Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Environmental Pollution
Environmental pollution studies about how man pollution his surroundings. Pollutions are classified into three broad categories: air pollution, soil pollution, and water pollution. Air pollution turns clear air into smelly air. The smelly air harms health. It also kills plants or damages property. Polluted air contains gases and particulates. Most air pollution result from combustion processes. Water pollution reduces the amount of fresh water for drinking, swimming, and fishing. The water pollutants come mainly from industries and farms. Industries produce huge amounts of waste products. These wastes include chemicals, wastes from animals and plants, and other substances. These materials drain into nearby bodies or water. Soil pollution damages the fertile layer of soil. This fertile soil is very important for growing food. Animal or plant wastes from a substance in the soil. This substance is called hummus. Bacteria decompose the hummus into nitrates, phosphates, and other nutrients. Other pollutions are caused by solid wastes, noise, and radiation.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Solar Power: It's Safe To Worship The Sun Again!
Alternative energy. I have to confess I'm the last person I'd expect to ever have an interest in the subject. It was easier keeping my head stuck in the sand. Can you relate to the ostrich syndrome?
Working in a library, I'm finding more patrons than ever before are requesting information on solar power and wind mill generators. No, they are not "tree-huggers". These people are from all walks of life. They have varied reasons for looking into alternative energy.
1. They are sick and tired of the rising rates of their electrical bills. 2. They are worried about the environment for themselves and future generations. 3. They understand that we have to become more self-sufficient in order to thrive and survive.
Just this week in our local newspaper it was reported, yet again, that our power company is going for another rate hike! Say what? We're still fuming over the last one. Especially when it came out how much the CEO received for his bonus last year. Just the bonus! Did you receive one from your workplace? How about a cost of living raise? Mine won't even cover the electrical bill increase.
These companies claim the increase costs of everything else commit them to seeking a rate hike. Perhaps the fat-cats at the top could give up their bonuses for one quarter. They are smug. And rightly so. We need electricity! They enjoy the monopoly.
For how long? There is a growing trend. People are finally waking up. They are learning there are alternative ways to harness energy to power their homes. And it won't cost a fortune to set up their own home made power plant. The materials are readily available. And the sun and wind are there for all to use.
It's more than working toward a greener environment. It's about sustainability. For the earth, for ourselves and our families. Let's face it. It's about trying to fight back and take control over our lives. Instead of rolling over for the big corporations who don't give a fig about our quality of life.
Are you ready to take back the power? Alternative energy resourses awaits!
by Karen Cook
www.goarticles.com
Working in a library, I'm finding more patrons than ever before are requesting information on solar power and wind mill generators. No, they are not "tree-huggers". These people are from all walks of life. They have varied reasons for looking into alternative energy.
1. They are sick and tired of the rising rates of their electrical bills. 2. They are worried about the environment for themselves and future generations. 3. They understand that we have to become more self-sufficient in order to thrive and survive.
Just this week in our local newspaper it was reported, yet again, that our power company is going for another rate hike! Say what? We're still fuming over the last one. Especially when it came out how much the CEO received for his bonus last year. Just the bonus! Did you receive one from your workplace? How about a cost of living raise? Mine won't even cover the electrical bill increase.
These companies claim the increase costs of everything else commit them to seeking a rate hike. Perhaps the fat-cats at the top could give up their bonuses for one quarter. They are smug. And rightly so. We need electricity! They enjoy the monopoly.
For how long? There is a growing trend. People are finally waking up. They are learning there are alternative ways to harness energy to power their homes. And it won't cost a fortune to set up their own home made power plant. The materials are readily available. And the sun and wind are there for all to use.
It's more than working toward a greener environment. It's about sustainability. For the earth, for ourselves and our families. Let's face it. It's about trying to fight back and take control over our lives. Instead of rolling over for the big corporations who don't give a fig about our quality of life.
