Nuclear Power Essays (1719 words) - Hazardous Waste, Radioactivity

Nuclear Power Radioactive wastes, must for the protection of mankind be stored or disposed in such a manner that isolation from the biosphere is assured until they have decayed to innocuous levels. If this is not done, the world could face severe physical problems to living species living on this planet. Some atoms can disintegrate spontaneously. As they do, they emit ionizing radiation. Atoms having this property are called radioactive. By far the greatest number of uses for radioactivity in Canada relate not to the fission, but to the decay of radioactive materials - radioisotopes. These are unstable atoms that emit energy for a period of time that varies with the isotope. During this active period, while the atoms are 'decaying' to a stable state their energies can be used according to the kind of energy they emit. Since the mid 1900's radioactive wastes have been stored in different manners, but since several years new ways of disposing and storing these wastes have been developed so they may no longer be harmful. A very advantageous way of storing radioactive wastes is by a process called 'vitrification'. Vitrification is a semi-continuous process that enables the following operations to be carried out with the same equipment: evaporation of the waste solution mixed with the ------------------------------------------------------------ 1) borosilicate: any of several salts derived from both boric acid and silicic acid and found in certain minerals such as tourmaline. additives necesary for the production of borosilicate glass, calcination and elaboration of the glass. These operations are carried out in a metallic pot that is heated in an induction furnace. The vitrification of one load of wastes comprises of the following stages. The first step is 'Feeding'. In this step the vitrification receives a constant flow of mixture of wastes and of additives until it is 80% full of calcine. The feeding rate and heating power are adjusted so that an aqueous phase of several litres is permanently maintained at the surface of the pot. The second step is the 'Calcination and glass evaporation'. In this step when the pot is practically full of calcine, the temperature is progressively increased up to 1100 to 1500 C and then is maintained for several hours so to allow the glass to elaborate. The third step is 'Glass casting'. The glass is cast in a special container. The heating of the output of the vitrification pot causes the glass plug to melt, thus allowing the glass to flow into containers which are then transferred into the storage. Although part of the waste is transformed into a solid product there is still treatment of gaseous and liquid wastes. The gases that escape from the pot during feeding and calcination are collected and sent to ruthenium filters, condensers and scrubbing columns. The ruthenium consists of ------------------------------------------------------------ 2) condensacate: product of condensation. glass pellets coated with ferrous oxide and maintained at a temperature of 500 C. In the treatment of liquid wastes, the condensates collected contain about 15% ruthenium. This is then concentrated in an evaporator where nitric acid is destroyed by formaldehyde so as to maintain low acidity. The concentration is then neutralized and enters the vitrification pot. Once the vitrification process is finished, the containers are stored in a storage pit. This pit has been designed so that the number of containers that may be stored is equivalent to nine years of production. Powerful ventilators provide air circulation to cool down glass. The glass produced has the advantage of being stored as solid rather than liquid. The advantages of the solids are that they have almost complete insolubility, chemical inertias, absence of volatile products and good radiation resistance. The ruthenium that escapes is absorbed by a filter. The amount of ruthenium likely to be released into the environment is minimal. Another method that is being used today to get rid of radioactive waste is the 'placement and self processing radioactive wastes in deep underground cavities'. This is the disposing of toxic wastes by incorporating them into molten silicate rock, with low permeability. By this method, liquid wastes are injected into a deep underground cavity with mineral treatment and allowed to self-boil. The resulting steam is processed at ground level and recycled in a closed system. When waste addition is terminated, the chimney is allowed to boil dry. The heat generated by the radioactive wastes then melts the surrounding rock, thus dissolving the wastes. When waste and water addition stop, the cavity temperature would rise to the melting point of the rock. As the molten rock mass increases in size, so does the surface area. This

