Economy and Global Warming Essay

The global warming is viewed as dangerous process not only according to the environmental issues. Now it is often viewed in regards with its impact on the economy. Recently it was claimed that the increase of the rate of global warming led to the higher damage costs. Among the main tasks of the economics of global warming is estimation of the economic costs of global warming, their evaluation and distribution as well as evaluation of the cost of the actions, which are devised for fighting the global warming process. In this process economists rely on the data obtained from the number of sources. The newest findings and current data are discussed at a number of annual conferences and meetings. In April 2007 there was an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) conference. Representatives of over 120 nations were present there is order to discuss the ways of mitigation of the global warming process as well as economic and societal costs of these actions. As the result of the conference there was an approval of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report. The main idea of this report is that benefits of mitigation of global warming are worth all the mitigation costs incorporated in this process (Coleman, 2007). Economic impacts of global warming First of all I’d like to set the discussion and explain why the question of the global warming is so topical for the economists. During the last few decades there were a number of researches focusing on the economic damage of the global warming. As the result of these researches there appeared a number of reports on the aggregate net economic costs of damages caused by the global warming and the climate change. These costs are usually defined in terms of the social cost of carbon (SCC), which can be defined as the estimation of the future expenses of the world economies caused by the global warming from carbon dioxide emissions, which are done in the present. Thus, according to numerous reports SCC in 2005 was estimated as US$ 43 per tonne of carbon (tC) (IPCC Summary for policymakers, 2007) Very valuable idea of the influence of global warming on the economy was provided by Professor Robert O. Mendelsohn of Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in Copenhagen Consensus: A series of studies on the impacts of climate change have systematically shown that the older literature overestimated climate damages by failing to allow for adaptation and for climate benefits. These new studies imply that impacts depend heavily upon initial temperatures (latitude). Countries in the polar region are likely to receive large benefits from warming, countries in the mid-latitudes will at first bene fit and only begin to be harmed if temperatures rise above 2. 5C. Only countries in the tropical and subtropical regions are likely to be harmed immediately by warming and be subject to the magnitudes of impacts first thought likely. Summing these regional impacts across the globe implies that warming benefits and damages will likely offset each other until warming passes 2. 5C and even then it will be far smaller on net than originally thought† (Mendelson, 2007). Valuable findings were presented in the report of Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President of the World Bank Nicholas Stern known as ‘The Stern Review† published in 2006. In this repost Nicolas Stern claims that if no actions are undertaken climate change will produce a very negative influence on economic growth (Peston, 2006). According to Stern’s findings there is a possibility of recession up 20 % of global GDP in case no mitigation of global warming is undertaken. In order to be able to prevent this nations should join their forces for the sake of investing 1 % of global GDP for fighting the negative impact of global warming process (Stern, 2007). Cost estimates According to IPCC TAR (Synthesis Report) annual mitigation costs range from $78 billion to $1141 billion, which constitute from 0. 2 % up to 3. 5 % of present-day world GDP. However, the researchers also realize that some nations of the world are unable to contribute to the mitigation of global warming due to the low level of their economic development. If the burden of mitigation is placed only on more economically-powerful nations, they should donate approximately 0. 3 % – 4. 5 % of their GDP. This percent is high, however, as the researchers state due to the constant economic growth of the world economies, this percentage will decrease with time. One more estimation was done in terms of cost per tonne of carbon emission avoided, which is said to be from $ 18 to $ 80 (House of Lords, 2005). The mitigation costs are every country’s concern. Moreover, according to Lord Peter Levene, chairman of Lloyd’s of London, it is essential that every company should include in its risk analysis the threat of climate change (Business Insurance, 2007). Benefits Numerous researchers tried to estimate the cost of the benefits from the mitigation of global warming. Thus, according to the report of Nordhaus and Boyer based on the Kyoto Protocol the benefits from mitigation for world economies would constitute approximately $ 120 billion. However, this benefit is not accepted by all researchers. McKibbin and Wilcoxen for example state that there cost benefits are too low. They state that in spite of the fact that â€Å"other studies reach similar conclusions, the emissions targets agreed in the Kyoto Protocol are irreconcilable with economic rationality†. In this idea they support the other researcher – Tol, who has the same viewpoint ( McKibbin & Wilcoxen, 2002). On the contrary to the findings of the Kyoto Protocol, the estimates of benefits as stated in Stern Review are much higher and constitute approximately 5 up to 20 % of GDP. The difference is of course very considerable. However, it was stated that benefits depend on the number of factors. Among the most essential of these factors are the discount rate, the use of welfare weighting for positive influence on poor nations of the world, a greater emphasis on the negative impact on the natural environment and the application of the newest scientific estimates of this negative influence (Stern, 2007). However, it should be mentioned that the benefits of the mitigation actions are not limited solely to environmental improvement. They have a number of other concealed benefits, which depend on the application of definite technologies. For example, in case the technologies aiming at the reduction of oil use are applied, this will produce great benefits for the country economy due to the lower influence of oil price rises on the economy. This is a very valuable benefit for a number of countries, which are currently importing oil and experience great economic losses from oil price rises (IPCC Summary for Policy Makers, 2007). One more concealed benefit of mitigation actions is connected with the problem of deforestation. Once it is stopped, this will produce considerable benefits due to the increase of biodiversity, tourism promotion, benefits for indigenous people, greater possibilities for research and even in some cases this could save money otherwise spent on protective actions against extreme weather events (Stern, 2007). Optimal strategies for mitigation One of the most essential questions is the relation to the topic of mitigation of the negative impact of global warming on the world economy is the question of the possible strategies, which can be applied in this process. It was estimated that definite financial and technological strategies could be the best for the elimination of the harmful impact of greenhouse gas on the environment. Among these financial and technological strategies I’d like to name the following ones: Trading of carbon emissions Application of the carbon tax Better regulation technologies Application of the hybrid systems of user and permits fees Improvement of energy efficiency Development of nuclear power and renewable energy sectors aiming at decrease of carbon emission (Board on Natural Disasters, 1999). It was stated in numerous researches that these actions, especially is taken in combination, will produce the greatest influence on the mitigation of the global warming and climate change and thus will be beneficial for the world economies. Cost distribution One more question under discussion is the distribution of costs associated with fighting global warming. It is obvious that the costs and benefits cannot be distributed evenly. Mitigation costs are distributed unevenly both between the countries and inside each particular country. This differentiation is greatly due to the existence of the following factors: low-lying countries have a greater risk of floods, so they are more concerned with the issues of the global warming and its mitigation is more beneficial for them; – other countries, which are particularly at risk of the negative impact of global warming are African countries, which is greatly due to the increased drought typical for these areas. Definitely, mitigation of climate change and global warming is extremely beneficial for them, however, they are unable to contribute a lot to the mitigation actions due to the low economical development; poor countries contribute less to mitigation actions but due to the low level of technologies and science they are the main ones who emit greenhouse gasses and pollute the environment (Peston, 2006). Inter-relationships It is obvious that fighting global warming and climate change should be a concern of all countries of the world and they should join their forces and distribute expenses associated with this more or less evenly. Bastianoni claims that there exists great difference in methodologies applied for the defining the responsibility of each country for greenhouse gas emissions. In this respect I’d like to name the following: – the geographical approach, which is based on the IPCC guidelines for GHG inventory; – the consumer responsibility approach, which is grounded on the Ecological Footprint methodology; – the Carbon Emission Added (CEA) approach, which has much in common with the Value Added Tax accounting (Bastianoni, 2004). Due to this differentiation in methodologies we can observe great difference in application of the responsibility of each country for emissions of greenhouse gasses, which has a consequent influence on the design of the policy of mitigation. Reports on Economy and Global Warming In regards with the actions of the world community aimed at the mitigation of the global warming I’d like to name two major reports, defining possible losses from the climate change and benefits of mitigation of global warming as well as regulating economic policies aiming at fighting these processes. The first report under discussion is the Kyoto Protocol. This is an agreement, which was made during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The main idea of the Kyoto Protocol is the actions aimed conducted by the countries, which aim at the reduction of emission of carbon dioxide and other five gases contributing to the global warming, and engagement in trading of emissions (Buonanno, Carraro & Galeotti, 2003). The Kyoto Protocol is genially international. Now it joins over 170 countries, which constitute 60 % of all countries, all over the world in common concern of mitigation global warming and climate change. Till November 2007 only the US, Australia and Kazakhstan did not join this process and did not ratify the act. The Kyoto Protocol is a long-time plan, which is in valid till the end of 2012. However, it doesn’t mean that the actions, started by this treaty will end after 2012. Most likely the Kyoto Protocol policies will be continued through some other treaty (Malakunas, 2007). United Nations Environment Program explained the main essence and policies of the Kyoto Protocol in the press release: The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement under which industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5. 2 % compared to the year 1990 (but note that, compared to the emissions levels that would be expected by 2010 without the Protocol, this limitation represents a 29 % cut). The goal is to lower overall emissions of six greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, HFCs, and PFCs – calculated as an average over the five-year period of 2008-12. National limitations range from 8 % reductions for the European Union and some others to 7 % for the US, 6 % for Japan, 0 % for Russia, and permitted increases of 8 % for Australia and 10 % for Iceland (Crichton, 2003). Of course, as any other policy The Kyoto Protocol has its supporters and critics. Support The main idea of the supporters of the Kyoto Protocol is that it is very important for the whole world due to the fact that it is aimed at the establishment of the policies and actions mitigating global warming and fighting climate change. Of course the main supporters of the protocol are the governments of the countries, who signed it with the European Union being the most prominent and active supporter. Among the other actions, which show the compliance to the main ideas of the Kyoto Protocol, is the claim of several Canadian corporations, which also reported their support of the mitigation of global warming and stated that the Kyoto Protocol would be only a first step in this process (Global Warming: What is it? , 2007) Opposition However, the Kyoto Protocol has also raised a wave of opposition. The first group of critics maintains the critical idea towards the existence of the global warming and climate change processes at all. The believe that the Kyoto Protocol was design just for the sake of making the process of money shift to the third world easier and argue that with useless spending of money will slow the economic and technological growth of the powerful countries of the world, who will try to solve the problem which never existed instead of investing money to the development of their economies (Lockwood & Frohlich, 2007). The other critics support the necessity of the actions for mitigation of global warming, however, they either believe that the expenses will outweigh the benefits or consider that goals established by the Kyoto Protocol are unattainable and far too optimistic and won’t change the situation with the global warming and climate change considerably (Houghton, Ding, Griggs, 2001).

