Test for reducing sugars Essay Example

Test for reducing sugars Paper Below is the flowchart to show the relationship between monosaccharides (simple sugars), disaccharides (complex sugars) and polysaccharides (e. g. starch and glycogen). Important things to note: (a) Glycosidic bonds are chemical bonds that hold / join molecules of monosaccharides together. (b) Chemical formulae of monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. (c) Polysaccharides are macromolecules, meaning they are very large molecules (made up of many many small monosaccharide molecules joined together in straight or branched chains). (d) Examples of monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. Test for reducing sugars (Benedicts Test) Given an unknown solution, you are to find out if it contains reducing sugars so you have to carry out the reducing sugar test (Benedicts test). NOTE: What are reducing sugars A reducing sugar (all monosaccharides and some disaccharides) will produce a brick-red ppt when boiles with Benedict s solution. Non-reducing sugar: Sucrose Procedures: 1. To 2 cm 3 of the unknown solution in a test-tube, add an EQUAL VOLUME (that is the same volume as the unknown solution used: 2 cm 3 ) of Benedicts solution (blue). 2. Shake the mixture and heat it by immersing the test tube into a boiling water bath (beaker of boiling water) for 5 minutes. 3. Observe the appearance of the heated mixture after 5 minutes. Observations: During the heating process, the solution changes from clear-blue to cludy green, then yellow and finally to a brick-red / orange-red precipitate (ppt). Brick-red / Orange-red / Red ppt indicates the presence of reducing sugars. In the Control Expt. above, water is used to replace the unknown solution. Since water does not contain any reducing sugars, the mixture remains blue after boiling, indicating the absence of reducing sugars. We will write a custom essay sample on Test for reducing sugars specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Test for reducing sugars specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Test for reducing sugars specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Something extra Benedicts solution is blue due to the presence of copper (II) sulphate. A reducing sugar is a sugar with reducing properties. When a reducing sugar is heated with Benedicts oslution, the blue copper (II) sulphate (soluble)is reduced to form a brick-red ppt of copper (I) oxide (insoluble). DO NOT OVERHEAT your mixture after the appearance of the red ppt cos it will turn dark brown then black and these are incorrect color observations! Test for starch (Iodine Test) Procedures: 1. Add a few drops of iodine solution (yellow-brown) onto any substance (liquid / solid). 2. Observe any color changes. Observations: The iodine solution that stains the substance changes from yellow-brown to blue-black / black , indicating the presence of starch. In the Control Expt. , the iodine solution remains yellow-brown, indicating the absence of starch. NOTE: Based on O Level Cambridge standards, you can only use the colors blue-black or black but NOT blue to describe the color change. Saturated Fats vs Unsaturated Fats 2 types of fats . 1. Animal fats (e. g. butter) are saturated fats . 2. Vegetable oils and fish oils are unsaturated fats . Dangers of saturated fats in your diet .. Saturated fats in the blood can be readily converted into cholesterol . High level of blood cholesterol would lead to the deposition of cholesterol on the inner walls of blood vessels . This hardens the blood vessels and decreases the size of lumen (space) of blood vessels , thus decreasing the flow of blood (increasing the blood pressure) through these clogged vessels. This increases the risk of heart disease (if the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart muscles are clogged). Dietician recommends Take less animal fats. Replace butter with margarine. Test for fats (Ethanol emulsion test) Test for fats in liquid food Given an unknown solution, you are to find out if it contains fats Procedures: 1. Place 2 cm 3 of the unknown solution into a dry test tube . Add about 2-5 cm 3 of ethanol (alcohol) into the test-tube. 2. Shake vigorously for about 1 minute (allowing time for the ethanol to dissolve / extract out the fats). 3. Pour the mixture into another test-tube containing 2-5 cm 3 of water . Shake the mixture thoroughly. Observations: Upon mixing with water, a cloudy white emulsion is formed, indicating the presence of fats. In the absence of fats, the mixture should remain clear and colorless. Test for fats in solid foods Given peanut seeds, you are to find out whether they contain fats Procedures: 1. Cut the peanut seeds into small pieces and place them into a dry test-tube . Note: Cutting them into smaller pieces increases the surface area of the food for the extraction of oil by ethanol and when you transfer the food pieces into the test-tube, please use the forceps and knife (minimise the contact of the food with your fingers cos you do not want to contaminate your specimen! ) 2. Add 2-5 cm 3 of ethanol (alcohol) into the test-tube and shake vigorously for 1 minute. 