Lights and optics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lights and optics - Essay Example This theory formulated a new way of visualization of the propagation of waves called as â€Å"Huygens† Principle. Newton’s Particle Theory Newton’s particle theory of light is also known as the Corpuscular Theory of Light. Newton published Opticks in the year 1704, 17 years after the publishing of Principia (â€Å"Newton’s Particle Theory†). In Opticks, Newton said that light is made up of little masses, which implies that a horizontal light beam near the earth forms a parabola, thus undergoing a projectile motion. The immensity of the speed of particles of which light is composed is the reason why it is observed as a straight line in spite of its projectile motion. The speed of the travelling of light is 300m per microsecond, during which â€Å"it should fall a distance y = 1/2gt2 = 5*10-12 m, much too small to be seen† (â€Å"Newton’s Particle Theory†). The particle model easily explained a range of the then known properties o f light. For instance, it explained why the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection of light were equal as light reflected from a smooth surface. This also explained the phenomenon of bouncing back of a frictionless elastic ball from a smooth surface. Refraction is a major property of the particle theory of light. ... on of wave was in parallel direction to the wave travel’s direction rather than perpendicular to the wave travel direction as happens in the case of light. Although the Corpuscular Theory of Light could explain the phenomena of primary and secondary rainbows, yet it failed to lay down an appropriate explanation of the supernumerary bow, the iridescent cloud, or the corona. The Wave Theory of Light Huygens proposed a successful theory of the wave motion of light in three dimensions. In this theory, Huygens said that light wave emerges from surfaces like onion’s layers. Light waves are spherical in uniform mediums or vacuum. As the wave surfaces propagate with the speed of light, they spread out. According to Huygens, gravity does not affect the light waves. Huygens disagreed with Newton saying that the speed of light reduces as it travels from air to water whereas it increases when it moves from water to air. Later, Huygens was found to be correct. Each color exhibited b y the wave as it spreads out from the source carries a different wavelength. Supernumerary bows could be explained with the assumption of light as a wave. Huygens wave theory elaborates the reason why light spreads out of a slit or a pin hole instead of making a straight line. Although the theory of Newton preceded Huygens’s, yet early experiments were explained better by the theory of Huygens. Huygens’s principle can be used to assess the location of a certain wavefront in the future if its present location is known. The Dual Nature of Light In the year 1803, Thomas Young shone light through a screen to study the interference of light waves. The screen had two equally separated slits. As light passed through them, it emerged spreading out following the Huygen’s principle. The two wave fronts

Given Below Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Given Below - Essay Example n American groups, ostracized by institutional racism and cyclical poverty, employed this force in an effort to restructure government and attain more than just â€Å"equal rights†, but also equal opportunity. The endeavor culminated with the establishment of affirmative action, an effort to supersede the lack of equitable opportunity. White ethnicity resurged, in part defensively, as a response. White ethnics applied their cultural identification and political will toward the protection of their jobs and neighborhoods, which they felt were endangered by black demands. They perceived demands of blacks as a threat to their own opportunities and stridently opposed the anti-individual, group recognition of affirmative action. The authors’ argument is reasonable and persuasively delivered. The authors’ propose that black and ethnic cultural resurgence allowed a galvanization of political strength which served the strategic function of supporting and defending issues key to each group. Though inherently similar, these groups sought different political and socioeconomic goals, ultimately resulting in conflict (i.e. the riots of the late 1960s). The political efforts of these two groups, affirmative action and resistance toward de-individualization, strongly supports the authors’ argument that cultural identification was utilized as a stratagem for political and social strength and provides a cogent explanation for the resurgence of ethnic