Reflection Paper on Sensory Evaluation

Corook, Mark Lester F. 2009-17733 FS 131 – Reflection Paper The journal article â€Å"Sensory food science in the changing society: Opportunities, needs, and challenges† written by Hely Tuorila and Erminio Monteleone is about the trends in sensory food science showing its history and its evolution over the past 15-20 years. The progress in research methods and instruments were also presented in the article. Also, it talked about the significance of sensory evaluation to the food industry, and the future opportunities and challenges in the field.The topic was a good one and is relatable to FS 131. As a Food Technology student, this article is of great help on appreciating the course and the role of sensory food science to the industry. According to Tuorila and Monteleone, sensory food science has extensive function to food production and marketing – no food or beverage is worth producing and marketing without at least an approximate idea of the acceptability of it s sensory quality. I strongly believe this statement since I think that consumer perceptions are highly relevant to commercial success of foods and beverages.By reading the article, I realized that sensory evaluation is of great value to both the tactical and strategic research goals of the food industry. A brief history of the field was also presented in the paper. Pangborn (1989) stated that sensory food science evolved from the need for scientifically sound sensory evaluation of foods. By reading this journal, I realized that sensory evaluation is really related to the behavioural sciences, such as psychology, and to biology, nutrition and heath sciences.I also realized that sensory evaluation functions like chemical, physical and microbiological characterisation of products. As I read the trends in the field, I realized that the research methods have grown immensely. I read from the article that for sensory evaluation to be scientifically sound, many skills and training are requ ired. But sadly, not all of us appreciate this fact. New methods and instruments were summarized in a big table. It can be seen that computers played an important part on the progress of these methods.They are very important since they make data entry more convenient and less prone to errors. Also, internet is also an essential part of the development due to its use in data collection for various sensory tests (home use tests, online FGDs). I recognized the potential of the discipline to enhance liking for healthy foods. â€Å"New foods for the weight control market naturally require sensory testing and consumer acceptance research. † Also, I believed that sensory research is a necessary tool in defining optimal sensory properties of a product. I realized the significance of sensory evaluation to catering services.Sensory evaluation can be utilized to gather systematic sensory information across cultural preferences and to define acceptable options. Thus, the discipline helps in understanding the character of cuisines of different populations, which is very essential for businesses. Also, through reading the paper, I realized that there are great opportunities for sensory research and that in our changing society, new issues relevant to sensory science are likely to emerge. Thus, I see the need for high level basic training and opportunities for college students to specialize in the field, and proper funding for sensory research.

Hamlet/Ophelia Relationship Essay

Hamlet and Ophelia have a relationship that is quite significant to Hamlet as a whole. Their relationship in the past has been filled with many sexual endeavors but once the play starts, it begins its downfall, affecting multiple characters down the line. Throughout the play, the relationship indirectly causes obsession, death, insanity, and the drive for vengeance. Ophelia’s love for Hamlet is mentioned very early in the play when she is with her brother, Laertes, and her father, Polonius. The brother warns her to be careful since Hamlet’s motive to be with her are not out of love, but is â€Å"a violet in the youth of primy nature, forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, the perfume and suppliance of a minute,† meaning that the relationship is merely a stage of youthful lust and will not last forever (1.2 8-10). Unlike Laertes, Polonius demands that she must stop dating Hamlet at once. He cares about his own reputation more than the emotions of his daughter, and he also wants to have the most power over her. If she and Hamlet were to wed, he would lose the power he has over her, which is unacceptable in his eyes. After Ophelia obeys her father, Hamlet appears at her room in a complete mess. The state that he is in frightens her, and mentions what happens to her father. Polonius assumes that Ophelia’s rejection has driven Hamlet insane. This is the beginning of Polonius obsession to discover if Hamlet is really insane due to his daughters rejection, or if it due to a different cause. The obsession that Polonius continues to have for the discover of the source of Hamlet’s insanity drives him to his death, which further induces Ophelia’s drowning. Being extremely nosy, he once again hides to eavesdrop on Hamlet’s conversation, this time with Hamlet’s mother in the queen’s chamber. After Gertrude feels threatened by Hamlet’s aggression and screams, Polonius makes a sound behind the curtain, in turn shocking Hamlet. Then Hamlet yells, â€Å"How now, a rat? Dead for ducat, dead† and stabs Polonius through the curtains, killing him (3.4 29). Polonius just had to force Ophelia to reject Hamlet. His obsession with their relationship causes his own death. His death is well deserved. Unfortunately, his death drives Ophelia insane. She loses the love of her life, her brother is far away in Paris so she has no one to go to anymore, and now her father perishes. Being driven over the edge, she does not notice that falls into a large pool of water, and before long, â€Å"her garments, heavy with their drink, pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay to muddy death† (4.7 206-208). The significance of Ophelia and Hamlet’s relationship is all tied together by Laertes’s mark for vengeance. Act V i. is the first scene since Polonius’s death that the two characters are in each other’s presence. Overcome with grief, Hamlet cries, † I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love make up my sum† (5.1.270-72). When he sees Laertes in the grave, he becomes jealous and angry, so they wrestle. Laertes was not prepared to kill Hamlet there and then, but it is hinted that he will do so in the next scene. Hamlet’s relationship may indirectly lead up to his death. Hamlet’s and Ophelia’s feelings for each other stay strong throughout the whole play, even though they may be clouded. Their love is still strong when Ophelia rejects him and when he basically calls her a whore, they just couldn’t show it. The play was strongly influenced by their relationship since it affected so many characters. It may even end the life of dear Hamlet.

Successful learning and three ingredients needed to ensure successful Essay

Successful learning and three ingredients needed to ensure successful learning - Essay Example From the study it can be comprehended that a lot of psychologists, educationalists and researchers have put forward various models that aim at successful and improved learning. One of such models was put forward by Dr. David McClelland who recommends three ingredients needed to ensure successful learning: wanting to learn, knowing how to learn and having a chance to learn. The desire to learn is not far from right to place first on the ladder of three ingredients needed to ensure successful learning by Dr. David McClelland. Indeed the fact that a person must want or desire to learn goes to confirm the saying that where there is a will, there is a way. The desire or want to learn serves as a stimulus that sustains the learner through out the learning period. Next to a strong want to learn, it is very important that a learner possesses a great depth of knowhow when it comes to learning. One may ask, â€Å"What does it mean to know how to learn?† The fact that it is possible for someone to know how to learn and for another person not to know how to learn means that learning is more of an ‘act’ than an event. it is important that a person gets the chance to learn. This is to say that the first two factors put forward by Dr. David McClelland are only preliminary factors that lead to the actual act of learning. So after one acquires the want to learn and gets to understand how to learn, the fellow needs to follow these with an actual act of learning, which means gaining the chance to learn.... may ask, â€Å"What does it mean to know how to learn?† The fact that it is possible for someone to know how to learn and for another person not to know how to learn means that learning is more of an ‘act’ than an event. Learning is an act such like swimming, gymnastics and cooking. If you do not know how to do it, you will do it poorly. First, it is important to mention that learning is an individual act and that different people learn best through different means. For this reason, any person who would be tagged as a person who knows how to learn must first be a person who knows and understands him or her own self. As a typical example with my personal learning experience, I am able to determine factors such as the best time to learn, the right learning methodologies that works best, the length of time to learn, the type of subject to begin learning with and other factors of the sort. By knowing these factors, I have always succeeded in learning because he or she is going to apply to him or herself, the most appropriate rudiments of learning. Having a chance to learn – 150 After it is all said and done, it is important that a person gets the chance to learn. This is to say that the first two factors put forward by Dr. David McClelland are only preliminary factors that lead to the actual act of learning. So after one acquires the want to learn and gets to understand how to learn, the fellow needs to follow these with an actual act of learning, which means gaining the chance to learn. Putting into practice the first two factors without the having the chance to learn is like training so hard for a soccer match that never was. To this effect, it is important that every learner is presented with an opportunity to learn. Conclusion - 100 To conclude, it is important

Audio Crossover Circuits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Audio Crossover Circuits - Essay Example Analysis of first order crossover The first order cross over circuits is designed with the use of passive components, which include the resistors, capacitors as well as inductors. The passive components are used in conditioning the signal to obtain a specific result. The components are useful in the analysis and control of the signal. There are a number of designs of the circuits that is sued to condition the audio output of the circuits. Different configurations of the first order circuits have different results in terms of signal conditioning. In the audio crossover circuits, the circuits are specific to a selected frequency range, thereby introducing the elements of damping and rectification among others. The first configuration of the first order cross over audio circuits involves the use of a capacitor as the conditioner of the signal fed in the circuit. The capacitor plays a huge role in the circuit for it acts as a voltage regulator by storing charge. It stabilizes the voltage that is passed within the circuit. The speaker that is used in the circuit is represented as an inductor. The use of a speaker in signal conversion must involve the consideration of the inductance that is created by the use of a coil in the speaker design. The characteristics of the capacitor as what that govern the operation of the circuit. In this case, the capacitor characteristics when a voltage (V) is applied at the terminals of the capacitance in series with the inductor results to a particular waveform, which indicates the frequency, voltage, and gain patterns that are associated with the circuit. The graph above shows how the capacitor influences the audio crossover circuit. From the graph, a change in the frequency results to a change in the response of the capacitor after a specific sharp spike. The input voltage as well as the frequency of the circuit indicates that there is a break point that the circuit has to follow so as to get the most out of the circuit. The charac teristic of the graph shows that the capacitor has an optimal value under which performance is at its peak. These elements of the capacitor are of great necessity in the operations of the circuit for they determine the inputs as well as the outputs of the given design. In this circuit, the curve after the peak is as a result of the increasing conductivity that is associated with a time based charge supply across the capacitor terminals. In the second configuration of the first order audio cross over circuit, the capacitor is supported by the addition of a resistor in parallel with the speaker. In the circuit, the use of the resistor in parallel to the speaker acts as a form of damper and thus conditioning the signal in the circuit by damping. The inductor provides some resistance in operation, which is known as impedance, which in electronics is regarded as imaginary resistance in an inductor. Some of the current in the system passes through the resistor, which branches from the cur rent directed, to the speaker. The voltage across the speaker and the resistor in the system remains the same, but the resistor helps in dissipation of any residual current that the circuit might operate. In this scenario, spikes that might be associated with inconsistency with the power supply can be resolved by the use of the