3. Allow the solid food particles to settle at the bottom of the test-tube. Decant (that is pour out only the liquid portion of the mixture, leaving the solid particles behind) the ethanol into another test-tube containing 2-5 cm 3 of water . Shake the mixture thoroughly. Observations: A cloudy white emulsion is formed, indicating the presence of fats. What is decant? Allow the solid particles to settle down at the bottom of the test-tube, then pour out only the liquid portion. Know more about proteins Chemical structure of an amino acid: Formation of a peptide bond: Condensation reaction between the NH 2 group of one amino acid and the COOH group of another amino acid. Relationship between amino acid, dipeptide, polypeptide and protein: NOTE: A protein molecule is formed by one or more folded polypeptide chain/s. A short story of how proteins in your food is broken down completely into amino acids and then absorbed into your bloodstream and taken into your body cells to form new proteins .. Denaturation or killing of proteins Folding / coiling of long polypeptide chains will give the protein molecule a distinctive 3-dimemsional configuration / shape . This distinct shape is important in determining the specific function of the protein molecule. This distinct shape is maintained by weak hydrogen cross-bonds that keeps the chains folded in a specific manner. Heat, acids and alkalis break these weak cross-bonds, thus the unfolding of the polypeptide chains and the loss of the distinct shape . When this happens, the protein can no longer function due to the distortion of its shape, and this is when we say the protein is DENATURED . Test for proteins (Biuret Test) Given an unknown solution, you are to find out whether it contains proteins Procedures: 1. To 2 cm 3 of unknown solution in a test-tube, add 1 cm 3 of sodium hydroxide solution . Shake thoroughly. 2. Add 1% copper sulphate solution (light blue), drop by drop , shaking the mixture after each drop . 3. Observe color changes. Observation: A violet / lilac color is formed, indicating the presence of proteins. In the Control Expt. the mixture remains light blue, indicating the absence of proteins. Complete proteins VS Incomplete proteins The proportion of protein in plant food is much lower than that in animal food . Proteins that come from animals are complete proteins . What are complete proteins? Complete proteins are proteins that contain all essential amino acids . Then what are essential amino acids? Essential amino acids are amino acids that the body cannot synthesize/make and must be obtained from our daily diet . Proteins from plants are incomplete proteins which lack some of the essential amino acids. For vegetarians to obtain the proper amounts of all essential amino acids, they must eat a mixture of 2 or more incomplete protein foods at each meal. Sources of complete proteins Sources of incomplete proteins Main functions of the 3 major classes of food Mian function of proteins: Main function of fats: Energy values of food Table below shows the energy values of each main class of food.

Workplace Communication Skills for ESL Classes

Workplace Communication Skills for ESL Classes In workplace communications, with friends, strangers, etc. there are unwritten rules that are followed when speaking English. These unwritten rules are often referred to as register use or workplace communication skills when referring to employment. Good workplace communication skills use can help you communicate effectively. Incorrect workplace communication can cause problems at work, cause people to ignore you, or, at best, send the wrong message. Of course, correct workplace communication is very difficult for many learners of English. To begin with, lets look at some example conversations to help understand  the correct type of register use in various situations. Examples of Correct Register Use (Wife to Husband) Hi honey, how was your day?Great. We got a lot done. And yours?Fine, but stressful. Pass me that magazine, please.Here you go. (Friend to Friend) Hi Charlie, can you give me a hand?Sure Peter. Whats up?I cant get this to work.Why dont you try to use a screwdriver? (Subordinate to Superior - for workplace communications) Good Morning, Mr. Jones, may I ask you a question?Certainly, how can I help you? (Superior to Subordinate - for workplace communications) Excuse me Peter, we seem to be having a problem with the Smith account. Wed better get together to discuss the situation.Thats a good idea Ms Amons, would 4 oclock suit you? (Man Speaking to Stranger) Pardon me. Do you think you could give me the time?Certainly, its twelve thirty.Thank you.Not at all. Notice how the language used becomes more formal as the relationship becomes less personal. In the first relationship, a married couple, the wife uses the imperative form which would be inappropriate with a superior in for workplace communications. In the last conversation, the man asks using an indirect question as a means of making his question more polite. Examples of Incorrect Register Use (Wife to Husband) Hello, how are you today?Im fine. Would you mind passing me the bread?Certainly. Would you like some butter with your bread?Yes, please. Thank you very much. (Friend to Friend) Hello Mr. Jones. May I ask you a question?Certainly. How many I help you?Do you think you could help me with this?Id be happy to help you. (Subordinate to Superior - for workplace communications) Good Morning, Frank. I need a raise.Do you really? Well, forget about it! (Superior to Subordinate - for workplace communications) Hey Jack, what are you doing?! Get to work!Hey, Ill take as much time as I need. (Man Speaking to Stranger) You! Tell me where the  supermarket is.There. In these examples, the formal language used for the married couple and friends is much too exaggerated for daily discourse. The examples of for workplace communications, and of the man speaking to a stranger, show that the direct language often used with friends or family is too impolite for these types of for workplace communication. Of course, correct for workplace communication and register use also depends on the situation and the tone of voice you use. However, in order to communicate well in English, it is important to master the basics of correct for workplace communications and register use. Improve and practice your recognition of workplace communications and register use in various situations with the following quiz. Workplace Communication Quiz Test yourself to see how well you understand correct register usage in these following workplace situations. Choose the appropriate relationship for these phrases from the choices listed below. Once you have finished, continue down the page for the answers and comments on the correct choices for each question. ColleaguesStaff to ManagementManagement to StaffInappropriate