Are you ready to take back the power? Alternative energy resourses awaits!
by Karen Cook
www.goarticles.com
Renewable Fuels for Alternative Energy
The Germans have really taken off when it comes to renewable fuel sources, and have become one of the major players in the alternative energy game. Under the aegis of the nation's electricity feed laws, the German people set a world record in 2006 by investing over $10 billion (US) in research, development, and implementation of wind turbines, biogas power plants, and solar collection cells. Germany's "feed laws" permit the German homeowners to connect to an electrical grid through some source of renewable energy and then sell back to the power company any excess energy produced at retail prices. This economic incentive has catapulted Germany into the number-one position among all nations with regards to the number of operational solar arrays, biogas plants, and wind turbines. The 50-terawatt hours of electricity produced by these renewable energy sources account for 10% of all of Germany's energy production per year. In 2006 alone, Germany installed 100,000 solar energy collection systems.
Over in the US, the BP corporation has established an Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) to spearhead extensive new research and development efforts into clean burning renewable energy sources, most prominently biofuels for ground vehicles. BP's investment comes to $50 million (US) per year over the course of the next decade. This EBI will be physically located at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The University is in partnership with BP, and it will be responsible for research and development of new biofuel crops, biofuel-delivering agricultural systems, and machines to produce renewable fuels in liquid form for automobile consumption. The University will especially spearhead efforts in the field of genetic engineering with regard to creating the more advanced biofuel crops. The EBI will additionally have as a major focal point technological innovations for converting heavy hydrocarbons into pollution-free and highly efficient fuels.
Also in the US, the battle rages on between Congress and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The GEA's Executive Director Karl Gawell has recently written to the Congress and the Department of Energy, the only way to ensure that DOE and OMB do not simply revert to their irrational insistence on terminating the geothermal research program is to schedule a congressional hearing specifically on geothermal energy, its potential, and the role of federal research. Furthermore, Gawell goes on to say that recent studies by the National Research Council, the Western Governors' Association Clean Energy Task Force and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology all support expanding geothermal research funding to develop the technology necessary to utilize this vast, untapped domestic renewable energy resource. Supporters of geothermal energy, such as this writer, are amazed at the minuscule amount of awareness that the public has about the huge benefits that research and development of the renewable alternative energy source would provide the US, both practically and economically. Geothermal energy is already less expensive to produce in terms of kilowatt-hours than the coal that the US keeps mining. Geothermal energy is readily available, sitting just a few miles below our feet and easily accessible through drilling. One company, Ormat, which is the third largest geothermal energy producer in the US and has plants in several different nations, is already a billion-dollar-per-year business--geothermal energy is certainly economically viable.
by Komolafe Isaac
www.goarticles.com
Over in the US, the BP corporation has established an Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) to spearhead extensive new research and development efforts into clean burning renewable energy sources, most prominently biofuels for ground vehicles. BP's investment comes to $50 million (US) per year over the course of the next decade. This EBI will be physically located at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The University is in partnership with BP, and it will be responsible for research and development of new biofuel crops, biofuel-delivering agricultural systems, and machines to produce renewable fuels in liquid form for automobile consumption. The University will especially spearhead efforts in the field of genetic engineering with regard to creating the more advanced biofuel crops. The EBI will additionally have as a major focal point technological innovations for converting heavy hydrocarbons into pollution-free and highly efficient fuels.
Also in the US, the battle rages on between Congress and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The GEA's Executive Director Karl Gawell has recently written to the Congress and the Department of Energy, the only way to ensure that DOE and OMB do not simply revert to their irrational insistence on terminating the geothermal research program is to schedule a congressional hearing specifically on geothermal energy, its potential, and the role of federal research. Furthermore, Gawell goes on to say that recent studies by the National Research Council, the Western Governors' Association Clean Energy Task Force and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology all support expanding geothermal research funding to develop the technology necessary to utilize this vast, untapped domestic renewable energy resource. Supporters of geothermal energy, such as this writer, are amazed at the minuscule amount of awareness that the public has about the huge benefits that research and development of the renewable alternative energy source would provide the US, both practically and economically. Geothermal energy is already less expensive to produce in terms of kilowatt-hours than the coal that the US keeps mining. Geothermal energy is readily available, sitting just a few miles below our feet and easily accessible through drilling. One company, Ormat, which is the third largest geothermal energy producer in the US and has plants in several different nations, is already a billion-dollar-per-year business--geothermal energy is certainly economically viable.
by Komolafe Isaac
www.goarticles.com
Plastic Surgery: The Mathematics of Beauty
Have you ever stopped to think why you find something beautiful? Sure, it's nice to look at, but why? Cultural norms play a big role in the way we observe the world around us, but when it comes right down to it some things are just innately pleasing. For centuries many scientists and artists alike have been researching and implementing Phi, a curious quantity that appears in the proportions of the human body, plants, DNA and the solar system, to name but a few.