The resistance of a piece of wire Essay Example for Free

The resistance of a piece of wire Essay To experiment whether the length of a piece of Nichrome wire affects the resistance in a circuit containing two batteries, a voltmeter, and an amp meter. Equipment List:    7 x connector wires   1 x nichrome wire at varied lengths 2 x 9V Battery   1 x Variable Resistor   1 x Ammeter   1 x Voltmeter Method: A circuit will be set up as shown below: Prediction: In the experiment, I predict that the longer the length of wire, the higher the resistance is going to be. This prediction is made because the electrons travelling through the wire have a higher chance of colliding with the wires particles stopping the natural flow of current. Also the higher the positioning of the variable resistor in the circuit, the higher the resistance overall in the circuit should be. Safety:    Make sure all wires and components in the circuit are connected properly to avoid resulting in short circuits. Keep the circuit well away from any water.   Dont overload the ammeter and voltmeter. Fair Test: To make the test fair, the same equipment in the circuit will be used each time any recording is taken. The recordings will be taken with values to two decimal places each time. OBTAINING EVIDENCE Results: Reading # 6 ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION Conclusion: The results prove that as the wire length increases by two times, so does the resistance. This agrees with the prediction made earlier, as the electrons travelling through the wire have a higher chance of colliding with the wires particles thus stopping the natural flow of current. Evaluation: The graph plotted represented how the length of a wire affects the resistance. No anomalous results were brought up, and so a line of best fit was easy to plot each time. The length of the wire is directly proportional to the resistance. To ensure further accuracy, there are certain things that could be changed in order to obtain better results: Take a wider set of results. Possibly twice as many, then work out the average. To further experiment on what factors affect the resistance of a wire, I could have tested the three other variables the cross-section, the material and the temperature. The experiment could have been carried in a controlled environment, allowing the temperature to remain constant and allow a fairer test. The wires used in the circuit contain a certain resistance, therefore certain wires with less resistance could have been used. Information for this coursework was taken from Encarta 98, Physics Matters by Nick England, and GCSE Physics by Richard Parsons.