Understanding of relational and interpretive perspective Essay

Understanding of relational and interpretive perspective - Essay Example In this research language was identified as having several components including words and action. This was an important indication to refute the general misconception that language and communication are all about speech word and for that matter words. In fact, the seminar was an important avenue for realising the role that actions play in communication. Action was identified to be useful in forms of language such as non-verbal communication including gestures. Another core area of the seminar was that actions in language come with a number of relations. This opened the door to relating language to relational and interpretive perspective. This is because once the relations are made in the course of language, listeners and on-lookers make interpretations of the language that is put across to them. Two major theories were introduced by Gergen. These were centripetal and centrifugal power. It was realised that the effect of this power cause a lot of leaders of the world to resist change. Further discussions on the chapter and seminar have been done below. Discourse and analysis are coherent phenomenon. This is to say that discourse comes with analysis. Even in cases where discourse is soliloquy, it is very much likely to contain some level of analysis because the singular speaker may want to have some meaning out of what he or she says to him or her self. Ankati explains that even though there may be many definitions of discourse, â€Å"One thing they all agree on is that the analyst's first focus must be on language, and what it does in the world.† This means that the focus of discourse is on language. Norquist (2012) gives a linguistic definition to discourse, explaining it as â€Å"a unit of language longer than a single sentence.† This means that discourse entails the delivery of a series of sentences to put across a core message discourse of sadam hussein Discourse is an inevitable phenomenon in leadership at all levels. Corporate managers, paren ts and political leaders all use discourse to achieve various purposes. It is for the reason that people use discourse very often that there is the term, discourse practice. This discourse practice may be either through words or action. Among leaders of this world whose discourse practice are commonly analysed and discussed is Saddam Hussein. Very outstanding among the discussion of the discourse of Saddam Hussein is the political discourse he used over his people as the President of Iraq. From a very broad perspective, Bengio (2002) describes Saddam’s political discourse as one that is filled with propaganda. This, according to the writer created a phenomenon known as â€Å"Saddam enigma†. Like in the case of Saddam, Bengio (2002) notes that â€Å"under any regime, political culture is built on public discourse.† This means that the kind of political discourse that a ruler puts across has the power of creating an identical political culture. This political cult ure could be linked to the relation that people build towards the political regime in question. This therefore means that both relational and interpretive perspectives are represented in political discours

Domtar corporation limited Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Domtar corporation limited - Research Paper Example Additionally the company owns and is responsible of overseeing the distribution of its products by Domtar Distribution Group. Domtar is also responsible of designing, manufacturing, and marketing of different brands of paper inclusive of sandpiper, Opaque Ultra and Husky Opaque. Currently, Domtar offers employment to over 10,000 people. Its headquarters is located in Montreal and has over 80 paper storage and distribution facilities that are located within North America. However, the center for its operations is located in South Carolina. The company is worth over 700 billion dollars. This paper focuses on the management of Domtar by making use of the SWOT analysis. Additionally, the internal and external stakeholders of Domtar will be identified, their needs and wants, and how the company is fulfilling the needs of the stakeholders. SWOT Analysis of Domtar The Domtar SWOT analysis will provide an insight on the management and other business operation carried out by Domtar. SWOT stan ds for the strengths or aspects in which Domtar has been faring well. W stands for weaknesses or areas that Domtar require to improve to enable it become more successful. O is for the opportunities that Domtar can exploit to increase its productivity. T is for the threats that Domtar is facing. Analyzing the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities and threats of Domtar will help establish the parts that are most relevant to consider when deciding whether or not to invest in the company. Strengths One of the major strengths that has seen Domtar flourish is the effective communication between the management and the other stakeholders. Another advantage is its popularity, which has made it gain numerous customers globally. Additionally, Domtar has successfully managed to manage its costs effectively such that they are able to spend less but earn much. Domtar has up to date technology. It has some of the latest machineries, which makes its operations easy but successful. A good example is the power generating machineries such as steam turbines, which greatly helps in reducing the production costs (Pump Industry Analyst, 2009). An additional Domtar’s strength is the great capability to recycle it byproducts. Domtar recycles almost all the byproducts such as paper and gypsum. This has enable Domtar maximize on it resources. Additionally, it has enabled Domtar to be recognized as a sustainable dealer with forest products. An additional strength is the strong existing relationship between Domtar and its stakeholders. A good example is with the environmentalists, who are often opposed to operation of paper dealers. However, the strong relationship between Domtar and environmental groups has made it manage to operate without much criticism (Pump Industry Analyst, 2009). Weaknesses One of the challenge hence weakness facing Domtar is the low number of shares in the market. Additionally, Domtar lacks a strong reputation considering that it is the second largest dealer of paper and paper products Opportunities Domtar has an opportunity to expand its market globally due to the emerging markets. An additional opportunity that Domtar can take advantage of is the chance to diversify its products. From its initial stages, Domtar focuses on pulp and paper products. It thus has the opportunity to expand its operations and start dealing with other wood products. Due

Week 4 discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Week 4 discussion - Assignment Example One important issue of consideration is the structure and approach of the competition. There is need for adoption of a uniform structure throughout the exercise as this presents participants with a level playing ground. Any exercise must have certain objectives to be met and as such defining objectives is important in designing cyber competitions. The kinds of equipment to be used in terms of hardware and software as well as approach to be taken are important issues in cyber exercises. These are heavily dependent on the objectives set for the competition. it is very important to decide the overall topology over which the competition is run keeping in mind the available/chosen equipment for the exercise. The next consideration after deciding on the topology is to formulate the exercise scenario, come up with rules to govern the competition and also define the metrics for evaluating the competition’s efficiency basing on the set objectives. There should also be a methodology with which to gather lessons learned from the simulation by both the participants and organizers. a very important consideration is defining the entities to make up the competition; generally, competitions on cyber security have two sides i.e. the attacking site & the defense side. Every side has systems which are managed by participating teams and each side should have at least a system to facilitate participation in the competition. In order to protect any web application from vulnerabilities and threats of attack, a comprehensive understanding of every communication by the application is required. This is because the security solution/device must be able to see data in the same way as the application to be protected in so as to map out areas of threat. in other words, security devices must be in the position of performing complete deconstruction of HTML data play sessions and monitor all applications sessions in order to secure

America's Post-Civil War Growing Pains Assignment

America's Post-Civil War Growing Pains - Assignment Example The end of reconstruction where Hayes withdrew the last union troops from the south also took place during this time. The civil war and the reconstruction periods were the major turning points in the history of America (Robert 2008). The civil war was a tragic conflict that made people to turn against each other brother against brother where the generic slaves were acting only as a historical backdrop. The civil war separated people and still united them as a nation. It was fought over the secession of the union. Some of the causes of the civil war were: slavery, nationalism and honor, the election of Abraham Lincoln, territorial crisis and the constitution among others. The reconstruction period followed the civil war and it disastrous as it was caused by early granting of political and civil rights to the African Americans. The reconstruction period brought about various questions like what would be the place of the freed African Americans in the south? And did the abolition mean t hat the blacks could have equal opportunities like the whites? Though the civil war was over reconstruction was also a kind of war. The civil war and reconstruction had an impact on the nationalist collectivism of the Americans as they encouraged the collectivist to promote their visions of reform and devalued the individualism of the American society. Individuality became more of a liability than an asset. Industrial expansion after the civil war made way for changes in urbanization of America. America became more urbanized, there was the growth of cities in size and population and extensive new systems of transportation. They also led to immigration of new foreign people who posed a threat to the political systems and increased the unemployment rate as they were more than willing to work for lower wages that the native-born Americans refused. The civil war and reconstruction led to problems which affect the integrity of the government, the way industrial workers are treated, the n eeds of the western farmers and the treatment of the immigrants (Perman 2008). The civil war and reconstruction had an impact on the America’s economy as it imposed substantial costs. Both civil war and reconstruction had a negative impact on the private investments through the process of range substitution. These wars led to the destruction of economic infrastructure and human lives. They undermined the state legitimacy thus posing a threat to the rule of law and property rights security. These wars created economic uncertainty on America’s economy putting both public and private investments at risk. The civil war and reconstruction had a negative impact on the economic production as it reduced the growth and level of the capital stock and damaging the government’s fiscal balance. This made the government to move its expenditure from production enhancing services to the conduct of the wars. The destruction of slavery had a negative impact on the cotton producti on. The civil war and reconstruction era impacted politics in various ways. This era led to a greater political division especially among the southerners and northerners and refused to unite. By allowing the blacks to participate in politics this led to corruption, and poor running of the government (Richard 2008). The reconstruction led to the development of the south and positive progress for the former slaves and the end of the whites’