Derived from the Fibonacci Sequence, Phi is valued at 1.618 (approximately) and also known as the Golden Ratio or Devine Proportion. In its most basic form Phi results when a line is divided in such a way that the ratio of the length of the entire line to the length of larger line segment is the same as the ratio of the length of the larger line segment to the length of the smaller line segment. Quite a mouth full, hey? Buildings like the Parthenon, the pyramids and the Notre Dame Cathedral all have elements of Phi in their design, which explains why these structures appear naturally graceful despite their massive bulk.
According to Dr. Stephen Marquardt, a former plastic surgeon, beauty can be construed as a primitive survival mechanism that ensures humans recognize and are attracted to one another. This theory implies that the most beautiful faces are simply the ones that are most effortlessly recognizable as human.
Dr Marquardt has constructed a mask that, when digitally fitted over a give set of facial features, determines how closely those features resemble the idea of 'perfect beauty'. Comprising of decagons and pentagons, the mask embodies Phi in all of its dimensions and a different template exists for Asian, African and Caucasian features. Some celebrity faces that fit the mask include the likes of Jessica Simpson, George Clooney and Tom Cruise.
When confronted with patients who seek to balance out real/perceived imbalances in their facial features through affordable cosmetic surgery, many plastic surgeons turn to the principle of Phi for help. An excellent example of the occurrence of Phi in the human face can be found in the composition of the human smile. The front two incisor teeth form a golden rectangle, with a phi ratio in the height to the width. The ratio of the width of the first tooth to the second tooth from the center is also phi. Women whose breast-to-hip ration complies with Phi seem to be in balance even if their actual measurements are larger than the norm. Both Marilyn Monroe and Kate Moss' measurements comply to Phi and no-one can dispute the fact that these two beauties are like chalk and cheese. Yet their beauty is legendary. Knowing this, plastic surgeons can endeavour to rectify imbalances with the help of this established set of 'rules'.
The theory is not accepted in its entirety by all professionals, although its relevance is not directly disputed. Some may argue that beauty, as the age-old saying goes, lies in the eye of the beholder. Quirky beauties like Kirsten Dunst and Maggie Gyllenhaal have a special kind of charm despite the fact that their facial dimensions do not conform to Phi and all its pesky particulars.
I guess it's up to each person to decide for themselves. In a world increasingly obsessed with cosmetic surgery and achieving physical perfection it is frighteningly easy to lose sight of the fact that flawlessness does not necessarily equate to true beauty.
www.goarticles.com
Derived from the Fibonacci Sequence, Phi is valued at 1.618 (approximately) and also known as the Golden Ratio or Devine Proportion. In its most basic form Phi results when a line is divided in such a way that the ratio of the length of the entire line to the length of larger line segment is the same as the ratio of the length of the larger line segment to the length of the smaller line segment. Quite a mouth full, hey? Buildings like the Parthenon, the pyramids and the Notre Dame Cathedral all have elements of Phi in their design, which explains why these structures appear naturally graceful despite their massive bulk.
According to Dr. Stephen Marquardt, a former plastic surgeon, beauty can be construed as a primitive survival mechanism that ensures humans recognize and are attracted to one another. This theory implies that the most beautiful faces are simply the ones that are most effortlessly recognizable as human.
Dr Marquardt has constructed a mask that, when digitally fitted over a give set of facial features, determines how closely those features resemble the idea of 'perfect beauty'. Comprising of decagons and pentagons, the mask embodies Phi in all of its dimensions and a different template exists for Asian, African and Caucasian features. Some celebrity faces that fit the mask include the likes of Jessica Simpson, George Clooney and Tom Cruise.
