Organic (Biological) Weathering Explained

Organic (Biological) Weathering Explained Organic weathering, also called bioweathering or biological weathering, is the general name for biological processes of weathering that break down rocks. This includes the physical penetration and growth of roots and digging activities of animals (bioturbation), as well as the action of lichens and moss on various minerals.   How Organic Weathering Fits Into the Larger Geological Picture Weathering is a process by which surface rock breaks down. Erosion is a process by which weathered rock is moved by natural forces such as wind, waves, water, and ice. There are three types of weathering: Physical or mechanical weathering (for example, water gets into cracks in rock and then freezes, pushing against the rock from the inside);Chemical weathering (for example, oxygen interacts with iron in rocks, causing the iron to turn to rust and thus weakening the rock)Organic or biological weathering (for example, the roots of a tree grow into boulders in the soil and splitting the boulders apart over time) While these different types of weathering can be described as different from one another, they also work together. For example, tree roots may split boulders more easily because the rocks have been weakened as a result of chemical or physical weathering.   Plant-Related Biological Weathering Tree roots, because of their size, cause a significant amount of biological weathering. But even much smaller plant-related actions can weather rocks. For example: Weeds pushing through road surfaces or cracks in boulders can expand gaps in the rock. These gaps fill with water. When the water freezes, the roads or boulders crack. Lichen (fungi and algae living together in a symbiotic relationship) can cause a great deal of weathering. Chemicals produced by fungi can break down the minerals in rocks. Algae consume the minerals. As this process of breakdown and consumption continues, rocks start to develop holes.  As described above, holes in rocks are vulnerable to physical weathering caused by the freeze/melt cycle. Animal-Related Biological Weathering Animal interactions with rock can cause significant weathering. As with plants, animals can set the stage for further physical and chemical weathering. For example: Tiny burrowing animals secrete acids or scrape their way into rock to create rocky burrows. This process weakens the rock and actually starts the weathering process.Larger animals leave feces or urine on rock. The chemicals in animal waste can corrode minerals in rock.Larger burrowing animals shift and move rock, creating spaces where water can accumulate and freeze. Human-Related Biological Weathering Human beings have a dramatic weathering effect. Even a simple path in the woods has an impact on the soil and rocks that make up the path. Major changes affected by humans include: Construction moving, scoring, and smashing rock for construction of buildings and transportation systemsMining massive projects involve stripping entire hillsides or making major changes to or removing rock from under the surface of the EarthAgriculture in addition to moving rocks to make farming possible, human beings also change the composition of the soil through fertilization and application of herbicides.