Suspense in the Film North by North West Essay Example for Free

Suspense in the Film North by North West Essay Alfred Hitchcocks film North by Northwest reflects an extraordinary use of setting combined with brilliant camera angles and techniques to evoke emotion and to create suspense. The films exciting and suspenseful tone is established very quickly once Thornhill is shockingly kidnapped by two thugs while socializing with friends in a safe and public environment, the Plaza Hotel. Also the film displays scenes in which the viewer is placed in the point of view of the characters. Therefore immediate suspense and emotion captivates the audience because each viewer feels as though they are in the actual scene themselves. In addition, real-life suspense is created through the films brilliant use of various camera angles and techniques. The film has the ability to create suspense through its unique use of setting, combined with its remarkable use of different camera angles. In the beginning of the film, Thornhill is kidnapped while at a busy and sophisticated bar within the Plaza Hotel. This is a unique setting for a kidnapping scene because Thornhill is abducted while socializing with friends in a safe and familiar setting. Normally characters are kidnapped dark, scary, and secluded settings where there are no witnesses. Instead, Hitchcock does the opposite by having Thornhill kidnapped in a busy bar during the middle of the day. He is surprisingly captured in a comfortable setting that was very much a part of his upscale and suave lifestyle. Hence the audience is stunned to see the plot change dramatically during the most unexpected moment and setting. Along with great use of setting, the film also uses spectacular camera techniques in order to create suspense and evoke the emotions of the viewer. For instance, the crop field scene features an astonishing setting combined with great camera angles. The scene has a suspenseful tone because it occurs during a bright sunny day, and in the middle of an empty crop field. As Lang Thompson wrote in his article North by Northwest, The famous scene of Cary Grant being chased through a cornfield by a crop duster is an example of Hitchcock at his best. It came about because he had noticed that when most directors try to make a suspenseful scene they use tight alleyways, shadows barely visible through the gloom and the slow building tension of the approaching menace. So Hitchcock did exactly the opposite: full daylight, completely open space and a very fast machine. This desolate, eerie setting causes the viewer to feel sympathy for Thornhill, because one immediately realizes how vulnerable and alone he is during this moment. In addition to setting, suspense is created through the scenes use of point of view shots. This camera shot causes the plane to appear as though it is coming directly toward the screen as it gets gradually gets closer to Thornhill. As a result the audience feels as though they are being attacked by the plane themselves. The scenes eerie setting combined with excellent point of view shots create a tone of suspense that can rarely be matched. Hitchcock uses brilliant camera angles to heighten the amount of suspense and emotion. The excellent use of different camera angles can especially be seen during the scene in which both Thornhill and Eve depart from the train in Chicago. Throughout this scene, there are only a few subtle changes within each preceding camera angle and shot. Although the change between camera angles is subtle, they are astonishingly powerful because of the way they are able to create suspense and spur emotion. For example, when both Thornhill and Eve get off the train he camera is focused only on Eve while she walks toward the police officers. At this point the audience has no idea where Thornhill is, and have no idea if he had already been caught or not. Knowing this, Hitchcock decides to slowly change the focus off of Eve and onto the unknown transit employee carrying her bags. At this moment the camera is angled in a way that hides the facial identity of the transit employee. Immediately after , the viewer is slowly brought to the next camera angle which shockingly reveals that the unknown man is actually Thornhill disguised in uniform. The use of camera angles within this scene are truly brilliant, because for the first time the audience actually knows less about Thornhills situation than does Thornhill himself. In conclusion, it is quite evident that the unique settings, extravagant shooting techniques, and brilliant use of camera angling can all be credited for making North by Northwest one of the most suspenseful films ever made. One is immediately captivated by the films suspensful tone once Thornhill is surprisingly kidnapped during the most unexpected and unusual setting imaginable. In addition, the film has the ability to create an unrivaled feeling of suspense through its clever combination of both unique settings matched with extraordinary camera techniques. For example, point of view shots are used to increase the suspense and horror felt during the scene in which Thornhill is chased by a plane in a desolate crop field. Also the film is able to evoke fear and emotion by using different camera angles in order to hide or reveal things that are currently happening within the film. North by Northwest is truly a special film because it reflected an unrivaled tone of suspense by critiquing basic film elements.

Overview Segmenting B2c Markets Marketing Essay

Overview Segmenting B2c Markets Marketing Essay Over the years, the traditional face of marketing has changed. Whilst organisations recognize that they can no longer take their customers loyalty for granted, and need to adopt ongoing marketing strategies to stay ahead of their competitors (A general review, 2006, p. 23-25). Consequently, the target and strategy are crucial for a companys marketing. The company aims to bring a new brand of multivitamins called Supreme to the market. The product range includes Multivitamin and Iron, Multivitamin and minerals, Zinc, Cod Liver Oil, Effervescent Vitamin C, and Evening Primrose Oil. These different Multivitamins were identified through initial market research undertaking with the proposed target market. Indeed, it needs a detailed analysis for the segmentation and targeting process in order to reach the affluent end of the market. Therefore, it must be focus on the strategy such as segmentation, the differences between B2C and B2B for segmentation processes; the marketing phrase of targeting and how to make a segment and target market for the new range of products. Market segmentation is the process through, which consumers needs and desires, purchasing behaviour and buying habits are identified in order to divide the overall market for certain products into several consumer group market segments. Mass production, mass communication, technology, globalisation has helped create larger and lucrative potential markets. Organisations do not have the resources to or the inclination to be a single force within a loosely defined market (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006, p.193). The whole market can be seen as an orange, each segment of the orange represents a different market based upon geographic, demographic, Geodemographic, psychographic and behavioural similarities. According to the geographical factors for consumers segmentation, is where the geographical position and geographical environment variables to segment the market. Because in different geographic environments customers may have different needs and preferences for the same kind of products. According to statistics, personality factors subdivision is by age, sex, occupation, family income, family, life cycle, race, religion, nationality, variables, thus the market will be divided into different groups. Additionally, geodemographic combines demographic and geographic information together to help organizations know where the customers are and how many people there are. And then, the psychological factors, groups consumers according to their life style, personality, purchasing motivation, attitude, on different variables subdivided into the different groups. At last, the behavioural factors subdivision is that according to the consumers to purchase or used a commodity of time, purchase quantity, purchase frequency and the brand loyalty variables to segment market. segmenting B2B markets Business to business (B2B) segmentation is focused on the organization and the individual buyers. Macro Segmentation is based on the characteristics of organisations and the broader purchasing contexts they operate within. It assumes organisations will exhibit similar patterns and needs, reflected by their same buying behaviour. Bases used for macro segmentation are easily obtained from secondary information and grouped into two main categories which are organisational characteristics and product or service application. There are three organisational characteristics which are size, location and usage rate. Generally, the size of an organisation can make a difference in suppliers and purchasing. Organisations may sell according to the geographic concentration of the industries to serve. Additionally, the quantity of product purchased can categorise the difference in potential customers. Product or service application is the second group of segmentation based on acknowledge that the sa me goods can be used in many different ways. Looking at customer groupings within specific industries defined by standard industrial classification (SIC) codes. The SIC codes help identify sectors with a greater propensity to use particular products for particular applications. For example, glass has many uses to the motor industry.furthermore, Micro segmentation within macro segment a number of smaller micro segments may exist (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006, p.195).To focus on these, the organisation needs to have a detailed knowledge of individual members of the macro segment; while their management philosophy, decision-making structures, purchasing policies and strategies and their needs and wants. Much Information on these can come from published sources, past experience of potential buyer, sales force knowledge and experience, word-of-mouth, or the first hand from potential buyer. Overall, it has a number of ways to be able to segment business to business market to relate the n ature of product sold and the buying organisation. segmenting B2C markets In B2C (business to consumer) markets, there are five main categories of segmentation which are defined geographic, demographic, geodemographic, psychographic and behaviour based. Between them, they cover the full range of characteristics, such as descriptive, measurable, tangible or intangible, relating to the buyers lifestyle and the relationships with the product (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006, p.220). Geographic segmentation, it can be defined as the location for the consumer and based on the regional variables like region, country, city, climate, population density, and traffic. Demographic segmentation variables include age, gender, race, income, family lifecycle, occupation, education, religion, socioeconomic and nationality. Many of these variables have standard categories for the consumers values. Geodemographic segmentation is based on the analysis of people by where they live (Sleight, 1997, p.16) and combines geographic and demographic information together. Psychographic segmentation involves intangible variable such as lifestyle, activities, attitude, interests, values and opinion of the potential customer. Behavioral segmentation is based on actual customer behavior or the individuals relationship with the products. Some variables include benefit sought, end use, usage rate, brand loyalty, buyer readiness, price sensitivity and occasions. All the relevant characteristics from these five categories are suit for the market to segment. 2.4 targeting The target market is identified through market segmentation organisations provide appropriate products and services to meet the needs of customer or several sub-markets. There are three types of targeting for marketing mix strategies which are undifferentiated strategy, differentiated strategy and concentrated strategy. Firstly, the undifferentiated strategy approach is the demanding of the three approaches that assume the whole market is one great homogeneous unit without differences individuals in the market. Secondly, the differentiated strategy contains the development of a number of individual marketing mixes, each of them serve the different segment (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006, p.212). Finally, the concentrated strategy is the most focused approach and involves serving one specific segment. It can lead to detailed understanding of the target segments needs and wants. Discussion The differences between B2B and B2C on the segmentation The B2C markets have some similarities with B2B segmentation. However, the main distinction between both approaches is that a consumer purchases on emotion and a business purchases on logic, although they both selling a product or a service to the individual or groups, the marketing is difference for business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C). The B2B market relies on very different sales strategies to be successful than the business to consumer market because the B2B sales market very relies on relationship selling and the sales can obtain in a longer term sales cycle than B2C(business to consumer) sales. The main difference is that consumer segments always much larger in terms of number of potential buyers. Consumer segmentation also bases on the buyers lifestyle and context because of most consumers purchases fulfill high-end needs rather than simply functional ones (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006, p.197). Certainly, they also have the difference segmentation for their different marketing. By the previous analysis of B2B segmentation, its divided into macro and micro variables or bases. Macro segmentation is the whole market share common general characteristics which have three characteristics are size, location and usage rate; micro segments based on differences in specific buying characteristics. In contrast, in consumer markets, in other words, it is B2C market; five main categories of segmentation are defined as geographic, demographic, Geodemographic, psychographic and behaviour. Thus they can divide into different aspects to segment the B2C market. For example, age, according to the age level to segment the market because these different kinds of multivitamins for different age level have different efficacy. Such as children need iron and zinc, multivitamin and minerals for teens and young, effervescent vitamin C for middle and cod liver oil and evening primrose oil for elderly. In addition, the gender and education level as target. Like high school, college and university, on the different level of studying they need different nutrients to supplement. Furthermore, not the same level of income for the individuals also can decide the different markets. Such cod liver oil and evening primrose oil is much expensive than the other multivitamins. Additionally, ethnic or religious background also can act as a basis to segment a market. Like as some religions cannot consume cod. Moreover, the family life cycle also is a point to have the market. For example, newly married, married for 10 20 years, with or without children. Overall, they both have different property to have the way to segment the market they needed for B2C and B2B. At the end, all the multivitamins products will have the appropriate market in the small groups to sale because of the market have segmented different layer based on the market segmentation standards. segment the market for the new multivitamins It is suggested that two main strategies to segment and target the market for the new multivitamins. One is the brand strategy and another one is the pricing strategy. Firstly, As Ruvalcaba and Elkes (2008) suggest: we have to find a way to diverge from others, to differentiate your offering through your branding work so that the offering stands out as relevant and superior in value to a clear target market. The brand is to give owner produce value-added of intangible assets, it could be used to separate with other competitors products of name, terminology, symbols or design and their combination, value-added source from the products impression of consumer heart formed. Businesses that are at the top of consumers minds have a high market share. Consistent, creative advertising will get the business top of mind awareness (TOMA RESEARCH, 2010). Brand awareness refers to the strength of a brand presence of a brand in the memory of a consumer. Brand awareness can create a reason to buy as well as a basis for a customer relationship (Aaker McLoughlin, 2007). For example, according to the brand awareness and radiation region, the new products can be divided into areas brand, domestic brands and international brand thus the new products have the different market in the geographic area. For multivitamins, the key proposition of the supreme brand is healthy. The main elements of the proposition include the kinds of multivitamins that different populations needed and keep healthy. Moreover, supreme follows a strategy of product innovation, in order to achieve a long term objectives. It takes the form of timely new product launches to enable the brand to more closely meet the needs of different types of consumers in different areas. Secondly, pricing strategy is another popular strategy which utilize for marketing. The limited use of pricing as a strategic tool to gain and hold competitive advantage has created an opportunity for companies willing to redesign their competitive portfolios and go with unorthodox strategy mixes (Thompson Coe, 1997). Cutting price of the products can be considered as an easiest way to absorb the customers. Therefore, pricing control also can be used to segment the different suitable markets. For example, the actions for the new product market can be cutting down the price to open the new market for new products in order to make more consumer known about these products, like have a small gifts if buying a bottle of multivitamins, buying one more than getting another free one or special discount for different type of multivitamins that have different kinds of efficacy, in particular date are very popular in sales industry to obtain more benefit. These actions also can execute in the center of city or the town center to segment the market. The effect of cutting price may increase the quantity demanded, however, a major barrier to the use of value pricing has been the belief that industrial markets are largely inelastic, therefore, price will not be a major determinant of quantity demanded (Barney, 1991). The reason for that is for the company, it is difficult to find the exact right price that matches the expectations of customers. Besides, blindfolded cutting price will lead an unhealthy competition environment with competitors. The result of conflicting on sale  is all companies losing profits at the end. For short term, it could be suitable, acceptable and feasible, but for long term, for example, once the customers have get used to buy the product on a sale price, it is difficult to raise the price again. Then it is unacceptable, the risk is too high. The customers would not consider the price seriously again. Therefore, the pricing strategy is not suitable for long term. Focus on fits the two main criterions of a good marketing strategy. The key of marketing is value, which can be defined as a ratio between benefits and costs between the customer gets and the organizations gives. The suitability of target is obvious, no matter improves the brand awareness, the quantity of product or the price control to share the same purpose, which is to gain profit. It is the mission of marketing. All these two aspects help the supreme to reach the goal, thus brand positioning and price consideration is suitable. Although there are risks, such as investment in advertising and building sponsor relationship with other organisations will cost, it is deemed worth the risks. Overall, continual segmentation is vital to fully understand consumer needs and changing habits. This will help provide appropriate produces to satisfied their needs and wants. Conclusion Segmentation is the tool that enables supreme to identify different groups of customers and markets, and provide the best possible products to meet individual or groups requirements. It also brings a number of benefits to both the consumer and the organization. The new multivitamins market consists of different consumers with differing needs. Focusing on branding positioning is a comprehensive strategy for the new multivitamins products to achieve a successful marketing. Whereas, as a diversified product, it should use many ways and the marketing segment strategies to sale in order to get the profit. In other words, the multivitamins still needs to focus on the different segmenting market. Alluring more consumers and keeping the regular customers in main areas to build brand loyalty are the main missions at present. They are still the primary objects for multivitamins to make profit and sustain operation.