When confronted with patients who seek to balance out real/perceived imbalances in their facial features through affordable cosmetic surgery, many plastic surgeons turn to the principle of Phi for help. An excellent example of the occurrence of Phi in the human face can be found in the composition of the human smile. The front two incisor teeth form a golden rectangle, with a phi ratio in the height to the width. The ratio of the width of the first tooth to the second tooth from the center is also phi. Women whose breast-to-hip ration complies with Phi seem to be in balance even if their actual measurements are larger than the norm. Both Marilyn Monroe and Kate Moss' measurements comply to Phi and no-one can dispute the fact that these two beauties are like chalk and cheese. Yet their beauty is legendary. Knowing this, plastic surgeons can endeavour to rectify imbalances with the help of this established set of 'rules'.
The theory is not accepted in its entirety by all professionals, although its relevance is not directly disputed. Some may argue that beauty, as the age-old saying goes, lies in the eye of the beholder. Quirky beauties like Kirsten Dunst and Maggie Gyllenhaal have a special kind of charm despite the fact that their facial dimensions do not conform to Phi and all its pesky particulars.
I guess it's up to each person to decide for themselves. In a world increasingly obsessed with cosmetic surgery and achieving physical perfection it is frighteningly easy to lose sight of the fact that flawlessness does not necessarily equate to true beauty.
www.goarticles.com
Monday, October 6, 2008
How A Solar Panel Works
The transformation of solar energy into electrical energy is facilitated by a material called semi-conductor. It is a material between a conductor, where electricity flows unimpeded, and an insulator, a material that prevents electrons from flowing freely by bounding atoms tightly. In the home made experiment illustrated in a previous section, the Cuprous oxide produced by heating the copper sheet is an example of a semi-conductor.
In a semiconductor, there is a thing called bandgap, where the atoms are tightly held together while the electrons roam freely outside it. No electrons can stay inside a bandgap of a semiconductor material. Thus, the electrons are attached to the tightly bound atoms only because there is not enough energy to make it hop or transfer to another nucleus of an atom. With just a small amount of energy gained, an electron moves away from its present nucleus and freely transfer from one atom to another, and thus, conducting electricity.
Electrons way outside the bandgap cannot lose a small amount of energy to just fall freely nearer the nucleus. It must need a considerable amount of energy to get nearer the bandgap up to the point where electrons are allowed.
In the case of the Cuprous oxide, sunlight pumps energy to the electrons allowing them to freely move to conduct electricity. The freed electrons move into the salt solution, enters the clean copper plate, goes into the wire connected to the micro-ammeter, goes into the wire attached to the cuprous oxide plate and enters the salt solution again. The electrical energy produced does the work of moving the ammeter hand to point to the reading.
by Adam W
www.goarticles.com
In a semiconductor, there is a thing called bandgap, where the atoms are tightly held together while the electrons roam freely outside it. No electrons can stay inside a bandgap of a semiconductor material. Thus, the electrons are attached to the tightly bound atoms only because there is not enough energy to make it hop or transfer to another nucleus of an atom. With just a small amount of energy gained, an electron moves away from its present nucleus and freely transfer from one atom to another, and thus, conducting electricity.
Electrons way outside the bandgap cannot lose a small amount of energy to just fall freely nearer the nucleus. It must need a considerable amount of energy to get nearer the bandgap up to the point where electrons are allowed.
In the case of the Cuprous oxide, sunlight pumps energy to the electrons allowing them to freely move to conduct electricity. The freed electrons move into the salt solution, enters the clean copper plate, goes into the wire connected to the micro-ammeter, goes into the wire attached to the cuprous oxide plate and enters the salt solution again. The electrical energy produced does the work of moving the ammeter hand to point to the reading.
by Adam W
www.goarticles.com
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Let's Prepare For An Earthquake
The year 1906 was a determining factor in how future resident of the San Francisco area would live their lives. Will they be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that anything can happen between the time they slept and the time they will be awake. But the question for most people is the possibility that they may never wake up again.
The same goes for the people in Mexico, Baguio in the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and other countries that have been victimized by strong earthquakes. Most of these people were caught unaware and this made the disaster more disastrous.
San Franciscans are aware that someday, their city will fall into the depths of the city. But why do they continue to live in a city, which though beautiful, is a catastrophe waiting to happen again?
Most of the people living in earthquake-prone areas prefer to live each day with the thought that they might never wake up again. However, what makes them different from majority of the people living safe lives in safe places is the fact that they are aware that a tragedy like an earthquake may strike them anytime and they are prepared for it.