buy custom The Science essay

buy custom The Science essay During the previous centuries, scientists accepted the hypothesis that brain had the capacity for adaptation only in infancy and early childhood. A brain considered to be hard-wired and lacking the ability to create new neural connections during the life. If such premises were true, in case any part of the brain of adults was damaged, it would not possible to regenerate it, and this particular brain area would lose the ability to perform its functions forever. The phenomenon of neuroplasticity rejected these presumptions. Nudo (2006) defines neuroplasticity as the potential of the brain to adapt its functional and structural organization as a result of life experience. It means that neurons can response to new information received from sensory stimulation and accustom to new challenges in life. The ability of neural cells to form new connections is a principal component of learning and recovering from brain damages. This is how the brain adjusts to environmental conditions; in the same way, it adjusts to a disease or an injury. Nevertheless, for efficient work of the brain, not only the number of neural cells matters, but also the connections between them. To ensure their presence, synapses, tiny communication links between neurons, are necessary. Neurons form the structure of the nrvous system whereas synapses turn this structure into a system. Then, new connections between neurons are built with the help of axonal sprouting (Liou, 2010). Axons make new pathways from one neural cell to another. Such a process of brain architecture construction starts before the birth and continues in adulthood. At the beginning, simple skills and neural connections are formed, then more complex circuits are constructed. Neural plasticity explains how people with brain injuries can go back to their usual lives with time. Brain injuries or diseases may destroy connections and skills created before. In such cases, axons need to cover longer distances than they used to form new pathways. Nonetheless, new connections appear. As a result, in case one of the hemispheres or some area in that hemisphere of the brain is damaged, the other hemisphere or some other area of the brain is able to take charge of some functions of the damaged one. For instance, people with injuries in Brocas area, which is responsible for speech production, learn how to speak again with the help of the brain area that is responsible for singing. Neurons make new connections when they are stimulated properly. The stimulation occurs in the process of rehabilitation. It presupposes brain exercises and physical activities designed to deveelop certain skills as well as build particular connections. In some cases, it is necessary to combine such kind of therapy with drugs that increase availability of required hormones. The process of rehabilitation is fragile and must be conducted carefully under professional guidance. Also, neural plasticity is a two-way process. It means that not only new connections can be formed but also synaptic clusters degenerate if they are no longer in use for a long time. Brain reorganization becomes difficult with aging. The reasons for that have not been yet fully defined. However, conducted experiments prove that the brains of adults and elderly people can be as responsive as the brains of children if they receive proper stimuli. Yet, brain requires training to prevent synapses from weakening. The phenomenon of neuroplasticity has not been fully explored yet. Scientists from different spheres, namely neurology, medical science, computer science, physiology, and mathematics, continue working on it. However, the results of their work are even now beneficial to people with brain impairments and diseases. The findings assist such people in leading regular lives or at least lessening the damage to their brains. The proper implication of this brain peculiarity can help people stay in good mental health even in old age. Buy custom The Science essay

Protection and Conservation of the Yosemite National Park and its Essay

Protection and Conservation of the Yosemite National Park and its architecture - Essay Example Protection and Conservation of the Yosemite National Park and its architecture Some of the places are Mariposa Grove, Curry Village, Parsons Memorial Lodge, Wawona Lodge and they represent a vital part of American history. With steep cuts in funding and the budget, it will be impossible to maintain the places. In the next few paragraphs, I will try to explain the architectural significance and cultural importance of these places. Curry Village: Curry Village is an unincorporated community based in the Mariposa County of Yosemite national park. The camp had its origins in 1899 when David Curry and Jenny Foster set up a tented camp for which they had obtained permission and rights. It was a bed and meal camp for 2 USD/ day. The camp gradually extended and it now includes wooden cabins for visitors, dining rooms, lodge and a post office. The architecture includes heritage grade structures such as rustic wood framed cabins with hipped roofs that are installed on stone foundation. Some of the old structures still available are the 1914 entrance, the registration off ice of 1904, the dance hall built in 1913, the Foster Curry cabin constructed in 1916 along with the Mother Curry Bungalow of 1917 and other structures. These are unique structures untouched by today’s commercial constructions and remind us of how our forefathers lived in the past century (Curry Cabin, 1978). Please refer to the following figure that shows the Curry Cabin. Figure 1. Curry Cabin at Yosemite Park (Curry Cabin, 1978) Parsons Memorial Lodge: The Parsons Memorial Lodge was built in 1915 by the Sierra Club in the Yosemite national park. It is one of the first structures built of stone in the park and it was built in memory of Edward Parsons, one of the clubs directors. The architecture is worth noting since it encloses 1400 square feet area and this is a one story structure. The walls are constructed with rubble masonry and concrete core with gray granite, pink feldspar for the mortar. While the base is more than thee feet, it gradually tapers to two foot at the to p. A strong stone archway is used for the door and the low pitch roof is made of peeled log rafters. Interior and exterior log braces are rested on the external buttresses. Smaller peeled logs are placed on top of the rafter logs. It is regarded as a National Historic Landmark (Parsons Memorial Lodge, 2010). Please refer to the following image of the structure. Figure 2. Parsons Memorial Lodge (Parsons Memorial Lodge, 2010) Wawona Lodge: The Wawona Hotel was built in 1876 at Wawona in the Yosemite national park. The Victorian style hotel was meant to house tourists who visited the Mariposa Grove and other areas of the park. The structure is made of seven buildings with a circular drive and centered fountains. The external walls are aligned to the four cardinal directions. The buildings have a wood frame construction with painted exteriors. There are multiple porches and decorative woodwork. The architectural importance is that it is the largest Victorian hotel complex in America. Th e format used has a rural placement while the buildings have a Greek Revival style, stick style and Eastlake styles, evident in railings, brackets, cornice returns and decorative balustrades. Most of furniture are period pieces though not antique (HABS, 2010). Please refer to the following image of the hotel. Figure 3. Wawona Hotel, Yosemite National Park (HABS, 2010) Mariposa Grove: The Mariposa Grove is one of the natural wonders of Yosemite Park. The grove is made up of more than 30 giant