for the Workplace Im afraid were having some problems with your performance. I would like to see you in my office this afternoon.What did you do last weekend?Hey, get over here now!Excuse me, do you think it would be possible for me to go home early this afternoon? I have a doctors appointment.Well, we went to this wonderful restaurant in Yelm. The food was excellent and the prices were reasonable.Listen, Im going home early, so I cant finish the project until tomorrow.Excuse  me  Bob, would you mind lending me $10 for lunch. Im short today.Give me five bucks for lunch. I forgot to go to the bank.You are an extremely handsome young man, Im sure youll do well at our company.Excuse  me  Ms  Brown, could you help me with this report for a moment? Quiz Answers Im afraid were having some problems with your performance. I would like to see you in my office this afternoon. ANSWER: Management to StaffWhat did you do last weekend? ANSWER: ColleaguesHey, get over here now! ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceExcuse me, do you think it would be possible for me to go home early this afternoon? I have a doctors appointment. ANSWER: Staff to ManagementWell, we went to this wonderful restaurant in Yelm. The food was excellent and the prices were reasonable. ANSWER: ColleaguesListen, Im going home early, so I cant finish the project until tomorrow. ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceExcuse  me  Bob, would you mind lending me $10 for lunch. Im short today. ANSWER: ColleaguesGive me five bucks for lunch. I forgot to go to the bank. ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceYou are an extremely handsome young man, Im sure youll do well at our company. ANSWER: Inappropriate for the WorkplaceExcuse  me  Ms  Brown, could you help me with this report for a moment? ANSWER: Management to Staff Comments on Quiz Answers If you were confused by some of the answers, here are some short comments that should help you understand: Management to Staff  - In this sentence management, although unhappy, is still polite when asking an employee to come in for a critique.Colleagues  - This simple question is informal and conversational and therefore appropriate among colleagues.Inappropriate  - This is the imperative form and  is therefore  inappropriate for the workplace. Remember that the imperative form is often considered rude.Staff to Management  - Notice the polite form used when speaking to a superior at work. The  indirect question form  is used to make the question extremely polite.Colleagues  - This is a statement from a discussion about a non-work related topic among colleagues. The tone is informal and informative.Inappropriate  - Here an employee is announcing his / her plan to management without asking. Not a very good idea in the workplace!Colleagues  - In this statement a colleague politely asks another colleague for a loan.Inappropriate  - When asking for a loan never use the imperative form!Inappropriate  - The person making this statement would be considered guilty of sexual harassment in the United States. Management to Staff  - This is a polite request.

Race and Gender Bias and Discrimination in Higher Edu

Race and Gender Bias and Discrimination in Higher Edu Many believe that once a student has made it to college or university, the barriers of sexism and racism that may have stood in the way of their education have been overcome. But, for decades, anecdotal evidence from women and people of color has suggested that institutions of higher learning are not free from racial and gender bias. In 2014, researchers conclusively documented these problems in a study of how perceptions of race and gender  among faculty impact who they choose to mentor, showing that women and racial minorities  were far less likely than white men to receive responses from university professors after emailing to express interest in working with them as graduate students. Studying Race and Gender Bias among University Faculty The study,  conducted by professors  Katherine L. Milkman, Modupe Akinola, and Dolly Chugh, and published on the Social Science Research Network, measured email responses of 6,500 professors across over 250 of the U.S.’s top universities. The messages were sent by â€Å"students† who were interested in graduate school (in actuality, the â€Å"students† were impersonated by the researchers). The messages expressed admiration for the professor’s research and requested a meeting. All messages sent by the researchers had the same content and were well-written, but varied in that the researchers used a variety of names typically associated with specific racial categories.  For example, names like Brad Anderson and Meredith Roberts would typically be assumed to belong to white people, whereas names like Lamar Washington and LaToya Brown would be assumed to belong to black students. Other names included those associated with Latino/a, Indian, and Chinese students. Faculty Are Biased in Favor of White Men Milkman and her team found that  Asian students experienced the most bias, that gender and racial diversity among faculty does not reduce the presence of discrimination, and that there are big differences in the commonality of bias between academic departments and types of schools. The highest rates of  discrimination against women and people of color were found to occur at private schools and among the natural sciences  and business schools. The study also found that the frequency of racial and gender discrimination increases along with average faculty salary. At business schools, women and racial minorities were ignored by professors  more than twice as frequently as were  white males. Within the humanities they were ignored 1.3 times more often- a lower rate than in business schools but still quite significant and troubling. Research findings like these reveal that discrimination exists even within the academic elite, despite the fact that academics are typically thought to be more liberal and progressive than the