These people party and live life to the fullest but they made sure they live in earthquake-safe buildings. Most of the high rise establishments were constructed with a strong earthquake in mind
Jason, a technology specialist lives in the Marina area which is the most earthquake-prone area in the city. While he accepts that he is taking a big risk living in that area, he takes no chances and always stores several gallons of water nearby.
He has also prepared earthquake packs and emergency kits containing first aid medicines as well as food packs that can be eaten right out of the packet. He also has extra flashlights, batteries and other thing-a-magics guaranteed to make any normal person flip out.
The most important thing to remember during an earthquake is to duck and keep off everything heavy that may fall on anyone. However, there are other earthquake emergency tips that will benefit any person who would be faced with an emergency earthquake situation at any time in his life.
When faced with an earthquake circumstance, it is always better to seek refuge from tables that can protect a person from heavy objects that are falling from everywhere. When this is however not practical, a person should immediately go out and proceed to an open area without the danger of falling trees, high rises or power cables. Those who are caught driving when an earthquake occurs would be better off if they stay inside their car. When inside a grocery or a mall, make sure that the person is away from heavy shelves and other objects. When inside a theater or a sports stadium and an earthquake occurs, never run for safety and join the hundreds of people doing the same. Duck under the seat and wait until everything clears up.
A lot of people get hurt or even die not because of the earthquake itself but because of panic and failure to prepare for such an emergency. It is always helpful to have an emergency earthquake plan even if earthquakes are not common in the area.
Survival will always depend on how prepared a person is for emergencies. People who have not prepared for the worse case scenario are the ones who have the tendency to panic. And in most cases, those who panic and lose their presence of mind become the first victims of any emergency.
by Jarred Sadler
www.goarticles.com
The same goes for the people in Mexico, Baguio in the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and other countries that have been victimized by strong earthquakes. Most of these people were caught unaware and this made the disaster more disastrous.
San Franciscans are aware that someday, their city will fall into the depths of the city. But why do they continue to live in a city, which though beautiful, is a catastrophe waiting to happen again?
Most of the people living in earthquake-prone areas prefer to live each day with the thought that they might never wake up again. However, what makes them different from majority of the people living safe lives in safe places is the fact that they are aware that a tragedy like an earthquake may strike them anytime and they are prepared for it.
These people party and live life to the fullest but they made sure they live in earthquake-safe buildings. Most of the high rise establishments were constructed with a strong earthquake in mind
Jason, a technology specialist lives in the Marina area which is the most earthquake-prone area in the city. While he accepts that he is taking a big risk living in that area, he takes no chances and always stores several gallons of water nearby.
He has also prepared earthquake packs and emergency kits containing first aid medicines as well as food packs that can be eaten right out of the packet. He also has extra flashlights, batteries and other thing-a-magics guaranteed to make any normal person flip out.
The most important thing to remember during an earthquake is to duck and keep off everything heavy that may fall on anyone. However, there are other earthquake emergency tips that will benefit any person who would be faced with an emergency earthquake situation at any time in his life.
When faced with an earthquake circumstance, it is always better to seek refuge from tables that can protect a person from heavy objects that are falling from everywhere. When this is however not practical, a person should immediately go out and proceed to an open area without the danger of falling trees, high rises or power cables. Those who are caught driving when an earthquake occurs would be better off if they stay inside their car. When inside a grocery or a mall, make sure that the person is away from heavy shelves and other objects. When inside a theater or a sports stadium and an earthquake occurs, never run for safety and join the hundreds of people doing the same. Duck under the seat and wait until everything clears up.
A lot of people get hurt or even die not because of the earthquake itself but because of panic and failure to prepare for such an emergency. It is always helpful to have an emergency earthquake plan even if earthquakes are not common in the area.
Survival will always depend on how prepared a person is for emergencies. People who have not prepared for the worse case scenario are the ones who have the tendency to panic. And in most cases, those who panic and lose their presence of mind become the first victims of any emergency.
by Jarred Sadler
www.goarticles.com
Thursday, October 2, 2008
How To Survive A Tsunami
Tsunamis used to be the stuff of movies and until it's devastation in Asia, most people didn't think it was possible for tsunamis to occur in that magnitude. With that realization, people have become aware of the risk and possible consequences of this natural calamity.