Understanding Experimental Groups

Understanding Experimental Groups Scientific experiments often include two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Heres a closer look at the experimental group and how to distinguish it from the experimental group. Key Takeaways: Experimental Group The experimental group is the set of subjects exposed to a change in the independent variable. While its technically possible to have a single subject for an experimental group, the statistical validity of the experiment will be vastly improved by increasing the sample size.In contrast, the control group is identical in every way to the experimental group, except the independent variable is held constant. Its best to have a large sample size for the control group, too.Its possible for an experiment to contain more than one experimental group. However, in the cleanest experiments, only one variable is changed. Experimental Group Definition An experimental group in a scientific experiment is the group on which the experimental procedure is performed. The independent variable is changed for the group and the response or change in the dependent variable is recorded. In contrast, the group that does not receive the treatment or in which the independent variable is held constant is called the control group. The purpose of having experimental and control groups is to have sufficient data to be reasonably sure the relationship between the independent and dependent variable is not due to chance. If you perform an experiment on only one subject (with and without treatment) or on one experimental subject and one control subject you have limited confidence in the outcome. The larger the sample size, the more probable the results represent a real correlation. Example of an Experimental Group You may be asked to identify the experimental group in an experiment as well as the control group. Heres an example of an experiment and how to tell these two key groups apart. Lets say you want to see whether a nutritional supplement helps people lose weight. You want to design an experiment to test the effect. A poor experiment would be to take a supplement and see whether or not you lose weight. Why is it bad? You only have one data point! If you lose weight, it could be due to some other factor. A better experiment (though still pretty bad) would be to take the supplement, see if you lose weight, stop taking the supplement and see if the weight loss stops, then take it again and see if weight loss resumes. In this experiment you are the control group when you are not taking the supplement and the experimental group when you are taking it. Its a terrible experiment for a number of reasons. One problem is that the same subject is being used as both the control group and the experimental group. You dont know, when you stop taking treatment, that is doesnt have a lasting effect. A solution is to design an experiment with truly separate control and experimental groups. If you have a group of people who take the supplement and a group of people who do not, the ones exposed to the treatment (taking the supplement) are the experimental group. The ones not-taking it are the control group. How to Tell Control and Experimental Group Apart In an ideal situation, every factor that affects a member of both the control group and experimental group is exactly the same except for one the independent variable. In a basic experiment, this could be whether something is present or not. Present experimental; absent control. Sometimes, its more complicated and the control is normal and the experimental group is not normal. For example, if you want to see whether or not darkness has an effect on plant growth. Your control group might be plants grown under ordinary day/night conditions. You could have a couple of experimental groups. One set of plants might be exposed to perpetual daylight, while another might be exposed to perpetual darkness. Here, any group where the variable is changed from normal is an experimental group. Both the all-light and all-dark groups are types of experimental groups. Sources Bailey, R.A. (2008). Design of Comparative Experiments. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521683579. Hinkelmann, Klaus and Kempthorne, Oscar (2008). Design and Analysis of Experiments, Volume I: Introduction to Experimental Design (Second ed.). Wiley. ISBN 978-0-471-72756-9.

Who Lost China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Who Lost China - Essay Example A loose coalition of Communists and Nationalists in China assisted by the United States and other allied powers had successfully defeated the Japanese forces. The failure to reach an agreement between the two principals, the Communists under Mao Dze Dong and the Nationalists under Chiang Kai Sheik led to a civil war ending in the loss of China to Communism in 1949. The loss of China was essentially the result of deterioration in Nationalist power and influence, inability of American foreign policy to influence events and long term antipathy towards aliens in the country. The Nationalist forces after years of corruption and misgovernance had lost the initiative in the country. The Nationalists lacked popular support, suffered from poor morale and a corrupt leadership. The deficiencies were mainly intrinsic to the Nationalist forces as has also been indicated in the White Paper published by the US Government in 1949.1 While they were not defeated on the battlefield their organizational cohesion which is a function of leadership, confidence and a will to resist had collapsed. The Americans supported Chiang who had lost considerable status as a national leader and the Nationalist Army was no match for the Communists due to break down of a will to fight. The Communists on the other hand could impose discipline and win over the people.