Causes of the Increase in FDI Flows Across Countries

Causes of the Increase in FDI Flows Across Countries Growth literature The significant increase in FDI flows across countries is a clear indication of globalization of the world economies over the past 2 decades. Neoclassical model of growth as well as endogenous growth models provides the basis for most of the empirical work on the FDI-GROWH relationship. According to the neoclassical growth theory, economic growth generally comes from two sources: factors accumulation and total factor productivity growth (Felipe, 1997). Growth is easier to quantity and analyse while difficulties abound in the measurement of the Total Factor Production growth due to the lack of appropriate economic modeling techniques as well as lack of appropriate data. Neoclassical growth projected that based on aggregate production function that relates the total output of an economy to the aggregate amount of the labour, human capital, physical capital and level of technology, poor countries will grow faster than rich countries. Neoclassical growth theory implies that return on cap ital stock should be higher in poor countries than in rich countries. This implies that the impact of FDI is limited to its output growth effect in the short run, with no change in the long run growth rate. On the other hand, the Endogenous growth literature state that FDI can not only contribute to the economic growth through capital formation and technology transfers (Blomstrom et al.1996) but also do so through the augmentation of the level of knowledge through labour training and skill acquisition ( De Mello, 1999). Endogenous growth models emphasize on other channels including human capital accumulation and externalities or spillover effect through which FDI can promote growth in the long run. (Romer 1986, Loungani and Razin,2001). The three channels identify through which FDI affects growth; First, FDI increases capital accumulation in the host country by introducing new inputs and technologies (Dunning, 1993; Blomstrom et al. 1996). Second, FDI may stimulate knowledge transfers, both in terms of labour training and skill acquisition and by introducing alternative management practices and better organizational arrangements (De Mello, 1997).Third, FDI increases competition in the h ost country by overcoming entry barriers and reducing the market power of existing firms. Channels of Growth When a country’s foreign investment increase international production also increase rapidly, and thus investment only contribute towards the expansion of national markets but also larger scale regional and global markets( UNCTAD,1990). It is obvious that FDI will convey many benefits to the host country; one of them is economic growth. Hermes and Lensink(2000) has summarized different channels through which positive externalities related with FDI can arise namely: i)competition channel where increased competition is likely to result in increased productivity, investment in human and physical capital and efficiency. Increased competition may lead to changes in the industrial structure towards more competitiveness and more export oriented activities. ii) Training channel through increased training of labour and administration. FDI can also increase the quality of domestic human capital and improve the knowhow and managerial skills of local firms. (learning by watching effect) ii i) Linkages channel whereby foreign investment is often accompanied by technology transfer. FDI can encourage the adoption of new technology in the production process through capital spillovers. According to De Mello (1997) and OECD (2002), FDI affect growth is likely to depend on the economic and technological conditions in the host country. Therefore, technological spillover is possible only when there is certain minimum or threshold level of human capital available in the host country (Borensztein, et al. 1998) iv) domestic firms imitate the move advance technologies used by foreign firms commonly termed as the ‘demonstration channel’. By adapting new technologies and ideas (i.e. technological diffusion) they may catch up to the levels of technology in developed countries. The use of new technologies may be important in contributing to higher productivity of capital and labour in the host country. Local firms have an opportunity to improve their efficiency by learnin g and interacting with foreign firms. Benefits of FDI The economic rationale for offering special incentive to attract FDI frequently derives from the belief that foreign investment produces externalities in the form of technology transfers and spillovers. Spillover effects may take place when the entry or presence of foreign firms leads to productivity and efficiency benefits in the host country’s local firms (Blomstrà ¶m and Kokko 1998). There are two forms of spillover effects that foreign firms bring to the local industries which are Inter- and intra- industry spillover effects. Horizontal spillover also called intra-industry spillovers correspond to technological externalities associated with specific knowledge, such as management strategy and know-how and superior production techniques. Kokko (1996) argue that domestic firms benefits from the entry of foreign firms competition, imitation and workers’ productivity. Local firms will allocate more resources to product development and quality assurance in order to remain competitive. Gorg and Greenaway (2004) state that there are 4 channels through which horizontal spillover might occur Imitation which involves simulation of exclusive technology, management and marketing skills of foreign firms such that it will improve the productivity of local firms( Halpenn and Murakozy,2007) Human capital and labour turnover; Gory and Greenaway (2004) identify two mechanisms through which there is productivity spillover. First a direct spillover to complementary worker, as skilled labour working alongside labour tends to raise productivity of the latter. Second, workers that move carry knowledge with them new technology, new management techniques and consequently can become direct agents of technology transfer. Competition- as competition increase due to foreign firms, domestic firms have to introduce new technology in order to increase their efficiency(Glass and Saggi,2002) Export- local firms can learn penetration tactics which are viewed as essential for the export market. Hence they may experience cost reduction with exportation Recent studies based on micro-level panel data call into question the evidence of positive spillover and find either insignificant or negative intra industry spillovers. Haddad and Harrison (1993) find no significant relationship between the level of FDI and domestic firm’s productivity growth in the same sector for Morocco in late 80s. Aitken and Harrison (1999) find a negative relationship between the two variables for Venezuela manufacturing industries for the period 1970 to 1980. Vertical spillover also known as inter-industry spillovers consists of externalities occurring due to FDI through backward and forward linkages to input market. Usually when MNE make transaction with local suppliers and customers it may lead to the transfer of technology and know-how which subsequently will improve the intermediate product. MNE can increase the demand for the local input as a backward link to intermediate good suppliers hence increasing the productivity of domestic firms. Productivity can also be increase through forward linkages when domestic producers purchase more sophisticated intermediate goods from MNEs. Moran (2001) states that there are case studies which show that knowledge is transferred from downstream foreign affiliates to upstream, training and assistance as well as supervision in implementation of new technologies