general population. How Race and Gender Bias Impacts Students Because the emails were thought by the professors studied to be from prospective students interested in working with the professor in a graduate program, this means that women and racial minorities are discriminated against before they even begin the application process to graduate school. This extends existing research that has found this kind of discrimination within graduate programs to the â€Å"pathway† level of the student experience, disturbingly present in all academic disciplines. Discrimination at this stage of a students pursuit of postgraduate education can have a discouraging effect, and can even harm that students chances of gaining admission and funding for postgraduate work. These findings also build on previous research that has found gender bias within STEM fields to include racial bias too, thus debunking the common  assumption of Asian privilege in higher education and STEM fields. Bias in Higher Education is Part of Systemic Racism Now, some might find it puzzling that even women and racial minorities exhibit bias against prospective students on these bases. While at first glance it might seem strange, sociology helps make sense of this phenomenon. Joe Feagin’s theory of systemic racism illuminates how racism pervades the entire social system  and manifests at the level of policy, law, institutions like media and education, in interactions between people, and individually in the beliefs and assumptions of people. Feagin goes so far as to call the U.S. a â€Å"total racist society.† What this means, then, is that all people born in the U.S. grow up in a racist society  and are socialized by racist institutions, as well as  by family members, teachers, peers, members of law enforcement, and even clergy, who either consciously or unconsciously instill racist beliefs into the minds of Americans. Leading contemporary sociologist Patricia Hill Collins, a Black feminist scholar, has revealed in her research and theoretical work that even people of color are socialized to maintain racist beliefs, which she refers to as the internalization of the oppressor.In the context of the study by Milkman and her colleagues, existing social theories  of race and gender would suggest that even well-intentioned professors who might not otherwise be seen as racist or gender-biased, and who do not act in  overtly discriminatory ways, have internalized beliefs that women and students of color are perhaps  not as well prepared for graduate school as their white male counterpar ts, or that they may not make reliable or adequate research assistants. In fact, this phenomenon is documented in the book  Presumed Incompetent, a compilation of research and essays from women and people of color who work in academia. Social Implications of Bias in Higher Education Discrimination at the point of entry into graduate programs and discrimination once admitted have striking implications. While the racial makeup of students enrolled in colleges in 2011 fairly closely mirrored the racial makeup of the total U.S. population, statistics released by the Chronicle of Higher Education show that as the level of degree increases, from Associate, to Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate, the percentage of degrees held by racial minorities, with the exception of Asians, drops considerably. Consequently, whites and Asians are overrepresented as holders of doctorate degrees, while Blacks, Hispanics and Latinos, and Native Americans are vastly underrepresented. In turn, this means that people of color are far less present among university faculty, a profession dominated by white people (especially men). And so the cycle of bias and discrimination continues.Taken with the above information, the findings from Milkmans study point to a systemic crisis of white and male s upremacy in American higher education today. Academia cant help but exist within a racist and patriarchal social system, but it has a responsibility to recognize this context, and to proactively combat these forms of discrimination in every way it can.

Inattentiveness in School Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inattentiveness in School - Research Paper Example The children going to school are the most affected by inattentiveness especially in cases where they have no option but to strain in order to meet the school requirements in terms of performance. They appear not to react at all to any situation they encounter. They are likely to experience problems when completing tasks (World Health Organization 19). It is evident that such disorders may not easily be noticed until in a later stage of life. The problem if unattended to affects the overall performance and behavioral traits of an individual. They end up lacking non-verbal communication skills as they are not attentive to issues in class from which they are expected to learn how to express themselves. This disorder has made most of the students to take a longer time to learn how to express them as they end up having low self-esteem. Physically, they appear clumsy and less interactive among their peers. Their mod of interaction appears to be an odd one that is observed where they depict specific behavior that appears to be restricted to them. Inattentiveness is caused by a variety of factors and it should not be assumed that it begins in class since there is a possibility that it begins outside the class and only extended to the classroom setting. For instance, when children are taken to the kindergarten, they are very eager to learn only to learn on information they are already aware of. This makes them learn faster than the average learner who needs to repeat several times in order to understand. With time the quick learners become less attentive to what they already know ignoring the new information that is likely to be derived. He average learners, on the other hand, find this to be demanding and brain numbing and with time they also become inattentive.  