Power and Persuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Power and Persuation - Essay Example The employees can improve their living standards since their income is increased. Reward power increases the competitive nature of the organization and hence is a tool towards fighting competition. Reward power increases the chances of expansion in an organization and hence can lay the foundation to internationalization. Reward power also has negative effects to both the employer and the employees. Some employees use reward power to take advantage of the productivity of employees. The rewards sometimes given do not match the required output. The employees may also reduce the quality of work since they mind about the amount of output rather than the quality. This may destroy the image of an organization and in uttermost cases may lead to collapse of the business Raven, 1964). Coercion is related to reward power in that it leads to increased output. However, in coercion the employer instills fear in the employees such that their productivity is due to the fear they have for the management. Instilling fear in employees has both negative and positive effects. It benefits the parties involved in different ways. The employer benefits since the work output is increased and hence they can operate more profitably. The fact that the employees are made to fear their employer creates forced respect between them. Respect between the employer and the employees ensure that duties are carried put as per the set rules and targets. Coercion reduces the chances of many common mistakes done because of arrogance and hence an organization reduces the risk of losses. However, coercion can also lead to exploitation of the employees. An employee is impelled to work beyond the required standard in terms of time and productivity. The employees cannot complain about their rights since they fear being fired. This leads to poor working conditions, which may even lead to sickness in industries involving

Data Analysis and Interpretation Research Paper

Data Analysis and Interpretation - Research Paper Example Using the value 0.05 level of significance, F-statistics, and an Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, the df num value is k-1, or 2 -1, or 1 and the df den value is T-k, or 150 - 2, or 148. So, with = 0.05, the critical value of F in this analysis of variance test was F0.05 (1, 148) = 253. Since computed F (FC) is less than Tabulated F (FT), Ho is accepted, which states that the British consumers' perception of "Rioja" wine attributes is affected by the image factors of "La Rioja" origin. In other words, the result of the "Analysis of Variance" (ANOVA) shows that the computed F, 1.117 is less than the tabular values of F-statistics, 253 at 0.05 degrees of freedom, 1, 148. This denotes that the British consumers' perception of "Rioja" wine attributes is affected by the image factors of "La Rioja" origin. The resultant R square value is 0.007. This is very far from the point of reference value 1. This shows that the correlation is not on the normal curve distribution. So, it is interpreted as very small positive correlation. In percentile (%), it is 0.7 which indicates significant differences in terms of the British consumers' perception of "Rioja" wine and the image factors of "La Rioja" origin. Moreover, because the R square value of 0.007 is not close to the adjusted R square value of 0.001, this signifies that the regression model is not fit for the data. The very small positive correlation denotes that the perception is uncorrelated with image or perception, it may be either large or small when the image is large and vice versa. This further implies that there is no systematic trend in British consumer's perception of "Rioja" wine as the image factors of "La Rioja" origin value increase. 2. Ho 2: The image of "La Rioja" origin has no direct influence on the British consumers' preference for "Rioja" wine; Data analysis on: Relationship of the image of "La Rioja" origin and the British consumers' preference for "Rioja" wine using analysis of variance (ANOVA) Relationship Computed F Tabulated F Interpretation Image versus Preference 334 253 Rejected Using 0.05 level of significance, F-statistics, and an Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, it was established that the df num value is k-1, or 2 -1, or 1 and the df den value is T-k, or 150 - 2, or 148. So, with = 0.05, the critical value of F in this analysis of variance test was F0.05 (1, 148) = 253. The computed F (FC) value is greater than Tabulated F (FT). Ho is rejected. This is because the result of the "Analysis of Variance" (ANOVA) shows that the computed F (334) is greater than the tabular values of F-statistics (253) at 0.05 degree of freedom (1, 148). This means that the image of "La Rioja" origin has direct influence on the British consumers' preference for "Rioja" wine Data analysis on: Correlation of the image of "La Rioja" origin and the British consumers' preference for "Rioja" wine Using coefficient of determination (R2) Correlation R2 Adjusted R2 Interpretation