The Constitution Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Constitution - Thesis Example He further contends that many were disenfranchised and discriminated by the common law and thus were not represented in the Convention during its drafting which included countless adult males. In addition, most of the states at that time imposed property qualifications on the voters and consequently barred non-taxpayers. As most of the members of the conventions were lawyers and representatives of personalty, these individuals were 1'directly and personally interested in the outcome of their labors' and would economically benefit from the passage of the Constitution (Beard 59). Furthermore, Beard asserts that since these men were mostly merchants, shippers, bankers, speculators, and private and public securities holders, the Constitution was not crafted by 'the whole people.' Beard's assertions remained undisputed until 1956 when Robert Brown's critique titled Charles Beard and the Constitution: A Critical Analysis of An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution dispels and attacks Beard's thesis and conclusions for their lack of merit. Brown, attacking Beard's objectivity, argues that Beard failed to collect compelling data and evidence to support his contentions. In his critique, Brown scrutinizes the support for the Constitution among diverse economic and social divisions, the democratic character of the country, and the franchise within the states in eighteenth-century America. He holds that Beard was misguided and further added that, eighteenth-century America was democratic, the franchise was common, and there was extensive backing for the Constitution, alleging that his evidence contradicts Beard's arguments about the lack of democracy and the insubstantial support for the Constitution. According to Brown, since the Founding Fathers upheld the F ederal voting system done by indirect representation, the ratification of the Constitution was a democratic process and everyone's interests were aptly represented. Brown further argues that the constitution was not merely an economic document in which property was protected but it also stressed safeguards to life and liberty. This protection of property, Brown adds, is also essential to the protection of the individual and liberty. A close scrutiny of the US Constitution is necessary in order to resolve this conflict as the issue has its precedence in the Constitution itself. The textbook, 'We The People,' states that the charter 2'attempts to create a government that would be strong to protect commerce and property rights yet weak enough to threaten individual liberty.' The statement strengthens Brown's contentions that the provisions governing the protection of property are significant parts of the constitution. The Constitution also emphasizes that that the framers, 3'feared the call of equality' which could result to equal allotment of property, and consequently violate the freedom of property owners. Although Beard is right with his assertions that the economic interests of the framers and those who represented the public were given utmost importance, the focus on economic interests and rights to property as well as protection of those rights fortified individual freedom. It is also important to note that these economic interpretations of the