The political and economic foreign policy developments of the United Research Paper

The political and economic foreign policy developments of the United States in the 19th century from the idea of Manifest Destin - Research Paper Example However, this idea was not shared by everyone including the native Indians and Mexicans who had differing views or opinions. Although there were no clearly defined principles to guide the idea, it received enormous support from the democrats who used it to justify various decisive actions. Through the notion of manifest destiny, the United States was driven by the temptation of world power and political supremacy, which sought to consolidate the position it held.1 The spanish american war was fought in 1898 and lasted only three months, and was triggered by the increased occupation of Cuba by the Spanish government which was strongly opposed by the US government. The war occurred as a result of intervention which was encouraged by other factors such as the Yellow Press which simply refers to the numerous newspaper articles that were printed in red ink and calling for bloodshed. Sensationalism by William Randolph Hearst through the Hearst papers and Joseph Pulitzer played a serious ro le in fuelling the war through propaganda views on either side of the war divide. Stories about atrocities committed by the Spaniards in Cuba enraged the Americans in the USA thus shaping their opinion to support the war. As at 1898, the war was at its peak and was nearly coming to an end; on the 4th of April 1898, the Americans intervened through President McKinley ordering war, mainly to end the devastating effect of the war in Cuba on humanitarian grounds and protect American citizens and interests in the island of Cuba. The intervention was also to protect American and Cuban trade and commerce as well as its strategic rights in that particular hemisphere. Through the Treaty of Paris December 10, 1898 America was able to stamp its foreign policy of expansion and imperialism through the acquisition of Philippines, annexation of Hawaii and the acquisition of Puerto Rico, and this occurred after Spain had surrendered. This expansionist theory resonated well with the American public opinion as it seemed to guarantee freedom to every person in the world and also made Americans proud of their institutions especially the military. In addition, it created avenues for commercial expansion in terms of trade in strategic locations of the world. The acquisition of Panama Canal by the US government was the epitome of imperialism by the government of the United States, and this is because of the economic benefits it offered the American government as well as its strategic importance in terms of geopolitical position. It should be noted that the canal offered the government of USA constant flow of revenue as well as saving the economy in terms of inter-coastal trade and commerce. The canal was however not strategic to the US government military-wise as it could be bombed at any time by adversaries such as Japan and the Soviet Union. The destruction would cause war losses that could only be recovered after a year or so during war time and a massive loss of 17 days in trave l time as occurred during its sabotage during the Battle of Guadalcanal. This forced the US military to maintain a heavy presence of navy at sea just in case the canal was attacked. However, with time, the US government pulled out of the canal due to economic interests, and his was partly due to the invention of railway cars using diesel which made transporting of produce to coastal ports then shipping

Miniaturization Of Computing Technology Information Technology Essay

Miniaturization Of Computing Technology Information Technology Essay The revolution of electronic miniaturization began during World War II and is continuing to change the world till now. Miniaturization of computer technology has been the source of a seemingly endless battle between technology giants over the world. The market has become so competitive that the companies that develop microprocessors are constantly working towards erecting a smaller microchip than that of their competitor, and as a result, computers become obsolete almost as soon as they are put out on the market. The concept that underlies technological miniaturization is the smaller the better; smaller is faster, smaller is cheaper, smaller is more profitable. It is not just companies that profit from miniaturization advances, but entire nations reap rewards through the capitalization of new developments. Devices such as personal computers, cellular telephones, portable radios, and camcorders have created massive markets through miniaturization, and brought billions of dollars to th e countries where they were designed and built. In the 21st century, almost every electronic device has a computer chip inside. The goal of miniaturization is to make these devices smaller and more powerful, and thus made available everywhere. It has been said, however, that the time for continued miniaturization is limited the smaller the computer chip gets, the more difficult it becomes to shrink the components that fit on the chip. Devices made of semiconductors, notably silicon, are essential components of most electronic circuits. A process of lithography is used to create circuitry layered over a silicon substrate. A transistor is a semiconductor device with three connections capable of amplification in addition to rectification. Miniaturization entails increasing the number of transistors that can hold on a single chip, while shrinking the size of the chip. As the surface area of a chip decreases, the task of designing newer and faster circuit designs becomes more difficult, as there is less room left for the components that make the computer run faster and store more data. Gordon E. Moore introduced the concept known as Moores law in 1965, and it has been used in the semiconductor industry to guide long-term planning and development. The law predicts a long-term trend in which the number of transistors inexpensively places on an integrated circuit would double approximately every two years. His original statement appeared in his publication Cramming more components onto integrated circuits, Electronics Magazine 19th April 1965: The complexity for minimum component costs has increased at a rate of roughly a factor of two per yearà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Certainly over the short term this rate can be expected to continue, if not to increase. Over the longer term, the rate of increase is a bit more