distilled water to a pre-heated 1liter Pyrex container, 1 quart mason jar will work. Add approx. 400 gm of Sodium Nitrate to dissolve (Potassium Nitrate can be used as well). Once the Nitrate is completely dissolved allow it to cool down well below the boiling point, but still hot. To this solution SLOWLY add 110 ml conc. Sulfuric Acid while stirring. Do not allow the solution to boil. Cool the solution to room temperature.
Place the jar in the freezer and allow the solution to reach ~ -5 degrees Celsius. Once all of the precipitate has settled, pour off the solution to a glass container with a tightly sealed lid. Discard the precipitate. (Make sure not to transfer any of the sulfate salt) You have just made over 300ml of ~ 50% Nitric Acid.
Fair Word Of Caution! You are dealing with concentrated acids. Take all safety precautions when dealing with concentrated acids. Make sure you wear rubber gloves, face shield and protective clothing. If you spill any of the acid, wash with plenty of water.
To refine Silver, dissolve several ounces of scrap metal in Nitric Acid. This will take some time, but make sure that all of the metal is in solution. Heating the solution will speed up the reaction. Do Not Boil.
Filter the solution using several coffee filters, keeping the clear solution. The Silver dissolved is in the form of Silver Nitrate.
The easiest way to get the Silver to drop out of the solution is to use Copper. Copper pipe, plate or any piece of solid copper will do. Suspend the Copper, using household twine in the acid solution. A white-grayish precipitate will start to accumulate around the copper. Tap gently the suspended Copper, and the Silver precipitate will sink to the bottom. What you are doing here is replacing the Silver Nitrate with Copper Nitrate, causing Silver to drop out of the solution.
Allow the solution to sit overnight and all of the precipitate will settle to the bottom.
The remaining solution should be crystal-blue in color. If not, use more Copper to get all of the Silver out. Filter the solution using several coffee filters, this time keeping the precipitate. Wash it several times using distilled water. There should not be any blue Copper Nitrate around the filter. Discard the spent solution and dry the filtrate. This precipitate is Silver. Place the dry precipitate in a crucible or a small graphite container. In a circular motion, using a torch, melt the precipitate in nuggets or the desired shape.
The result is over 99% pure Silver!
About the Author:
Mirko Davidovic-CEO of fyi4u, winemakingplus; formal education in Chemical Eng Tech.,Biochemistry and Psychology.Here is a unique way to accumulate Silver and Gold Never before possibleReal Gold...Real Deal
Goodbye Animal Testing-Hello Health By Biochips by Jason Witt
When you receive the Seal you will begin to care both about your health and about the environment. A new technology promises that a lot of animal testing can be eliminated and at the same time make it much cheaper for new drugs to come to market.
The new technology involves biochips, the MetaChip and the DataChip. These biochips act just like the body act when it takes a drug. They will be able to show whether there are any toxic side-effects of taking the drug.
As high as 70 percent of new drugs being developed have to be scrapped because they are toxic to the body. But this is not discovered until after each drug cost hundreds of millions of dollars in research money.
These biochips promise to eliminate all that wasted cost in drug development. And they promise to eliminate much of the unethical experimenting currently done on animals.
The European Union has banned all such testing on animals and that is set to begin in 2009. At that time there will be quite a market opened up for the biochips.
The biochips are glass slides dotted with tiny droplets of enzymes from the human body. The MetaChip has liver enzymes. It can show whether a drug is toxic to the liver.
The DataChip contains enzymes from the bladder or kidney as well as the liver. Those can also be tested for toxicity. And if there is any toxicity it will be found much earlier in the drug trial process, saving huge amounts of money.
Animal testing is not just unethical. Its accuracy is also dubious. There is always a question of whether humans will have the same reaction animals have. It can give a general idea, but nothing specific enough.
The biochips show how humans will react. And yet what is being developed now is still not specific enough of testing. The researchers have big dreams for biochips, including "personalized" testing.
In the future, every sick person can have his or her own biochips made from enzymes from his or her body. That way drugs can be tested for their reaction with that individual person, not for all people in general.
This heralds and important development in medicine--the "personalization" of medical treatment. In the future drugs can be chosen and even developed for individuals or smaller, more specific groups of people. Drugs currently are developed for everyone and anyone.
And that is not good. People vary widely in their genetics and predispositions to disease. Their chemical make-ups are different. So why not treat them differently, since they are different?
That is what this new technology promises, although we are not there yet. This is only the beginning. Another dream researchers have is the dream of including more organs in the biochips.
In the future all the organs can be tested, including the heart, the brain, and the skin. This will give a more holistic picture of the reaction of the body of a person to a particular drug.
When you are sealed you will begin to notice your health and the environment too. God will show you how to both extend your life and take care so you do not destroy the earth 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
The new technology involves biochips, the MetaChip and the DataChip. These biochips act just like the body act when it takes a drug. They will be able to show whether there are any toxic side-effects of taking the drug.
As high as 70 percent of new drugs being developed have to be scrapped because they are toxic to the body. But this is not discovered until after each drug cost hundreds of millions of dollars in research money.
These biochips promise to eliminate all that wasted cost in drug development. And they promise to eliminate much of the unethical experimenting currently done on animals.
The European Union has banned all such testing on animals and that is set to begin in 2009. At that time there will be quite a market opened up for the biochips.
The biochips are glass slides dotted with tiny droplets of enzymes from the human body. The MetaChip has liver enzymes. It can show whether a drug is toxic to the liver.