Essay on the Importance of Perspective in Gullivers Travels

The Importance of Perspective Revealed in Gulliver's Travels       According to Gulliver, "Undoubtably philosophers are right when they tell us that nothing is great or small than by comparison." This quotation sums the knowledge a person would gather after making a vast study of different societies. The nature of humanity is being discussed, rather than physical size.    The Lilliputians are narrow-minded people who become angry over trivial matters, while the Brobdingnagians are a deeper people, in contrast. From an outsider's view, one nation would not be so great if another were not so poor. Actions which seem natural today may appear barbaric to the generations of the future just as the actions of the past generations abhor the students of today. Only by comparison to something better does a system of power or a way of life seem small or evil. This is the purpose of satire. When studying history, students may find the customs of the past primitive. However, the people of that time most likely did not believe that they were. Perspective is vital in any comparison. A person from a highly technological society cannot easily understand the lifestyle of a civilization n... ...person who sees it. When an aspect of life is held to something better, the frailties can be seen, and a change for the better may result.    Works Cited Davis, Herbert. Gulliver's Travels. Great Britain: Oxford. (1965). Gulliver's Travels. Ed. Paul Turner. World's Classics. Oxford: Oxford University, 1998. Greenacre, Phyllis. M.D. Swift and Carroll. New York: Int. Universities. (1977). The Writings of Jonathan Swift; Authoritative Texts, Backgrounds, Criticism. edited by Robert A. Greenberg and William Bowman Piper. Norton Critical Editions. New York: Norton, 1973.