uncertain, although there is no reason to believe it will not remain nearly constant for at least 10 years. That means by 1975, the number of components per integrated circuit for a minimum cost will be 65,000. I believe that such a large circuit can be built on a single wafer (Appendix 1) The original statement made reference to one year, but was later altered to two years. Moores law describes a driving force of technological change in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The development and capabilities of several digital devices are linked to Moores law. Some of these include processing speed, memory capacity, and sensors. These devises are still improving at an exponential rate and have dramatically increased the usefulness of digital electronics in every segment of the world economy. One such segment is that of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This type of technology allows users to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly transformed by access to varied and developing technologies. ICTs impact on several areas of the economy, including productivity and innovation, as well as advances in science and technology. They are the leading factor in improving innovation and creativity, and as such, a great portion of the productivity gains in the economy are due to the impact of ICTs on products and services. In science and technology, they transform the way researchers conduct their research. Owing to increasing economic and social demands, technology must be brought closer to people and organizational needs. This entails making technology functional and simple to use, affordable and available, as well as meeting new preferences and needs. This demand calls for the proliferation of miniaturization whic h results in the emergence of a new wave of technologies. The Benefits and Challenges of Miniaturization Miniaturization is one of the fastest changing megatrends. Although it can be a great benefit for society, it also has its downsides. The challenges include cost-expensive, data inaccuracy, software unreliability, information overload and may result in: Invasion of Privacy and Identity Theft On the side of problems, one of the biggest growing crimes in America is caused by the affects of miniaturization. Invasion of personal privacy and identity theft are two very dangerous crimes that can not only embarrass you, but can also cause financial problems as well. A report composed by the news organization PRWeb states that 10 million consumers in the US become identity theft victims every year and those people spend a countless amount of time and money to correct these attacks. Not all 10 million are caused by miniaturization related electronics, but with the advancement in technology, miniaturization has greatly helped to increase the number of identity theft victims. Miniaturization plays a role in this crime because it has created the technology of miniature spy cams which aid voyeurism. Voyeurism is a practice in which an individual derives sexual pleasure from observing other people  [1]  . Some forms of voyeurism are legal, but if the person being viewed is unaware of the action, then it is illegal and considered an invasion of privacy. Loss of Electronic Devices Another problem with the trend of miniaturization, due to computerized electronics to become extremely more portable, is the increased ability to lose your electronic devices or have them stolen. As stated in the Apple patent, Current portable electronic devices such as laptop computers, hand-held devices such as cellular telephones and personal media devices, such as the Ipod from Apple Computer, and even devices such as compact disc players, are sufficiently compact and lightweight as to make them easily movable. Unfortunately, such ease of transport also implies ease of theft. While the rightful owner of a portable electronic device may conveniently transport it almost anywhere, so can a thief. (MacNN.com: Apple Patent,2007) Hearing Loss A third problem with miniaturization is the growth in use of portable MP3 players. These players have caused physiological damage because of the extended use of the ear buds and playing the players music extremely loud  [2]  . Noise-induced hearing loss involves individuals losing the ability to hear higher frequencies, evidenced at times by mild ear-ringing or trouble following conversations in noisy situations  [3]  . This hearing loss is directly related to the use of the MP3 players. What are some of the devices that have been impacted by miniaturization? There are multiple examples that reflect miniaturization, but perhaps the most well known miniaturized device is the cellular phone. The theory of mobile telephones was born in the early 1900s in the United Kingdom and the United States.   They were born out of research on mobile car phones, and calculated out that by limiting the range of transmitters, they could recycle the same radio frequencies. This allowed them to theorize the possibility that with this technology, many users would be able to share the same network. They were unable to put a production system together to prove this theory, due to the limit of available technology. In the early 1970s, ATT and Bell Labs proposed the first commercial cellular, mobile phone network.   The proposal was for a cellular network,  which was to consist of many small broadcast towers, covering a small area (termed a cell), a few miles in radius.   As the mobile phone moved across this network, the call would be passed on from towe r to tower. The first fully automatic, first generation cellular network (1G), was developed by Nordic Mobile Telephone in 1981.   1G was still based on analog radio signals. The advent of Second generation (2G) was in 1991.   