The Characters in The Matrix Essays -- The Matrix Science Fiction Movi

The Characters in The Matrix The Matrix (Wachowski & Wachowski 1999) is a battery powering an unending chatter of thought, images, productions, and discourse. In the film, a stabbing needle penetrates the black plug mounted on the back of a human skull, and the mind is overwhelmed by the matrix, an extensive simulacral world that, to its unknowing inhabitants, is in every way the same as reality, and to those merely passing through, is a sinister, green-tinted prison. The film sets, by dialogue and symbolism, a place for analysis, theology, theory, philosophy, and criticism that accommodates any stance within a language of freedom, choice, perception, reality, simulation, mind, computer code, and body. Rationalizations of and within these terms get a place at the table. This setting incites discussion as it limits it. For instance, we have a ready means to discuss what knowing a thing really means, but we are in less of a position to discuss how such paranoia gets off the ground. However, the accessible ph ilosophical vocabulary everywhere present in the film ought not overwhelm our resources to move amongst the dimly legible codes and technologies of the cinematic body and world – the stylized sequences of events that produce the reactions in a viewer that give the film meaning. In this capacity for aesthetic indulgence – and contrary to the theoretical window dressing of the script, The Matrix makes an audio-visual presentation that reformulates agency as a matter of effect rather than choice. Thinking it Everyone knows the movie is full of really captivating philosophical questions. Why is it that, when you’re hurt in the virtual world, you bleed in the real world? Very heavy stuff. The film is easy to transla... ... visible when at a computer than in everyday non-solitary life. Your mother is not watching. [11] In a sense, this pre-9/11 movie set the stage for a kind of sympathy Americans had with terrorists who they could not call cowards. The appeal of a boldness to do what they said out of nowhere and going nowhere is revealing of what disciplines such style juxtaposes itself to. [12] Or machines or computers to bring back the specter of â€Å"the place of technology† in the matrix. Idealized guns, though, are what make the movie go. Guns that never jam, are always beautiful, and are better tossed than reloaded. They are the almost the only way to kill anyone, they are always stylish and specifically chosen, and they make the same comment on how to get your way that the characters do: threats and violence.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Essay -- essays research paper

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Madeleine L’Engle uses a creative mixture of three different story-book motifs for building the story line in her book A Wrinkle in Time. From beginning to end Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin go through adventure after adventure bursting with animated fairy-tale characteristics, a model preteen coming-of-age theme, and a subtle Christian suggestion. The three are intertwined naturally, and work well within the science-fiction twist of this very believable fantasy tale. The main character Meg Murry is the perfect innocent child turned heroine. As in the typical coming-of-age theme, the beginning of the story presents 13 year old Meg as young, and terribly dependent on others. Constantly wallowing in self-pity, Meg enters the first chapter emotionally immature with a dismal self-centered â€Å"why-must-everything-happen-to-me† attitude [P.7]. Although her five year old younger brother Charles Wallace is â€Å"rumored to be not quite bright† [P.9], he is actually extremely advanced for his age and Meg’s main caretaker. â€Å"How did Charles Wallace always know about her? How could he always†¦probe (and understand) with frightening accuracy† [P.8]? The two are remarkably close, and whenever life becomes too much for Meg, Charles Wallace reaches out to comfort her. All three—Meg, Charles Wallace, and their new found friend, 14 year old Calvin O’keefe—fit the average misunderstood characteristics found in many fairy-tale and preteen stories. While both Calvin and Charles Wallace are misunderstood by most, Charles Wallace at least has the support of a loving home, with dysfunctional preoccupied parents, Calvin, on the contrary, has no one to understand and appreciate him. â€Å"The funny part of it† he says, â€Å"(is that) I love them all and they don’t give a hoot about me†¦I care, (but) nobody else does† [P.40]. All three children, each with his own special individual qualities, strive to get along in their everyday world. The boys don’t seem to care much what others think, only Meg, with her many temperamental imperfections, flounders from day to day. Mixed in with this is a hint of an orphaned-child theme. Although none of the children are actual orphans, the thought is implied first through Mr. Murry’s absents, and Meg’s constant wish of â€Å"if only father (were here)† [P.4]; and then with Calvin’s horribly neglectful family—he is, in essen... ...er to her caretaker, while she challenges It in an attempt to save her brother. In the grand finale, love concurs the incredibly evil force. Love—the one thing Meg possesses that It doesn’t†¦Ã¢â‚¬ I love you Charles Wallace† she cries, â€Å"My baby brother who always takes care of me. Come back to me†¦come away from It, come back, come home. I love you† [P.208] The message is written all through the text. God is stronger than Satan. God is love, and love is stronger than It. Once again â€Å"winning is everything† and the story finds a way of â€Å"making everything work out†[class lecture]. Charles Wallace is free, the Murry children have their father back, and Mrs. Murry has her husband back. Calvin has new friends and family with the Murrys. Meg, who has undergone her right of passage, finds friendship and self-confidence, is sure to return to daily life with a different more assertive and positive attitude. After the dark spiritual fight against It, Meg returns with a spiritual healing, and the absence of anger and resentment. Like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe the group returns at the exact moment they had departed on the quest, ready to take up where they left off—one big happy family.