The DataChip contains enzymes from the bladder or kidney as well as the liver. Those can also be tested for toxicity. And if there is any toxicity it will be found much earlier in the drug trial process, saving huge amounts of money.
Animal testing is not just unethical. Its accuracy is also dubious. There is always a question of whether humans will have the same reaction animals have. It can give a general idea, but nothing specific enough.
The biochips show how humans will react. And yet what is being developed now is still not specific enough of testing. The researchers have big dreams for biochips, including "personalized" testing.
In the future, every sick person can have his or her own biochips made from enzymes from his or her body. That way drugs can be tested for their reaction with that individual person, not for all people in general.
This heralds and important development in medicine--the "personalization" of medical treatment. In the future drugs can be chosen and even developed for individuals or smaller, more specific groups of people. Drugs currently are developed for everyone and anyone.
And that is not good. People vary widely in their genetics and predispositions to disease. Their chemical make-ups are different. So why not treat them differently, since they are different?
That is what this new technology promises, although we are not there yet. This is only the beginning. Another dream researchers have is the dream of including more organs in the biochips.
In the future all the organs can be tested, including the heart, the brain, and the skin. This will give a more holistic picture of the reaction of the body of a person to a particular drug.
When you are sealed you will begin to notice your health and the environment too. God will show you how to both extend your life and take care so you do not destroy the earth 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
Fuel Cells by David Tanguay
Fuel cells are simple devices, containing no moving parts and only four functional component elements: cathode, electrolyte, anode and interconnect. Fuel cells are actually being used more widely than many people think.
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices similar to batteries that directly convert chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy and heat. They are {readmore}different from batteries in that they consume reactant, which must be replenished, while batteries store electrical energy chemically in a closed system.
Fuel cells are very useful as power sources in remote locations, such as spacecraft, remote weather stations, large parks, rural locations, and in certain military applications where conventional power may be difficult to obtain.
Although fuel cells are usually classified by their operating temperature and the type of electrolyte they use, they are not constrained by the maximum Carnot cycle efficiency as combustion engines are, because they do not operate with a thermal cycle.
There are many benefits to fuel cells, first, they are not dependent on dwindling oil supplies, running instead on hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, and second, fuel cells are much less polluting and about twice as efficient as typical steam-turbine electricity production. They are an extremely clean source of power because they combine hydrogen and oxygen the two elements that make up water, the main byproduct.
Fuel cells are no longer tomorrow's technology, the stuff of science fiction and space travel. They are used in many different applications that may not seem like a significant achievement, however the ways in which they can be used are growing every day.
Fuel cells are proof that there are smart, safe, and clean alternative power sources. It is proof that we can be self sustaining and that dependence on fossil fuels will one day soon be obsolete. Fuel cells have been referred to as continuous batteries when they are supplied with fuel as the can be sustained for a long periods of time.
Fuel cells are ideal for power generation, either connected to the electric grid to provide primary power, supplemental power or backup assurance for critical demand, or installed as a grid-independent generator for on-site power in areas that are inaccessible by power lines. They are being used in many different ways in the world today.
· Buses
· Boats
· Trains
· Planes
· Scooters
· Laptop computers
· Cell Phones
These are just a few of the things that can fuel cells can power. There are many more and still more are in development.
Fuel cells are used in many different commercial and industrial applications, and are being seriously scrutinized to become the key component of the nations plan to secure energy for the future.
About the Author:
David Tanguay is dedicated to providing research, reviews & helpful information to consumers and businesses. For more information related to Green Energy and Fuel Cell please visit http://greenenergyonline.org
Fuel cells are electrochemical devices similar to batteries that directly convert chemical energy of a fuel into electrical energy and heat. They are {readmore}different from batteries in that they consume reactant, which must be replenished, while batteries store electrical energy chemically in a closed system.
Fuel cells are very useful as power sources in remote locations, such as spacecraft, remote weather stations, large parks, rural locations, and in certain military applications where conventional power may be difficult to obtain.
Although fuel cells are usually classified by their operating temperature and the type of electrolyte they use, they are not constrained by the maximum Carnot cycle efficiency as combustion engines are, because they do not operate with a thermal cycle.
There are many benefits to fuel cells, first, they are not dependent on dwindling oil supplies, running instead on hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, and second, fuel cells are much less polluting and about twice as efficient as typical steam-turbine electricity production. They are an extremely clean source of power because they combine hydrogen and oxygen the two elements that make up water, the main byproduct.
Fuel cells are no longer tomorrow's technology, the stuff of science fiction and space travel. They are used in many different applications that may not seem like a significant achievement, however the ways in which they can be used are growing every day.
Fuel cells are proof that there are smart, safe, and clean alternative power sources. It is proof that we can be self sustaining and that dependence on fossil fuels will one day soon be obsolete. Fuel cells have been referred to as continuous batteries when they are supplied with fuel as the can be sustained for a long periods of time.
Fuel cells are ideal for power generation, either connected to the electric grid to provide primary power, supplemental power or backup assurance for critical demand, or installed as a grid-independent generator for on-site power in areas that are inaccessible by power lines. They are being used in many different ways in the world today.
· Buses
· Boats
· Trains
· Planes
· Scooters
· Laptop computers
· Cell Phones
These are just a few of the things that can fuel cells can power. There are many more and still more are in development.
Fuel cells are used in many different commercial and industrial applications, and are being seriously scrutinized to become the key component of the nations plan to secure energy for the future.
About the Author:
David Tanguay is dedicated to providing research, reviews & helpful information to consumers and businesses. For more information related to Green Energy and Fuel Cell please visit http://greenenergyonline.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