Socrates In Platos Apology Philosophy Essay

Socrates In Platos Apology Philosophy Essay In this essay I will discuss the character of Socrates as he is presented in the Apology, I will look at Socrates as a religious fanatic and an apostle of reason. I will provide an argument from my own personal stance that the character of Socrates in the Apology is a variation of both religious fanatic and apostle of reason. I will also make reference to Crito in order to strengthen my position that Socrates is indeed a religious man of reason. First I shall discuss the Apology and provide examples to strengthen my argument that Socrates is a man of religion and reason. Secondly I shall provide examples from Crito showing that Socrates is a moral and just philosopher. In Platos Apology, Socrates says to the jury that if they said to him, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Socrates, we do not believe Anytus now; we acquit you, but only on condition that you spend no more time on this investigation and do not practice philosophyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Socrates 29c-d, 2012), he would rather obey god than the men of Athens and practice philosophy as long as he is breathing. Socrates would continue to question the Athenian citizens about wisdom, truth, and the best state for ones soul, proving that wealth, reputation, and honor are not the most important things in life. According to Socrates, fulfilling his obligation to god is more important than what the law may tell him to do because in practicing philosophy, he is serving god. Be sure that this is what the god orders me to do, and I think there is no greater blessing for the city than my service to the god, (Socrates 30a, 2012). By sentencing Socrates, the men of Athens are mistreating gods gift to them because god himself a ttached Socrates to the city in order for him to question those he encounters. By teaching them about virtue and how important the soul is, Socrates shows them how to live the good life and live it well. As a result of Socrates being given to Athens as a gift from god to question the Athenians to enlighten them and bring about positive outcomes, he is entitled to disobey the courts verdict. If he was breaking the law and harming Athens it would be wrong and immoral, but because god sent him to do this duty, he must overcome every obstacle in his way to do so. There is no inconsistency between what he says in Crito about upholding the laws and never breaking them. What Socrates says in Platos Apology proves that he has found a common ground between reason and religion. Therefore, Socrates is both a religious fanatic and apostle of reason. Thus Socrates argument to continue practicing philosophy even if the men of Athens rule that he should not, is completely justifiable and moral. The Gods placed Socrates in Athens to act as a gadfly stinging Athens in order to wake up the lazy Athenian citizens. Socrates is acting as an apostle of reason and religious fanatic when he challenged the wise men of Athens. After receiving a prophecy from: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the god at Delphi (Socrates 20e, 2012), that he is the wisest of all men, Socrates concludes that he knows nothing so he mu st be the wisest in the sense that he knows nothing for sure. By challenging the wisest of Athens he follows the Gods wishes in a reasonable way. Through argument, question, and discussion, Socrates exposes false wisdom as ignorance which I argue is fulfilling his obligation to the Gods and reason. Socrates believed that he was following the gods plan for him; it was his moral obligation to question those who claim to be wise. As a philosopher one ought to act as an apostle of reason, whether it is to argue against the government to determine whether a law or idea is justified or completely wrong and determine through reason how to replace it with a new law or idea that has been proved to be correct. A Philosopher is a lover of wisdom which follows the obligation to cross-examine people in order to find out where or not that are wise or just ignorant. As a religious fanatic and apostle of reason Socrates attempted to teach people he argued with that instead of claiming to be wise and arguing for their ideas without reason along with claiming that any previous idea contradictory to theirs was wrong, one should be open to all objections because we are all truly ignorant. In the Apology, Socrates attempted to persuade people through argument and reason to question everything becau se not everything can be answered by saying, God did it. In order to strengthen my argument I shall refer to examples from Crito proving that Socrates is a variation of apostle of reason and religious fanatic. Socrates states that doing wrong to someone is wrong therefore it is immoral. Similar to the Apology, Socrates uses reason to prove his point. Escaping Athens and going against its verdict is disregarding the law, which is immoral and unjust. Socrates makes a connection between the laws of Athens and morals. By escaping, Socrates would be acting against the laws of Athens and disregarding everything he stood for up to this point. By fleeing, Socrates would destroy the citys laws and through the city, all of its citizens. This relationship between a citizen and the city is similar to the relationship between a parent and child. From the city, Socrates was brought to birth, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was it not through us that your father married your mother and begat you? (Socrates 50d, 2012). Athens instructed Socrates father to get him an educa tion and made sure he was nurtured. Socrates cannot deny that he was brought up being properly educated and nurtured by Athens, therefore he cannot deny being an offspring and servant to it. Just like Socrates is on equal footing with his father, he must respect his superiors wishes. If his father scolded him or beat him, he would not do the same in return to his father because he is superior. From birth Socrates was taught to obey the laws of Athens like his parents did. The laws of Athens should be respected just as much as one does their parent. Your parents teach you what is right and what is wrong, thus it is immoral to disrespect or treat your parents poorly as it is them that have invested in you and raised you into the person that you are. Due to the fact that Socrates is an apostle of reason he cannot go against his parents actions/wishes, he cannot do the same even to Athens because Athens is more sacred than your mother and father and it is to be revered. Even if one feels the sentence was unjust, they should not do anything in return, according to Socrates No Harm Principle. This principle is one of the two fundamental principles needed for a city to function properly. It states, One should never do wrong in return, nor do any man harm, no matter what he may have done to you, (Socrates 49c, 2012). The other fundamental principle is the Just-Agreement Principle which maintains that when one has come to an agreement that is just with someone , they should fulfill it and not cheat on it. By leaving Athens, Socrates will break the Just Agreement Principle and be doing harm which goes against both his principles. If no one obeyed these principles, the citizens would no longer obey the laws and the city would not exist. By remaining in Athens and accepting death Socrates shows he truly loves and respects Athens. In death one will receive peace but if one were to flee and attempt to destroy the laws which hold Athens together, they will be judged harshly and have a rough welcoming in Hades, according to Socrates. Thus, Socrates believed it was always wrong to disobey the laws. According to Socrates the only rational and reasonable way is to accept the punishment given by the law, regardless of what it is. The objective of having laws in place is to teach virtue to those who inhabit the city. The rules which are implemented in the laws act as an outline for how to behave. The laws direct behaviour, censure, and praise in such a way that ensures that the citizens within the city will go after positive goals and partake in positive activities in order to keep the city secure. The fact that Socrates would rather stay in Athens and die rather than flee and love proves that he is an apostle of reason. I believe that by Socrates following through with his death sentence ordered by the Athenians, he proved that he is wise and he stood up for what he believes in. Socrates made a wise decision by refusing to escape and accept his death sentence. If Socrates would have decided to flee Athens to avoid hi s sentence he would not be an apostle of reason; Socrates would not have been able to get his point across. I will also argue that by remaining in Athens rather than escaping it solidifies my argument that Socrates is also a religious fanatic. The gods placed him in Athens for a reason and Socrates fulfilled his service for the gods until his last breath. Work Cited Plato . A PLATO READER: Eight Essential Dialogues Apology. Ed. C. D. C. Reeve. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2012. 21-46. Print. Plato . A PLATO READER: Eight Essential Dialogues Crito. Ed. C. D. C. Reeve. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2012. 47-59. Print.