Home schooling Essay

Home schooled children are argued to have problems concerning their social development. This is expected to happen since their world is perceived to be limited and devoid of contact with children who are also developing like them. It may be a surprise to many but it is not true and there are several reasons that are primarily empirical proofs to the issue. The following are compelling evidences that there is no such thing as social development problems that accompany home schooled children. The issue on social development lies on the premise that social skills and emotional intelligence have a lot to do with successful adjustment and better if not excellent performance in academics and much later in the workplace. Social adjustment then is a key component in the much heralded findings on emotional intelligence’s quotient (EI or EQ) superiority over intelligence quotient (traditionally known standard of measurement). In addition, the rationale for home schooling is more than protecting the child from the more negative influences that are in the current educational systems today; believers of the home school paradigm look forward to developing lifelong learners who are better catalysts in the ever-changing world we live in. What can be more compelling are independent studies advanced and done by Shyers, Seligman, Adams and Smedley whose works have been either intentionally overlooked rather by those educators and policymakers who refused to have their perceptions changed or could not simply afford the change to occur. Seligman is known for his treatise on â€Å"optimism† as a concept that defines and describes the kind of child who has an edge in the harsh realities of the school and the environment as a whole which must be seen developing in a child (Bunday, 2006). Schools churn out children who must have high self-esteem for them to succeed, but ironically, it has become eluded the school and the children. Optimism is only built within the child through the parental oversight rather than a school’s primary task hence, home schooling can be deduced as better at it than the traditional venue. Socialization if we take time to think about it has something to do with maturity and the ability to understand other people and have the sensitivity to look at others in their respective contexts which in essence adults with experience and wisdom can do and can train or convey to their children in a personal way. Not so with a bigger and more impersonal school system (Bunday, 2006). Adams wrote about the better way which is biblical approach of training children and home is the foundational avenue to instill these values of respect, cooperation and consideration of others (Bunday, 2006). Shyers in a well-researched thesis did a comparative study on the traditional and home school set up employing the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale to measure self-esteem showing that there is not a significant difference between the results of the two groups (Shyers, 2009). The implications simply reveal of the home school landscape that defies the kind of training deemed only to be received or provided by the school system; a picture of children in the area of socialization and their abilities to see themselves among difference kinds of people and situations regardless of whether they come from the traditional or home schooled way (Bunday, 2006). Lastly, Smedley discussed in his seminal work focused on daily living, communication and socialization skills as items of interest and found out that home schooled children scored higher with percentile at 84 in comparison to the percentile of 27 on the traditionally schooled children. Smedley used the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales which is a standardized tool or instrument in his study. Conclusions in the study are obviously clear: home schooling is better at the main issue posited by most opponents on the system (Bunday, 2006). Therefore, socialization is not impossible with home schooling and cannot be levelled at those who choose to have their children trained to learn life skills at home. Reference: Bunday, Karl 2006. Socialization: A Great Reason Not to Go to School. Accessed May 7, 2009 at http://learninfreedom. org/socialization. html Shyers, Larry E (2009). Comparison of Social Adjustment Between Home and Traditionally Schooled Students. DA9304052, from UMI, 1 (800) 521-3042. )