Orientation to Counseling Theory

Having extensively learnt about counseling theories, I have already decided on the theory that would fit my desired line of work. My desire is to work with the chemically dependent because I believe that there is hope for them and that through cognitive behavior therapy it is possible to help them stop their unhealthy way of life. I know I will be met with client resistance and that cognitive behavioral theory has its own limitations but I will handle these. The most important thing is that I will try to use this theory to help the chemically dependent. Cognitive behavioral theory proposes that cognition is important for behavior change.According to the theory, the thoughts an individual has affects their behaviors and if an individual has negative thoughts, it would be very difficult for the individual to positively change their behavior (Perkinson, 2002). In counseling, this theory is applied to help clients through cognitive behavior interventions where both behavior and cognitive strategies are employed to help solve their psychological and behavioral problems (Perkinson, 2002). The theory explains that by altering an individual’s thinking processes, an individual can clearly think about the choices that they make as well as the behaviors they engage in.The theory views behaviors such as chemical dependence as learned behaviors which are acquired through life experiences (Perkinson, 2002). The cognitive behavioral theory is a combination of two theories which are the behavioral theory and the cognitive theory. This theory fits both my personal beliefs and my value system. Personally I strongly believe in guarding what I let dominate my mind. I believe that if I let my mind dwell on negative aspects of life, my behavior will follow suit. I also believe that if I find myself having negative thoughts, the ability to alter my thinking and start thinking positively is in my hands.I also do not see substance abuse as having any positive effect whether on a person or on the society. In fact, to me substance dependence is a major source of problems in the society one of which is marriage breakups. This theory fits these beliefs and values in that the theory explains that by altering the thinking processes one can alter their behavior. This theory fits the chemically dependent perfectly. This is because in counseling them my main objective would be to change their behavior. To change their behavior I would need to help them recognize that they have a problem and then work towards changing their behavior.Chemical dependence is a learned behavior that is usually acquired following continued use of a given substance (Kadden, 2002). In most cases these substances are used to achieve certain results in the absence of other means. For example having realized that alcohol enables one to temporarily forget their problems, one would repeatedly drink in an attempt to forget his or her problems and at long last the individual would become addicted . Using this theory it is possible to help the addicted individuals learn about the triggers of their behavior which could be either the environment or certain people (Kadden, 2002).The individuals can then be helped to respond differently to these triggers using healthy means. This way the addicted individuals would stop being chemically dependent by changing their way of thinking and thus the way they respond to the triggers. To help my clients I would have to formulate treatment goals. To help my clients using the cognitive behavioral theory, together with the client we would try to identify the particular needs that the substances are being used to meet (Kadden, 2002). This would be one of my goals.To do this I would talk with the client and ask them several questions such as when they are most likely to drink in order to find the trigger. After identifying the trigger, as a counselor my second treatment goal would be to help the client develop skills that would provide the clie nt with alternative ways of meeting the needs that the substance is being used to meet (Kadden, 2002). This way I would help the client to change their behavior and thus stop being dependent on drugs. In order to achieve positive results using the cognitive behavioral theory, both the client and I as a counselor have roles to play.To begin with, the client must be willing to change his or her negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts-the client needs to actively participate in the therapy. The client has the responsibility of providing as much information as possible to me as a counselor, this way I would know which is the best therapeutic approach to the client’s problem. As a counselor my work is to listen to the client carefully and prod for questions to gather as much information as I can to be in a position to help the client. Another role is to provide coping-skills training to the client to enable the client respond alternatively to triggers.I also shou ld encourage the client. Resistance from clients cannot be ignored. I understand that the clients will not happily play their role and that they may find it difficult to expose themselves to me. However, I will try to deal with this resistance in a way that is consistent with cognitive behavioral theory. As a counselor I will need to know what the client hoped to gain from substance abuse in different circumstances and I expect some of the clients to be hesitant. This could be due to embarrassment such as when use of substance is the only way a client can feel comfortable in social situations.As a counselor I would handle this resistance with understanding and assure the client that what they were trying to get from substance abuse is not unreasonable. I would explain to the client that the desire to blend during social occasions is common to many people. This way I would have helped the client in cognition. In dealing with chemically dependent individuals using cognitive behavioral theory I would apply several therapeutic techniques. One of this is the coping skills training method. I would choose this method depending on the information given to me by the client.Using this method I would help the client choose or develop an alternative healthy way of meeting a need as an alternative to taking the addictive substances (Kadden, 2002). This is because development of coping skills is a major step towards recovery from chemical dependence. Another therapeutic method that I would apply would be the relapse prevention technique. I would choose this method depending on whether a client is at high risk of relapse. Using this method I would help the client stop being dependent on chemicals by helping them avoid high risk situations (Kadden, 2002).Cognitive behavioral theory though good for helping the chemically dependent, it has its own limitations. One of these is that it does not fit everyone which means that not everyone will get off drugs following treatment usin g cognitive behavioral therapy (Perkinson, 2002). This also applies to other populations and not only to the chemically dependent. Another thing is that it calls for active participation from the client and in case the client is not active, the therapy may be ineffective. Active participation comes in the form of assignments which can be very challenging (Perkinson, 2002).Another limitation is that the method uses a confrontational approach where clients are supposed to face their shortcomings head on (Perkinson, 2002). Many clients may find this very uncomfortable and this may lead to resistance. Another thing is that since the work of counselors in cognitive behavioral therapy is to make the clients face their faulty beliefs, there is risk of therapists misusing their position to push clients to adopt the therapist’s beliefs which would compromise the neutrality of therapy (Perkinson, 2002).Cognitive behavioral theory as an approach to helping the chemically dependent limit s the clients I can deal with as well as the kind of settings I can encounter. This is despite the fact that the approach is very successful both with adult and adolescent clients and can be used in a wide variety of settings which range from inpatient to outpatient settings (Wanberg & Milkman, 1998). Groups of clients to whom my expertise as a cognitive behavior therapist would be limited include the clients with DSM-IV personality disorders and clients who are medically unstable (Wanberg & Milkman, 1998).In addition, I cannot work with unmotivated clients since they would not actively participate in the therapy and this would make the therapy unsuccessful (Wanberg & Milkman, 1998). Other forms of challenges are related to limited time and costs. Due to cost containment, some of the clients are usually unable to complete their sessions as some of the managed care organizations are unwilling to cover all the required sessions (Kadden, 2002).The recommended sessions for one who is un dergoing cognitive behavior therapy are 24 sessions but most of the managed care organizations are only willing to cover 6 sessions (Kadden, 2002). This leaves the clients afraid that they have not had enough treatment and this poses a challenge to the therapist who should work towards boosting the client’s confidence by assuring the client that they can overcome their addiction by employing the skills already learnt (Kadden, 2002). Following my extensive research and study on the cognitive behavioral theory, I have learnt a lot.To begin with I have learnt that this therapeutic approach cannot be used on all the clients who are chemically dependent. I have learnt that there are groups of clients to whom this therapy has limited effectiveness. I have also learnt that I would need additional training if I were to change people’s lives by practicing this theory. The most relevant course that I would wish to pursue would be a course in substance abuse counseling. By doing such a course, I would gain in-depth knowledge on the issue of drug abuse and how to help the addicts.References Kadden, R. M. (2002). Cognitive-behavior therapy for substance dependence: Coping skills training. Retrieved 19 August, 2010 from http://www. bhrm. org/guidelines/CBT-Kadden. pdf Perkinson, R. R. (2002). Chemical dependency counseling: A practical guide. California: Sage Publications. Wanberg, K. W. & Milkman, H. B. (1998). Criminal conduct and substance abuse treatment: Strategies for self-improvement and change; a provider’s guide. California: Sage Publications.