What is a tsunami? Tsunamis are not caused by strong winds but by tectonic displacements (earthquakes, volcano eruptions, landslides) that occur on the seafloor. Earthquakes that produce tsunamis are those that reach 6.5 or more on the Richter scale. The average speed of the waves is 300 mph and can last from 5 minutes to an hour.
In open sea, tsunamis usually go unnoticed, having amplitudes of just 1 meter or even less. However, in some situations, waves that enter shallow water can swell to several feet and in some rare cases, rise high enough to strike coastal areas with terrible force.
Who's at risk? People who live in coastal areas located along or near the Pacific Ocean are most prone to tsunamis. This area is most vulnerable because of seismic activity in what is called the Ring of Fire. It has also occurred in Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.
What to do in a tsunami emergency When a strong earthquake is felt, leave the water immediately, get to shore and go as far away as you can from the beach, fast. If your location allows it, go to a higher ground. If the area you are in is mostly flat, go as far inland as you can. If you can spot the wave, you are too close to escape it, regardless of its apparent distance.
Tune in to your local radio station, the weather radio or turn on the TV for news and updates. They will inform you if there is a tsunami watch or warning issued in your area and where the emergency centers are.
Locate all members of your family and make sure everyone is informed. Agree on a place to meet in case you're not together and make sure it's safe and as far away from the shore as possible.
If you have family members who have special needs like elderly people, small children or infants and those with disabilities, you might want to evacuate early. You might also want to prepare your pets for moving, so bring emergency supplies for them as well.
Check your emergency supply kits and bring them with you. It would be a good idea if they had been regularly restocked but if not, take what you can or get what is needed if you still have the time and opportunity. Otherwise, opt to get water, food and extra clothes instead.
You might want to secure your house, but remember that this is the last priority. Your life and that of your family's are the most important considerations during a tsunami emergency. Expect items in your house to be swept away and if you could still secure them, do so.
Tsunami watch vs. tsunami warning A tsunami watch is different from a tsunami warning. A tsunami watch means that the presence of a dangerous tsunami is not yet confirmed or verified, although it is possible there is one. It also includes predictions on what time the tsunami is expected and where it will possibly strike.
A tsunami warning means that there is a confirmed tsunami in your area and it could be close. The warning will include the time at which the tsunami is expected and which areas are affected.
As a last emergency tip... If you find yourself under the mercy of an incoming wave, climb onto the rooftop of your house or on the highest point of the nearest structure and brace yourself. Hold on tightly to anything that's strong and stable enough. Climb a tree if you have to and don't let go.
If you're already in the water, grab a floating object that can hold your weight and hold onto it until you can reach stable ground or when help is available. Grab onto anything that is firm and strive to get out of the water as much as possible. The current will be strong and there could be heavy and sharp debris in the water that could crash into you.
Tsunamis, like most things nature produces, are uncontrollable. The only advantage is that they do come with a warning (a strong earthquake). The only way to survive it is to be prepared, be ready to go and to keep your wits about you.
www.goarticles.com
What is a tsunami? Tsunamis are not caused by strong winds but by tectonic displacements (earthquakes, volcano eruptions, landslides) that occur on the seafloor. Earthquakes that produce tsunamis are those that reach 6.5 or more on the Richter scale. The average speed of the waves is 300 mph and can last from 5 minutes to an hour.
In open sea, tsunamis usually go unnoticed, having amplitudes of just 1 meter or even less. However, in some situations, waves that enter shallow water can swell to several feet and in some rare cases, rise high enough to strike coastal areas with terrible force.
Who's at risk? People who live in coastal areas located along or near the Pacific Ocean are most prone to tsunamis. This area is most vulnerable because of seismic activity in what is called the Ring of Fire. It has also occurred in Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.
What to do in a tsunami emergency When a strong earthquake is felt, leave the water immediately, get to shore and go as far away as you can from the beach, fast. If your location allows it, go to a higher ground. If the area you are in is mostly flat, go as far inland as you can. If you can spot the wave, you are too close to escape it, regardless of its apparent distance.
Tune in to your local radio station, the weather radio or turn on the TV for news and updates. They will inform you if there is a tsunami watch or warning issued in your area and where the emergency centers are.