Belt Drive Laboratory Exercise

Belt Drive Laboratory Exercise An investigation into the relationship between tensions in a slipping pulley and comparison of experimental and theoretical results 1. Summary The transmission of power across machines and systems in industry is vitally important and belt drives can provide this in a cheap but efficient form. In this experiment, a flat belt was attached around a pulley at four separate contact angles and the tensions both before and after the pulley were recorded as the mass was changed to investigate the belt tension ratio and efficiency of the pulley, and how this compared to theoretical results. The experimental and predicted results were found to be very similar, confirming the expectation that an increase in contact angle would cause an increase in belt tension ratio. Also, a peak efficiency of 67.95% was measured which was significantly lower than the average modern day efficiency of 95%.   2. List of Symbols Symbol Meaning  µ coefficient of friction between belt and pulley ÃŽÂ ± half vee belt angle ÃŽÂ ² angle of contact between belt and pulley T ­1 tension after pulley T2 tension before pulley mm millimetres N newtons V volts A amps g grams à Ã¢â‚¬ ° rotational speed rpm revs per minute ÃŽÂ · efficiency POUT output power PIN input power T torque Nm newton metres 3. Introduction Belt drives are a cost effective, easy to use devices designed for power transmission between machines or shafts. The origins of traction devices can be traced back as far as the Babylonians and Assyrians with flat belts, made of leather, becoming the main source of power transmission in factories during the industrial revolution. Although flat belts are still used today, the introduction of vee belts by John Gates in 1917 revolutionised short distance power transmission, being able to generate more power than a flat belt for a pulley of certain diameter. Modern belt drives are able to transmit power at an efficiency of 90-98%, averaging 95% [1]. Vee belts provided the opportunity for continuously variable transmission with their ability to work on pulleys of variable diameters, a useful advantage over other forms of transmission. However, the main disadvantage is the slip between belt and pulley which can limit the efficiency of the drive; the factors contributing to this are the belt profile, the friction and the amount of torque. This report investigates the relationship between the tensions in a stationary flat belt pulley and subsequently the torque and efficiency, comparing the experimental results with expected values calculated using the theory outlined below. 4. Theory Given the coefficient of friction  µ, vee belt angle 2ÃŽÂ ± and angle of contact ÃŽÂ ² (rad), the relationship between higher tension and lower tension in a slipping pulley, known as the belt tension ratio, is given by the following equation: [2] (equation 1) Given for a flat belt ÃŽÂ ± = 90 ° and knowing sin (90 °) = 1, this equation can be rewritten: (equation 2) It is this theoretical equation which the experimental results will be compared against in order to analyse the relationship between the belt tension ratio and coefficient of friction. 5. Method 5.1 Apparatus Belt drive system set up as shown above in figure 1, with the central pulley of radius 50mm and a load cell measuring with an uncertainty of  ­Ã‚ ­Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ±0.005N. DC electric motor to provide initial rotational movement of the central pulley, measuring voltage (V) with an uncertainty of  ±0.05V and current (I) with an uncertainty of  ±0.005A. Masses, 100g each, to vary the load applied at the free end of the string Hand held optical tachometer capable of measuring rotational speed (à Ã¢â‚¬ °) of the pulley with an accuracy of  ±0.5rpm. 5.2 Procedure The free end of the string was placed accordingly to ensure the angle of contact, ÃŽÂ ², between the belt and pulley was à Ã¢â€š ¬/2. The motor supply voltage was set to 10V and it was made sure that the pulley was rotating in the correct direction by checking T2 > T1. The spring balance was zeroed before the minimum load, 100g, was placed on the free end of the string and a measurement for T1 recorded off the spring balance. 100g masses were then added individually until a maximum mass was applied and the value on the spring balance after the addition of each mass was recorded. These masses were then removed, the angle of contact changed, and the experiment then repeated for angles of à Ã¢â€š ¬, 3à Ã¢â€š ¬/2 and 2à Ã¢â€š ¬. The maximum mass was achieved when the motor was close to stalling but the voltage value still read 10V. When performing the experiment at the 3à Ã¢â€š ¬/2 angle of contact, values for current and pulley rotational speed were also measured after the addition of each 100g mass. The current (I) was measured by the digital multimeter while the rotational speed of the pulley (à Ã¢â‚¬ °) was measured using the hand held optical tachometer. 6. Results The tension after the pulley (T1) and the mass added to the free end of the string were recorded and collected in a table, which can be found in Appendix A. The values for the mass were converted from kg to N to give the corresponding tensions (T2). A graph of T2 against T1 (figure 2) was then drawn for all four angles of contact ÃŽÂ ². This experimental value was calculated from figure 3 to be 0.3269. Using this value and equation 1 for all four angles, a theoretical plot of the belt tension ratio was able to be produced and compared with the experimental results achieved at the four points, shown through figure 4. 7. Discussion It was expected that as the angle of contact increased, the value of T1 would decrease and therefore the value of the belt tension ratio would increase. It can clearly be seen from the experimental data points produced in figure 4 that the results from this experiment were as expected. Also from figure 4, an analysis of the experimental data points and the theoretical line of best fit shows a clear correlation between the two calculations, confirming the theory discussed during section 3 of the report. The slight differences found between these two forms of data, particularly at ÃŽÂ ²=3à Ã¢â€š ¬/2 where the largest error is found, can be accredited to systematic errors due to the measurements from the load cell. Observing figure 6, the motor efficiency shows a generally increasing trend though the curve begins to flatten out as T2 reaches 9.810N. This shows the relationship between torque and efficiency not to be linear but instead parabolic, demonstrating the idea of a peak efficiency at each contact angle. By differentiating the equation of the line of best fit we can calculate that the maximum efficiency is achieved at a torque of 1.627 Nm with this efficiency being 67.95%. This efficiency is significantly smaller than the modern day average of 95% stated in the introduction; this difference in values can be attributed to various factors affecting the calculations. Firstly, it was assumed that the motor driving the pulley was 100% efficient; in reality this would not be the case as there would be energy lost internally through friction, cooling systems and core losses. Secondly, this experiment was conducted using a constantly slipping flat belt as opposed to a more commonly used form of transmission such as a vee belt, where higher efficiencies would be anticipated. 8. Conclusion To conclude, the experiment outlined in this report was useful in demonstrating the relationship between tensions in a slipping pulley, successfully validating the theory from section 3 that belt tension ratio is related to angle of contact; as ÃŽÂ ² tends towards 2à Ã¢â€š ¬, the belt tension ratio tends towards a maximum due to an increased area of contact and consequently larger friction. In the experiment, a maximum efficiency of 67.95% was calculated at a torque of 1.627 Nm. The graph of efficiency against torque analysed in section 5 demonstrates a need to find the optimum torque of a system in order to achieve maximum efficiency from it. The findings from this experiment are statistically insignificant as the nature of the pulley does not correspond to common industry types. However, the experiment was useful in showing the basic relationships between angles of contact, belt tension ratio and efficiency found in belt drives and the effect slipping can have on the output of these systems. Appendix A Raw Data à Ã¢â€š ¬/2 à Ã¢â€š ¬ 3à Ã¢â€š ¬/2 2à Ã¢â€š ¬ Weight (kg) T2 (N) T1 (N) Current (A) Speed (revs/min) T1(N) T1(N) T1 (N) 1.0 9.810 5.80 3.8 1218 3.40 1.70 0.9 8.829 5.20 3.5 1239 3.05 1.50 1.15 0.8 7.848 4.60 3.2 1256 2.70 1.35 1.00 0.7 6.867 4.00 2.9 1280 2.40 1.15 0.90 0.6 5.886 3.45 2.6 1308 2.05 0.95 0.75 0.5 4.905 2.85 2.3 1340 1.70 0.80 0.60 0.4 3.924 2.25 2.0 1370 1.35 0.60 0.45 0.3 2.943 1.65 1.7 1399 1.00 0.40 0.35 0.2 1.962 1.15 1.3 1429 0.65 0.25 0.25 0.1 0.981 0.5 1.0 1470 0.30 