High speed, third generation (3G) cellular networks became a reality when the Japanese company NTT DoCoMo rolled out its commercial WCDMA network. In 1986 cost between $2,500 to $3,500 and weighed just under 3 pounds (Appendix 2). Today, they are razor thin, weighing between 4 and 6 ounces and can cost from JMD$1,000 to JMD$60,000. Some of the most prominent include Nokia  and  Motorola. Other examples are the iPod Nano, Motorola Razor V3 and Dell Inspirion 700m. Ipod Nano The Ipod Nano, manufactured by Apple Computer, Incorporated, is a digital compression music player that delivers up to 1,000 songs. It features a very slim and compact design with dimensions of only 3.5 x 1.6 x 0.27 inches and 1.5 ounces and supports a colour LCD screen, the Apple Click Wheel, plays continuously for 14 hours, and holds other information besides music files. It also contains 2 gigabytes of memory that holds 500 songs. The Ipod Nano is able to be used for many purposes when you are unable to use a CD player or even for replacing a CD player. A few examples are exercising, going on vacations, among others. Also in recent news, Apple released a new form of miniaturization with the Ipod Video. This device will replace the older Ipods and will be able to support not only playing songs, but also displaying video on a two and a half inch screen (Appendix 2.1). Moto Razr V3 The next example of miniaturization is the Moto Razr V3, which is made by the Motorola Corporation. The features of the Razr V3 include ring tone downloads, calculator and currency converter, date and clock, alarm clock, calendar, instant messaging, text messaging, video games, photo camera, and video clip downloads. The Moto Razr V3 supports all this while still only weighing 3.35 ounces and having dimensions of 3.86 x 2.08 x 0.54 inches. The applications of this phone basically compare to those of a palm pilot. By having a phone with this power, anyone will be able to keep a strict control on their life (Appendix 2.2) Dell Inspiron 700m The final example is the Dell Inspiron 700m notebook, made by Dell Incorporated. It is the slimmest and lightest of all of Dells laptops being 4.1 pounds and 1.5 inches thick. Other features on this laptop include an Intel Pentium M Processor, Windows XP, a minimum of 256 megabytes of RAM, 12.1 inch screen, a hard drive with 40, 60, or 80 gigabytes, and an ethernet card for internet access. This laptops applications are very broad and diverse and can be used for meeting other people through the internet, doing business, recreational purposes like watching DVDs, burning DVDs, listening to music, playing computer games, or  by applying this computer to almost any aspect of a persons life (Appendix 2.3) Convergence Traditionally, communications media were separate and their services were distinct. Broadcasting, voice telephony and on-line computer services were different and operated on different platforms: television and radio machines, telephones and computers. Convergence is the combination of all these into one operating platform. It is the merger of telecom, data processing and imaging technologies. This convergence is incubating a new era of multimedia, in which voice, data and images are combined to provide services to the users. Traditional convergence is noted in the combination of the personal computer and the internet technology. This combination provides a convergence of data processing, images and audio services. Convergence makes it possible for one element to provide multi-service. An illustrated example of this is in the mobile phone, which was initially designed for voice communications. These days cell phones offer more functions: They offer print and text media as in the Short Message Service (SMS); they provide reception links to radio stations and access to broadcast information, they provide links to access the web, they capture, send and receive pictures and so forth. New generation of mobile phones are designed to capture video images.This had led to the death of many traditional devices like the Personal Digital Assistant and the proliferation of miniaturized devices. Miniaturization and the Digital Divide In the early 1990s, when someone referred to the digital divide they were really making reference to gaps in society between individuals who owned and had access to computers and those who had not. As the term evolved it adopted new meanings, it came to refer to the gaps between people with effective access to digital and information technology and those with very limited or no access at all  [4]  as well as refer to the inequalities between groups of people in their ability to use information technology fully. It also speaks to the imbalances in resources and skills needed to manipulate information on the internet. Therefore, the term digital divide is really two folds, it relates to the imbalances created by the inability to physically access technology and the unequal acquisition of skill attained with the constant use of said technology. Due to this the term is often interchangeably used with the knowledge divide, as it is proposed that if there is little to no access to the vast amount of information provided via the internet and technology individuals will be deficient in the attainment of knowledge supplied via this source. The four major components that contribute to the digital divide, as discussed by Bharat Mehra (2004, Digital Divide, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) are socio economic status, income, educational level, and racing among other factors associated with technological attainment. These are all major issues that affect society on a whole on a social level. The global divide on the other hand, refers to the same concept but in relation to countries as oppose to individuals. It really refers to differences to technology accessibility between Countries or the whole world. Miniaturization of technology in its truest form, if utilized properly will make an attempt to drastically reduce the gap in society that has significantly helped to perpetuate this problem. The continuous miniaturization of technology will among other things make technology more accessible to everyone. This is due to the fact that as technology gets smaller, it uses less resource to manufacture them and hence cause a reduction in the production cost. This in turn, causes a reduction in the selling cost, making it cheaper and more accessible to everyone. Technology is no longer only for the wealthy or the wealthiest countries, nor is it a means by which the rich can showcase their wealth. Now that miniaturization has made it accessible to almost everyone, the digital divide as it pertains to access to technology is noticeably dwindling. Projects like One Laptop per Child offer a partial solution to the global digital divide; these projects tend to rely heavily upon open standards and free open source software. The OLPC XO-1 is an inexpensive laptop computer designed and intended to be distributed to children in developing countries around the world, to provide them with access to knowledge (Appendix 3). Organizations such as Geekcorps, EduVision and Inveneo also help to overcome the digital divide with the use of now miniaturized technology. They often do so through the use of education systems that draws on information technology. The technology they employ often includes low-cost laptops, subnotebooks, handhelds (eg Simputer, E-slate), tablet