Locate all members of your family and make sure everyone is informed. Agree on a place to meet in case you're not together and make sure it's safe and as far away from the shore as possible.
If you have family members who have special needs like elderly people, small children or infants and those with disabilities, you might want to evacuate early. You might also want to prepare your pets for moving, so bring emergency supplies for them as well.
Check your emergency supply kits and bring them with you. It would be a good idea if they had been regularly restocked but if not, take what you can or get what is needed if you still have the time and opportunity. Otherwise, opt to get water, food and extra clothes instead.
You might want to secure your house, but remember that this is the last priority. Your life and that of your family's are the most important considerations during a tsunami emergency. Expect items in your house to be swept away and if you could still secure them, do so.
Tsunami watch vs. tsunami warning A tsunami watch is different from a tsunami warning. A tsunami watch means that the presence of a dangerous tsunami is not yet confirmed or verified, although it is possible there is one. It also includes predictions on what time the tsunami is expected and where it will possibly strike.
A tsunami warning means that there is a confirmed tsunami in your area and it could be close. The warning will include the time at which the tsunami is expected and which areas are affected.
As a last emergency tip... If you find yourself under the mercy of an incoming wave, climb onto the rooftop of your house or on the highest point of the nearest structure and brace yourself. Hold on tightly to anything that's strong and stable enough. Climb a tree if you have to and don't let go.
If you're already in the water, grab a floating object that can hold your weight and hold onto it until you can reach stable ground or when help is available. Grab onto anything that is firm and strive to get out of the water as much as possible. The current will be strong and there could be heavy and sharp debris in the water that could crash into you.
Tsunamis, like most things nature produces, are uncontrollable. The only advantage is that they do come with a warning (a strong earthquake). The only way to survive it is to be prepared, be ready to go and to keep your wits about you.
www.goarticles.com
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Intorduction To Venus
Venus is the second world from the Sun and is the sixth prevalent. It is the brightest purpose in the night sky excluding for the Moon. Venus orbits the Sun once every 224.7 Earth time and gets as close to the Sun as 107.476 million kilometers and as far away from the Sun as 108.942 million kilometers. This makes the orbit of Venus less elliptical and more circular than any other planets. The temperature on the escalate of Venus can attain as high as 740 degrees Kelvin. This is due to a phenomenon called the greenhouse look whereby carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Venus traps the Suns heat inside. This makes Venus the newest planet in the Solar System. Venus is even hotter than Mercury although being past away from the Sun.
Venus is 12,100 kilometers in diameter and has a bunch of 4.869e+24 kilograms. This makes Venus like to the Earth and has often been called Earths sister planet. Nevertheless the similarities end there. One foremost difference between the Earth and Venus is that Venus rotates on its axis from east to west, which means if you lived on Venus you would see the Sun rise in the west and set in the east. The atmosphere on Venus is commonly carbon dioxide choked with sulfuric acid and has a make at the exterior more than 92 period the burden at sea steamroll on Earth. Unlike the Earth, Venus does not have a mesmeric topic generated by its iron interior. This may be the outcome of how slowly Venus rotates on its axis. The only alluring area Venus has is very weak and is twisted by the interaction of the solar encircle and the ionosphere of Venus.
The external of Venus is fractious to see through the thick, dense clouds and the first crude similes of the ascend were obtained using ground based radar. More the Magellan spacecraft obtained detailed images which was launched to Venus on May 4, 1989 and depleted four and a the existence radar mapping 98 percent of the exterior of Venus. Later, the European Space Agency launched the Venus Express on November 9, 2005 and on April 11, 2006 it slipped into a polar orbit around Venus. These probes have now provided us with an accurate map of Venus.
Most of the appear of Venus is relatively total plains twisted by giant pools of lava. Venus has thousands of small volcanoes and hundreds of large volcanoes many of which are over 100 kilometers in diameter. There are quite large craters scattered at arbitrary all over the rise of Venus. These craters are more than 2 kilometers varied and smaller craters do not exist because smaller meteors burn up in the thick atmosphere of Venus. The map of Two dominated venus large highland areas, the Ishtar Terra, where the Maxwell Montes, the peak mountain can be found and the Aphrodite Terra highlands.