0.10 0.10 [1] Carlisle Power Transmission products, Inc., Energy loss and belt efficiency, [Online]. Available: http://www.clark-transmission.com/images/pdf/carlisle/energy_loss_and_belt_efficiency.pdf. [Accessed 9 February 2016]. [2] J. Darling, ME 10010 Solid mechanics 2 Belt Drive Labratory Exercise, University of Bath, 2016. [3] University of Geulph, Department of Physics, What is torque?, [Online]. Available: https://www.physics.uoguelph.ca/tutorials/torque/Q.torque.intro.html. [Accessed 16 February 2016]. [1] PIX Transmissions Limited, Belts Brief history and types, [Online]. Available: http://www.pixtrans.com/blog/belts%E2%80%93brief-history-and-types.html. [Accessed 9 February 2016]. [2] Groschopp, Efficiency and losses in electric motors, 24 March 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.groschopp.com/efficiency-and-losses-in-electric-motors/. [Accessed 10 February 2016]. [3] Habatec, Introduction to the power transmission flat belt drive, 2011. [Online]. Available: http://www.habatec.net/HNet/HabaTEC.nsf/vwWebContent/FF5800BDAD1854E0C12571CA0028442B?OpenDocument. [Accessed 10 Feb 2016]. [4] IHS Engineering360, Flat belt pulleys, [Online]. Available: http://www.globalspec.com/learnmore/motion_controls/power_transmission/flat_belt_pulleys. [Accessed 15 February 2016]. [5] J. Darling, ME 10010 Solid mechanics 2 Belt Drive Labratory Exercise, University of Bath, 2016. [6] V. R. Chennu, Belt drives types, advantages, disadvantages, 31 October 2015. [Online]. Available: http://me-mechanicalengineering.com/belt-drives-types-advantages-disadvantages/. [Accessed 15 February 2016].

Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Change

Global Warming One of the hottest topics being discussed now a days is the effects of global warming on the environment and the efforts being made in order to combat the potential effects. Simply put, global warming refers to the environmental effects caused by the constant emission of carbon dioxide from carbon based fuels. These effects are supposedly widespread; the temperature of the earth will rise, the land becomes less conducive to, vegetation, and various ecosystems become extinct. There is no common consensus on how to control the problem and through out the paper it discusses the issues of global warming. There were three articles read that discussed how global warming is becoming a potential problem that needs to be analyzed thoroughly. One article (â€Å"On Global†, 1:18) is very cautious about how to approach the problem; the author believes that not enough is known about the effects of global warming versus the costs of containing it. He suggest no more than a modest flat tax on carbon based fuels Another article (Schneider, A:17) discusses the debates that the Clinton white house representatives have over the best route in dealing with the problem. The third article (Reuter, C:7) touches on the potential effects of global warming in tropical rain forests. Furthermore, each article shows that there is no common consensus in dealing with global warming. One article stresses that the issue is so murky that it is open to debate. Another article shows how members of the White House cannot agree on the matter and yet another author shows how countries cannot agree to ratify a treaty. After reviewing the information available on the subject, it appears that there is no easy answer to how to deal with global warming. To begin with , there is absolutely no consensus whatsoever as to the extent of the problem. One article (â€Å"On Global†, 1:18) simply maintains that the models available to judge the damage that global warming causes are just too ‘ primitive and insufficient. Both technological and economical models used to deal with the subject seem flawed. Additionally, the question arises as to whether the U.S. should have to calculate the cost of cleaning up the environment for countries like India and China that are too poor to give the matter priority. But another article (Reuter, C:7) maintains that the effects of global warming are alr... ...es on carbon based fuels and timetables for monitoring progress. It is therefore interesting to note how these issues were dealt with by the Clinton-Gore administration. The vice president did not discuss the issue at all after his inauguration. Many Clinton-Gore campaign promises were never fullfilled. Why? because they were not practical goals. They met with too much resistance from opponents. This lesson ought to be taken to heart on a number of issues. While Gore and Clinton might have been sincere in their campaign promises, the voters should always wonder what influence the opposition had over them. Additionally, it is on curiosity how the European community backed the climate treaty, but when time came to ratify the documents it didn’t pass. Work Cited â€Å"On Global Warming; Why no Carbon Tax?† The New York Times 25 May 2006, late ed. Sec 1:18 Reuter. â€Å"Dangers to Forests Seen from Warming.† The New York Times 17 Aug. 2003 late ed., Section C:7 Schneider, Keith â€Å"Gore Meets Resistance in Efforts for Steps on Global Warming..† The New York Times 19 Apr. 2003, Late Ed. Sec A:17 WWW. Discover. Org WWW. NASA .Gov WWW. Global Warming. net www. Edf. org/

The Worldwide Reputation of Morgan Stanley Essay -- Morgan Stanley Emp

The Worldwide Reputation of Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley has earned a worldwide reputation for excellence in financial advice and market execution. Today, Morgan Stanley is employing over 51,000 members in about 27 countries connect people, ideas and capital to help their clients reach their financial needs and future goals. (http://www.morganstanley.com). Ever since the year 1997, Morgan Stanley has joined forces with two respected organizations. Morgan Stanley, which was established in New York in 1935 combined with Dean Witter, which was as big and well-known as Morgan Stanley. Dean Witter was established in 1924 in San Francisco. Due to the fact that they have become more powerful by combining each other’s advantages in the financial world, they have made many historic records. Some of these include in â€Å"national and international expansion, in the use of technology, and in the development of new financial tools and techniques that have redefined the meaning of financial services for individual, institutiona l and investment banking clients† (http://www.morganstanley.com/about/inside/history.html?page=about). According to the Morgan Stanley’s website, it states that â€Å"Morgan Stanley is one of the world's largest diversified financial services companies, with a reputation for excellence in advice and execution on a global scale. Our Firm enjoys leading franchises in three attractive businesses: Global Securities, where Morgan Stanley serves individual and institutional investors and investment banking clients; Global Asset Management, with our highly rated Morgan Stanley and Van Kampen funds; and Global Credit Card Services, with our Discover Card, held by 40% of U.S. households, as well as a growing Morgan Stanley card business in the United Kingdom† (http://www.morganstanley.com/about/ir/index.html?page=inv). Because Morgan Stanley is business partners with one of the top credit card companies, more people are exposed to what Morgan Stanley has to offer to their clients. Dean Witter first office opened in 1924 in San Francisco. In 1935, Henry S Morgan, Harold Stanley an d others leave J.P Morgan & Co. and Drexel & Co to form investment banking firm of Morgan Stanley & Co, Inc. The year of 1972 was when Morgan Stanley went public. Their Mission Statement is â€Å"Whether serving private individuals or Fortune 500 companies, Morgan Stanley Investment Manag... ...ing of myself and open my eyes to an environment where I may be in just couple of year. Ultimately, this experience has shown me which direction I should take after I graduate in June. I know for sure that even though this kind of filed has lot of room to move up and also make tons of money, this is not something that I would be satisfied with as my career. I would like to go into the automotive industry and search what they have to offer me. References Morgan Stanley homepage. (n.d.). Retrieved November 25, 2004, from http://www.morganstanley.com/ History of Morgan Stanley. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2004, from http://www.morganstanley.com/about/inside/history.html?page=about Investor Relations. (n.d.). Retrieved November 15, 2004, from http://www.morganstanley.com/about/ir/index.html?page=inv Morgan Stanley Investment Management (2004). Exceeding Expectations. [Brochure]. Corporate Governance. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2004, from http://www.morganstanley.com/about/inside/governance/msg_ethics.ht ml?page=about Company Organization. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2004, from http://www.morganstanley.com/about/inside/orgchart.html?page=about