PCs, Mini-ITX PCs, and low-cost WiFi-extending technology as cantennas and WokFis. In addition, other information technology material usable in the classroom can also be made diy to lower expenses, including projectors. Surely one can see, by these examples, where the continuous miniaturization of technology is playing some part in diminishing the global digital divide. These and other continuous efforts are reducing the digital global divide in developing countries owing mainly to miniaturization. As time progresses individuals will find new and innovative ways to make technology smaller and smaller and hence making them more accessible to the general public and more importantly, to developing nations. The Future of Miniaturization The future of miniaturization is uncertain as there have been many different projections as to where designer and creators want it to go. Some believe that the idea is to get more transistors on a single chip. Increasing the number of transistors ultimately leads to more power in the computer, cell phone, handheld PDA and other electronic devices that have a computer chip inside. In our times just about every electronic device has a computer chip inside. The pursuit to make these devices more powerful, and thus effectively independent of a constant power source, is the focus for miniaturization in computer technology. Ultimately the goal is to have computers everywhere by making components smaller and more powerful. However, what we do know is that technology will get smaller and smaller until they are almost microscopic. Technology created in the future will all have a few similar characteristics, they will be smaller, lightweight, durable, reliable, tamper-proof, and consume very l ittle power. However with these advances comes a certain level of concern. One of the biggest and most common concerns in making computer technology smaller is the availability of the Internet. As computers are miniaturized down to the subatomic level, computers could literally be floating around in the air. By building computers on the subatomic level, the laws of physics do not apply as we know them. This allows for greater flexibility in computer connectivity, and may eventually make wiring computers together obsolete. While this and other concerns are valid, with the continuous creation and evolution of technology, they will soon no longer be relevant concerns. Appendix Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 2.1 Appendix 2.2 Appendix 2.3

Best Childhood Memory When Riding a Bike Goes Wrong Essay

The assignment topic that we were to choose from was somewhat challenging for me. We were asked to write about our fondest childhood memory. Growing up with six younger siblings and a large number of cousins, there have been many entertaining occasions we have shared. One of my warmer memories was when I was 11 years old on July 4, 2006 at my great grandmother’s house with my siblings and cousins. My family is very massive and when we all get together, there is a guarantee that something amusing that wound up taking place to someone or all of us. On this specific day, it happened to be me and my bike riding experience. It was four o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon. The sun had gone down a little while previously but it was still somewhat hot. All of the kids were trying to find things to occupy our time. Everyone started suggesting such activities as â€Å"let’s go to the park,† â€Å"let’s go get ice cream from the store,† or â€Å"let’s play kickball or my proposition – â€Å"let’s race down the hill?† Everyone thought about the choices that were made and surprisingly agreed to my suggestion. So everyone went to the site were everything we needed to choose from in order to race down the hill was stationed. Some people had skates, bikes, scooters, and even go-karts. After we had acquired what we wanted we commenced up the hill towards our destination. Once we all climbed to the top, we ensured that everyone was accounted for and ready to ride. One of the younger kids who could not race down the hill with us, stayed at the bottom of the hill for the purpose of starting the race. Everyone who was going to go down the hill was extended across the top of the street and I was adjacent to them on the sidewalk. My younger cousin asked â€Å"are you ready?† We all responded â€Å"yeah† very loudly. At that point, she said â€Å"on your mark, get set, go!† We all moved quickly down the hill with hopes to be the first to win. I was going down the hill exceedingly fast with the intentions of winning the race. I felt like first place was mine for the taking. I wanted so bad to be able to rub it in all of their faces that I was victorious. However, while going down the hill I realized the bike I had chosen was malfunctioning. The handle bars were not lined up with the front wheel. For  this reason, I had been used to the brakes being on the handle bars, but consequently this bike was made different from what I was used to. In order to stop the bike, you had to press the pedals backwards. By the time I recognized I had to make the pedals go backwards and at the same time try to hold the handle bars straight, I came to the conclusion that I was indeed going to fall. I undoubtedly ended up doing exactly what I feared would happen. I hit my face on a light pole since I couldn’t slow the bike down. I was melodramatic and cried so much that today I can laugh about the â€Å"accident†. In the hopes that I would gain sympathy from someone, I went to my daddy and I recounted him on what had happen. Surprisingly, his words to me were â€Å"suck it up you will be okay.† I certainly assumed I was about peris h and he told me that I would be okay. For this reason, I didn’t know what was on his mind when he stated that to me. I was an eleven year old child that had been deeply traumatized and scarred. Little, did I know that the advice he gave me would follow me through my existence. In my life, I have had a lot of great memories with my family. The bike riding experience was one to demonstrate the many perils of wisdom that I have been given by my family and life diversities. At the present time as I have grown older, I realize now the importance of his words of astuteness to me. I now understand that life is going to have it up and downs and you will get condemned down a lot and come out with bumps and blemishes. The essence of the situation is how you pick yourself back up and dust yourself off and try again. In other words, it is alright to have some obstacles in your life but it is all in the way you handle the obstructions.