More missions to Venus are planned and NASAs MESSENGER spacecraft just has done two fly bys of Venus in October 2006 and June 2007 while on its way to Mercury. Spacecraft called BepiColombo, which was launched by the European Space Agency, will also perform two fly bys of Venus on its way to Mercury. Japan forecast to launch the Planet-C Venus climate orbiter in 2010 and NASA has future spacecraft called VISE the Venus In-Situ Explorer which will actually land on Venus. Once on the exterior the Venus In-Situ Explorer will take a center model and scan it. The mission to Venus will tell us more about the compound composition and climate on Earths sister planet.
www.goarticles.com
Venus is 12,100 kilometers in diameter and has a bunch of 4.869e+24 kilograms. This makes Venus like to the Earth and has often been called Earths sister planet. Nevertheless the similarities end there. One foremost difference between the Earth and Venus is that Venus rotates on its axis from east to west, which means if you lived on Venus you would see the Sun rise in the west and set in the east. The atmosphere on Venus is commonly carbon dioxide choked with sulfuric acid and has a make at the exterior more than 92 period the burden at sea steamroll on Earth. Unlike the Earth, Venus does not have a mesmeric topic generated by its iron interior. This may be the outcome of how slowly Venus rotates on its axis. The only alluring area Venus has is very weak and is twisted by the interaction of the solar encircle and the ionosphere of Venus.
The external of Venus is fractious to see through the thick, dense clouds and the first crude similes of the ascend were obtained using ground based radar. More the Magellan spacecraft obtained detailed images which was launched to Venus on May 4, 1989 and depleted four and a the existence radar mapping 98 percent of the exterior of Venus. Later, the European Space Agency launched the Venus Express on November 9, 2005 and on April 11, 2006 it slipped into a polar orbit around Venus. These probes have now provided us with an accurate map of Venus.
Most of the appear of Venus is relatively total plains twisted by giant pools of lava. Venus has thousands of small volcanoes and hundreds of large volcanoes many of which are over 100 kilometers in diameter. There are quite large craters scattered at arbitrary all over the rise of Venus. These craters are more than 2 kilometers varied and smaller craters do not exist because smaller meteors burn up in the thick atmosphere of Venus. The map of Two dominated venus large highland areas, the Ishtar Terra, where the Maxwell Montes, the peak mountain can be found and the Aphrodite Terra highlands.
More missions to Venus are planned and NASAs MESSENGER spacecraft just has done two fly bys of Venus in October 2006 and June 2007 while on its way to Mercury. Spacecraft called BepiColombo, which was launched by the European Space Agency, will also perform two fly bys of Venus on its way to Mercury. Japan forecast to launch the Planet-C Venus climate orbiter in 2010 and NASA has future spacecraft called VISE the Venus In-Situ Explorer which will actually land on Venus. Once on the exterior the Venus In-Situ Explorer will take a center model and scan it. The mission to Venus will tell us more about the compound composition and climate on Earths sister planet.
www.goarticles.com
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Foot Chain
Ecology is the branch of biology. It deals with the relationship between a living thing and another living thing. It also deals with the relationship between a living thing and its environment. The scientists in ecology are called ecologists. Ecologists study the activities and changes in the natural world. It includes the relation between the biological environment and the physical environment. The relation between the two environments forms an ecosystem. The series of energy changes in the form of food is called a food chain.
The food chain starts with the sun. Sunlight provides energy. This energy is needed by the primary producers, such as a grass, and other green plants. They grass is eaten by the primary consumer, such as a mouse, or a deer. Then, the secondary consumer eats the mouse. The secondary consumer, such as a snake, is eaten by the third consumer, such as a hawk. When the last animal in the food chain dies, it is decomposed by the decomposers, such as bacteria or fungi. The decomposer changes the dead body into simple nutrients. The simple nutrients go back into the soil. They are used again by the plants.
The food chain starts with the sun. Sunlight provides energy. This energy is needed by the primary producers, such as a grass, and other green plants. They grass is eaten by the primary consumer, such as a mouse, or a deer. Then, the secondary consumer eats the mouse. The secondary consumer, such as a snake, is eaten by the third consumer, such as a hawk. When the last animal in the food chain dies, it is decomposed by the decomposers, such as bacteria or fungi. The decomposer changes the dead body into simple nutrients. The simple nutrients go back into the soil. They are used again by the plants.
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