Experimental Molar Enthalpy of Neutralization for Sodium Hydroxide Solution Essay

1. For information regarding the problem, prediction, materials and procedure, please see attached Measurements Table for Molar Enthalpy of Neutralization for Sodium Hydroxide Solution Substance Instrument Used Measurement Sodium hydroxide 100mL graduated cylinder ( ±0.2mL) 50.0mL Sulfuric acid 100mL graduated cylinder ( ±0.2mL) 30.0mL Temperature of sodium hydroxide solution Thermometer ( ±0.2ËC) 26.0ËC Temperature of the sulfuric acid Thermometer ( ±0.2ËC) 24.0ËC Final temperature reached by solution Thermometer ( ±0.2ËC) 34.5ËC Initial and Final Temperatures of Solutions Temperature of sodium hydroxide solution ( ±0.2ËC) 26.0ËC Temperature of the sulfuric acid ( ±0.2ËC) 24.0ËC Final temperature reached by solution ( ±0.2ËC) 34.5ËC Neutralization Reaction Taking Place Pre-Lab Calculations – Volume of Sulfuric Acid Needed Average Initial Temperature of Solutions Calculation Experimental Molar Enthalpy of Neutralization for Sodium Hydroxide Solution Calculation Solution 1. The experimental molar enthalpy of neutralization for sodium hydroxide solution was found to be -64 ±3.3KJ/mol. Calculation of Uncertainties 34.5 ±0.2ËC – 25.0 ±0.2ËC =9.5 ±0.2ËC 50 ±0.2mL + 30 ±0.2mL =80 ±0.2mL 9.5  ± 0.4ËC = 4.210†¦% 80  ± 0.4mL = 0.5% 50  ± 0.2mL = 0.4% =5.11†¦% =5.1% Percent Difference Conclusion Through a pre-lab calculation the amount of sulfuric acid solution needed was found to be 30.0m ±0.2mL. Using this information, a calorimetric lab was conducted to find the molar enthalpy of neutralization for the sodium hydroxide solution. Through molar enthalpy calculations, the experimental molar enthalpy of neutralization for the sodium hydroxide solution was found to be -64.0 ±3.3KJ/mol; however, the theoretical (actual) molar enthalpy of neutralization for the sodium hydroxide solution is -57KJ/mol. In other words the experimental enthalpy change was -64.0 ±3.3KJ and the theoretical (actual) enthalpy change was -57KJ. This as a result produced a 12% difference. The various errors will be analyzed in the evaluation. Evaluation As discussed earlier in the conclusion, the experimental change in enthalpy is greater than the theoretical (actual) change in enthalpy. This result is quite rare. In general, a typical result for the experimental enthalpy change should yield an outcome lower than the theoretical (actual) value (the reason for this will be discussed later in the conclusion); however, this was not the case in this lab. There are a variety of reasons why the experimental enthalpy change for this lab was greater than the theoretical (actual) enthalpy change. In general, the main reason for the result seen in this lab is due to the nature of the calorimeter. Due to the fact the calorimeter is an isolated environment there is no possible method to determine when the reaction is complete. As a result, the reaction may have been occurring in a concentrated area. With an increased concentration of reactants in one area, the rate of the reaction increases along with the temperature in the concentrated area. When this heat transfers to the thermometer, it causes an increased change in enthalpy. Normally, the concentration of reactants would be less, as they are not in a concentrated area. This would then cause a lower temperature increase because there is a smaller chance the particles will collide. As a result, the change in enthalpy in a normal situation would be much lower than if the reactants were all concentrated in one area. In saying that, it is possible within this lab the reactants were concentrated in one area causing the experimental change in enthalpy to be quite large. Because it is impossible to see into the calorimeter to see if the reaction is concentrated or when the reaction is complete the reactants could easily have been concentrated in one area. Furthermore, by not knowing when the reaction is complete, the temperature might be measured too soon or too late causing inaccurate results. In general, because the calorimeter is an isolated environment it results in the experiment having many errors because how the reaction is occurring and when the reaction is finished is unknown. A way to eliminate this error is by inserting an electronic stirring rod to stir the reactants so they do not become concentrated in one area. Furthermore, another reason contributing to the large enthalpy change is the impurity of the substances used. As a result, because the substances are impure, they could have had a higher concentration of reactants. With a higher concentration of reactants, the reaction rate will increase and there will be a greater reaction than wanted. With a larger reaction at an increased rate, the final temperature of the solutions will spike higher than wanted generating a larger enthalpy change. As a result, this is a reason contributing to the large enthalpy change in this lab; however, this reason is not very significant as the substances cannot be so impure the concentration on the label is extremely different then the concentration found in the bottle (it is illegal to put false information on chemical substances). As a result, the impurity of the substances cannot account for all the errors in this lab. Purifying the substances beforehand can easily eliminate this source of error. Moving on, there is another reason contributing to the large enthalpy change. The theoretical (actual) value given is obtained at SATP conditions; however, when the following lab was conducted, the conditions were not at SATP. SATP conditions are at 100kPa and 25ËC. The conditions when the lab was conducted were at 101.9kPa and 25ËC. By increasing the pressure, the reaction rate is increased and more reactions take place. As a result of a larger quantity of reactions occurring at 101.9kPa than at the standard SATP conditions, there will be a greater change in enthalpy at 101.9kPa. This as a result, contributes to the large difference in enthalpy change seen in this lab; however, like the previous reason, this is not a significant factor in increasing the enthalpy change. The pressure differences are not extremely different to cause the enthalpy change to increase to as much as they have in this lab. As a result, this is only a small contributing factor. Conducting this lab at SATP conditions will eliminate this source of error. In general, the main reason for the larger enthalpy change is due to not being able to tell when the reaction is complete and how the reaction is occurring in the calorimeter. As mentioned earlier, the result in this lab is very rare. This is mainly due to the fact that the Styrofoam calorimeter used to conduct the calorimetric experiment most likely does not provide a perfectly sealed environment. A hole is needed to be made to insert the thermometer. And there were many holes between the lid of the calorimeter and the calorimeter itself. Due to this ineffectiveness of the Styrofoam calorimeter, some of the heat from the reaction would have escaped through the many holes causing a lower final temperature of the reaction and the experimental enthalpy change to be lower than the theoretical (actual) value. As a result, the experimental value is usually lower than the theoretical (actual) value. Another reason includes the fact that some of the heat released during the reaction would have been transferred to the calorimeter itself instead of transferring to the thermometer. As a result, when the calorimeter and/or glass of the thermometer absorb the heat, it causes the thermometer to absorb less heat than it should. The final temperature will then be lower than it should be causing a lower enthalpy change. Even though this is not a main reason why the experimental molar enthalpy should be lower than the actual molar enthalpy it still contributes to it. As a result, with the combination of these factors the experimental enthalpy change should be lower than the theoretical value because a lot of heat is able to escape into the calorimeter and into the air due to there being holes in the calorimeter.