Midwest Office Products Management Essay

Case Overview: MidWest Office Product was a regional distributor of office supplies to institutions and commercial businesses. The company offered a comprehensive product line like simple writing implements and fasteners to specialty paper for modern high-speed copiers and printers. Warehouse personnel in the company’s distribution center unloaded truckload shipments from manufactures, and moved the cartons into designated storage location until customers request the items. Typically, the company shipped products to its customers using commercial truckers; however the MOP had introduced the new way of shipment which called a desktop delivery option in which the personnel delivered the products directly to the destinations at the customer’s site. The company believed that the new way of shipments would improve the margins and create more loyal customers in its competitive market. Moreover, the MOP introduced the electronic data interchange, which allowed customers’ orders to arrive automatically into the system so that clerks wouldn’t have to enter the data manually. John Malone, general manager of Midwest Office Products, was concerned about the financial results of his business for a calendar year 2013. Malone was concerned that even after introducing the innovations, the company couldn’t earn a profit. The company’s management team decided to check out: What actions he should take to regain the profit? What profits Midwest Office Products had really earned on each of the orders stated? Case Solutions: According to calculations made on the Excel sheet, we think that in order for MOP regain the profits the company should look on the following recommendations: 1) To encourage customers to use more efficient and cheaper types of channels, like in this case the EDI. As you could see on the excel sheet 1 the electronic entry costs $3.50 which is the cheapest way of entering the information about the orders. 2) Improve the efficiency of the warehouse operations and order-entry process ( manual and electronic). We could recommend to decrease the amount of order-entry operators. The following action will help the company to decrease the costs on personnel. 3) To improve the Desktop Delivery option meaning to introduce the specific charges for the following options depending on the amount of drop points, distance, time consumed for travelling If the cost for Desktop Delivery is $75 per hour, the company should introduce the specific charges for a such delivery because it costs almost 5 times higher as the commercial freight. 4) It’s highly recommended to minimize the amount of small orders, may be it would be efficient to establish the minimum order size or put the minimum price for an order

Who Am I, Hedwig - 1291 Words

Who am I, Hedwig? – A Puzzling Question Indeed Who are you? The simple question that every icebreaker we play during the first week of school is essentially probing at. But is it really that simple? Most of us answer by saying our name, age, where we come from, maybe even what we like, but do those details really characterize who we are? Do they outline our â€Å"identity†? Identity is how we perceive ourselves and what others believe us to be. It involves a set of characteristics that locates us in particular groups, societies, and so forth. These features are the foundations of our identity, but in order to truly develop a sense of identity, it is essential to have a sense of self-awareness. Identity is socially constructed, in a way that once an individual assumes a particular identity, they acquire and exhibit specific social characteristics. Thus once one understands that â€Å"who we are† is fashioned by society, they can come to terms with the notion that how we view ourselves and how others see us is not sta tic. Society has formulated a definition for identity and yet it does not take into account the different positions on identity and how it may relate to gender. My standpoint in regards to gender is largely shaped by my social identities, which include my racial and ethnic background, my sexual identity, and my age. These factors, along with my background and personal experiences, define who I am and how I wish the world to see me. Racial and ethnic backgrounds play greatShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Gender Identity1719 Words   |  7 Pagesdistinctions are still only thought of in terms of homo and heterosexual nature. People who move fluidly along this spectrum, specifically transsexuals, are not given the same type of validation and community as other respective groups (gay and lesbian communities). 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