Ensuring children and young people’s safety Essay

Ensuring children and young people’s safety and welfare in the work setting is an essential part of safeguarding. While children are at school, practitioners act in ‘loco parentis’ while their parents are away. As part of their legal and professional obligations, practitioners hold positions of trust and a duty of care to the children in their school, and therefore should always act in their best interests and ensure their safety – the welfare of the child is paramount (Children Act 1989). The Children Act 2004 came in with the Every Child Matters (ECM) guidelines and greatly impacted the way schools look at the care and welfare of pupils. Children and young people should be helped to learn and thrive and be given the opportunity to achieve the five basic outcomes: be healthy; stay safe; enjoy and achieve; make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. Children are vulnerable and depending on their age and level of development, do not see danger or recognise risks. They do not know when or how to look after themselves and need adults to protect them and ensure their safety, whilst encouraging their independence in an age appropriate manner. All organisations that employ staff or volunteers to work with children need to use a safer recruitment practice. In March 2005, following the Soham murders and the subsequent Bichard Inquiry, the DCSF – Department for Children, Schools and Families – (previously the DES and the DoH) proposed that Recommendation 19 of the Bichard Inquiry should be carried out: ‘new arrangements should be introduced requiring those who wish to work with children, or vulnerable adults, to be registered. The register would confirm that there is no known reason why an individual should not work with these clients.’ As a result, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was passed, providing the legislative framework for the new Vetting and Barring scheme. This Act established the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to make decisions about who should be allowed to work with children, the elderly and other vulnerable adults and to maintain lists of those who are barred. Under the Act, it is an offence for an employer to employ a barred person in a role with children. It is also an offence for a barred person to apply for  such a role. Employers must also advise the ISA if an individual harms a child whilst working for them. The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 merged the ISA with the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) to form the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Services). It also differentiated between supervised and unsupervised activities. Schools should have policies and procedures for safer recruitment practice, which should be applied at every stage in the recruitment process, from advertising, references and pre-interview checks, to the selection of candidates, interviewing process and the offer of appointment. As part of the process, every adult wanting to work with children or vulnerable adults must have a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Services) check. There are three levels of DBS disclosure: -Basic disclosure: details relevant information about the individual, together with any convictions (spent or in force), cautions or warnings that the individual has received. -Enhanced disclosure: includes the same as the basic disclosure, plus any additional relevant information held by the police. -Enhanced disclosure with Barred List Check. Schools must also ensure that any adults (including cleaners and caretakers) or volunteers in the workplace do not have unsupervised access to children unless they have been DBS checked. Schools need to ensure that they provide children and young people with a happy safe environment to learn and develop, with trusted and supportive adults. Practitioners need to actively promote the well-being and welfare of every child. This includes providing a wide range of activities to promote development through play as well as formal learning. These activities should include age appropriate toys and games that meet the Toy (Safety) Regulations 1995 and are in a good state of repair. Practitioners should check for Kitemarks and CE markings. Kitemarks are symbols that show products have been tested and meet the British Standard Institute requirements. CE markings show that products meet European standards as set out by the European Community. Children also need to communicate and socialise with their peers, children from other age groups and other adults. They need to feel safe and secure in their environment so that they feel able to speak to adults about any concerns they may have, or to ask questions and seek help without fear of embarrassment. They need good role models who can help them extend their decision making skills and develop independence appropriate to their age and development level. Practitioners have a further responsibility to provide additional support to children who may have special educational needs. This may be through individual sessions within the school, liaison with external services such as educational psychologists or through the CAF (Common Assessment Framework) process. The CAF process was developed to gather and assess information in relation to a child’s needs in development, parenting and the family environment. It is a service that should be offered to children (and their families) whose additional needs are not being met through universal services within the school. Practitioners also need to protect any children who may be at risk of significant harm because of their home life and personal circumstances. There are a number of policies and procedures that should be in place in schools to ensure children and young people’s protection and safety: †¢Working in an open and transparent way – adults should make sure that another member of staff is always aware of where they are working, especially if they are alone in a room with a child, there should always be visual access or the door should remain open. †¢Duty of care – adults should always act in the best interests of the child and ensure their safety – the welfare of the child is paramount (Children Act 1989). †¢Whistleblowing – staff should understand their responsibilities to raise concerns of malpractice. Staff will be deemed to be failing in their duty to safeguard children if they do not act. †¢Listening to children – adults relationships with children should always be professional, caring and respectful. Children need to feel valued and listened to. †¢Power and positions of trust – adults working with children hold positions of trust due to their access to the children in their care, and relationships between pupils and staff will  always have an unequal balance of power – these positions should never be abused. †¢Behaviour – teachers should behave in such a way as to safeguard children’s well-being and maintain public trust in the teaching profession. †¢Physical contact – staff should ensure that any contact with children is entirely professionally appropriate. †¢Off-site visits – staff must take particular care to ensure that clear boundaries are maintained and full risk assessments must be carried out prior to a visit. †¢Recording of images – there must be age-appropriate consent from the person or their parents or carers. †¢Intimate personal care – all children have a right to safety, privacy and dignity when intimate care is required. †¢Sharing concerns and information – highly confidential information about children and their families should only ever be shared on a need to know basis, and anonymously wherever possible. †¢Security – school premises should be made secure with fencing, gates and locking doors with secure access codes to prevent unwelcome visitors and to stop children from leaving the premises unaccompanied. There should be clear locking and unlocking procedures and stringent rules for visitor access to the buildings. Contractors should be LA approved or selected using safe selection procedures and should have carried out appropriate risk assessments in advance. They should be given information to enable them to follow the school’s safety procedures. The three main areas that address the protection of children from harm in the work setting are: child protection; health and safety, and risk assessments. †¢Child protection. It is the responsibility of all adults in the setting to actively safeguard children and young people and to prevent abuse or neglect. The setting should detail how the policies and procedures should work on a daily basis and outline current legislation in this area (see Task A). The policy should describe the responsibilities of the setting as well as those of individuals. It should include a summary of the possible signs of abuse or neglect for staff to refer to (see Task D1). Staff are required to respond to any concerns in an appropriate and timely manner. There should be clear guidelines on how staff should proceed when there are concerns, or  allegations have been made, including the role of the designated CPO (Child Protection Officer) (see Task D2). Staff should also be made aware of the procedures if the allegation concerns another member of staff or the head teacher (see Section 2 below). The policy should detail external services that may be required, including names and telephone numbers etc. There should be specific guidance about how to behave if a child or young person makes an allegation of abuse. The policy should detail other procedures and policies that support staff responsibilities in this area, such as the behaviour and anti-bullying policies (see Task E) and the whistleblowing policy (see Section 3 below). †¢Health and Safety. Schools are legally required to have a Health and Safety policy to ensure that there is a plan for how health and safety is managed in the setting and that all staff are aware of all their responsibilities. This policy should be read and implemented by all staff and it should form part of the induction process for new members of staff. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 were designed to protect everyone at work. The employer in a school must take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and pupils are not exposed to risks to their health and safety. This applies to activities on or off school premises. The employer is required to carry out regular reviews of the school, its premises and activities. There should be a designated health and safety representative at every setting who is responsible for the reviews and any subsequent action. The reviews should involve regular walks around the school as well as safety checks on equipment. All electrical items should be checked annually by a qualified electrician. Fire extinguishers should also be checked annually. Staff should ensure that they use any safety equipment provided and store it safely. All materials and equipment used in schools should meet recognised safety standards. Practitioners should check for Kitemarks and CE markings. Kitemarks are symbols that show products have been tested and meet the British Standard Institute requirements. CE markings show that products meet European standards as set out by the European Community. The Workplace, (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 deal with physical conditions in the  workplace and require employers to meet minimum standards in relation to a wide range of issues, including: maintenance of buildings and equipment; lighting; provision of drinking water; temperature; ventilation; rest rooms; toilet facili ties; room dimensions and space; cleanliness; condition of floors and traffic routes. The School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 apply to all maintained schools in England, and came into effect in October 2012. This legislation works in conjunction with the Workplace Regulations, but applies specifically to school standards, which are often more stringent i.e. the provision of a medical room for pupils, or a lower maximum temperature for hand washing in children’s toilet facilities. To protect children and young people from harm on the premises, the school should consider the following: †¢Safety of the indoor and outdoor play equipment, including water and sand play. †¢Safety in the school kitchen, including the storage, preparation and cooking of food. †¢Fire safety, including maintaining clearly marked exit routes and doors. †¢Appropriately sized furniture and equipment for the children. †¢Safe storage of hazardous materials under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002. †¢Appropriate adult-child ratios at all times. †¢First aid training for staff, with sufficient numbers of first aid trained staff on the premises at all times. †¢Safety in the dining hall, including hot food, spillages, choking risks etc. †¢Vigilance in challenging unidentified adults. †¢Procedures for cleaning up bodily fluids, vomit or faeces. †¢Internet safety. †¢Hand washing facilities and practices. †¢Adaptations where necessary for children with special needs or disabilities. †¢Safety of outdoor play areas, including access, space and floor surfacing. †¢Safe storage and supervision of medicines. †¢Implementation of procedures for children and staff with illnesses, i.e. remaining away from school for 48 hours after sickness or diarrhoea. †¢A  nominated person for asbestos and legionella competency. †¢Tidiness and safety of traffic routes around the premises. Off-site educational visits have additional issues that could affect children’s safety. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires full risk assessments to be carried out prior to a visit. Employers must assess the risks of activities, plan measures to control the risks and inform employees of the measures. Staff must follow school and Local Authority regulations, policies and guidance, which include: evidence of parental permission; emergency procedures; first aid kit and trained staff; appropriate clothing and equipment; qualified staff for activities; adult to children ratios; special educational or medical needs of the children; approval of volunteers (including DBS checks); age and competence of the pupils and transport arrangements. Health and Safety arrangements also require members of staff to keep colleagues/senior staff aware of their whereabouts and movements. †¢Risk assessments. It is a legal requirement for all employers to carry out risk assessments. Risk assessments are a formal examination of things that could cause harm to people. The Health and Safety Executive guidance sets out a simple Five Steps to Risk Assessment: Step 1: Look for the hazards and risks. A hazard is something that can cause harm. A risk is the likelihood of harm together with the consequences should it take place. Step 2: Decide who could be harmed and how. Step 3: It is necessary to differentiate between hazards and risks and then to prioritise them, dealing with the most serious risks first. Decide whether the existing precautions are sufficient. If not, decide what other precautions should be introduced and ensure that they are put in place. Step 4: Record your actions and findings. Step 5: Review the assessment at regular intervals, or if circumstances  change, and revise if necessary. Risk assessments should be used within the school setting e.g. for a new climbing frame or for outdoor water play, and also for off-site visits regardless of their duration. The head teacher is usually responsible for risk assessments and should sign and date them after they are completed. If existing precautions are not satisfactory, then activities may have to be restricted or stopped until changes are made. Changes may involve staff training or additional equipment. Risk assessments will also need to be carried out for individuals with special needs or disabilities and specialists may come to the school to carry them out. Other individuals may require a risk assessment in certain circumstances, i.e. a pupil on crutches or temporarily in a wheelchair. Ofsted inspectors would expect risk assessments to be available as part of their inspections. Risk assessments should form part of a school’s management processes and help to formalise working practices and arrangements. They are a valuable tool for identifying problems and potential problems, monitoring situations and ensuring precautions are taken to keep children and adults safe from harm.