Geothermal Energy Essays - Geothermal Energy, Alternative Energy

Geothermal Energy Geothermal energy represents the inner heat of the earth, produced largely by the decay of radioactive elements in the mantle and center. The three ways that the heat is found is both wet and dry steam (wet steam has drops of water in it), hot water and dry volcanic rocks. We know that the temperature of the earth at depths of 25 to 50 km range from 200`C to 1000`C. There are areas of the earth where local concentrations of heat occur, just as mineral concentrations do. Most of these are located along oceanic ridges and continental rifts, such as the ?Ring of Fire'. Geothermal energy is not free from environmental problems. The steam contains large amounts of hydrogen sulphide with its smell of rotten eggs, and both steam and hot water contain substantial amounts of dissolved minerals, many of which are poisonous to the aquatic life in the streams and rivers into which they are eventually discharged. Also, the removal of steam or water causes the earth to subside in that region. Geothermal energy was first used in the era of the ancient Roman bath house, in which they bathed in hot salt springs. Even though the Romans found an easy way to use geothermal energy, and we still enjoy natural hot springs, the process of removing geothermal energy from the earth to use it efficiently is rather difficult. The only three ways to use geothermal energy is for hot water, space heating and generating electricity. In order to turn geothermal energy into electricity it must be brought up from the earth within a metal cased borehole that was driven deep into the naturally hot ground and put through a geothermal power station, (see diagram). The high pressure steam for these wells is used to drive turbines to generate 300 million kilowatts of electricity each year. Which if you compare all the power that the world produces from all the geothermal power plants, in 1985, to that of one average nuclear power plant the geothermal power will not yet compare. Due to the acid gases in the steam delicate machinery was getting damaged. The hot water is corrosive and eating away at the pipes and expensive equipment making it even harder to removing it from the earth. The problem was solved by using the acid steam to heat acid-free water. This provided clean steam that would not damage the machinery. As a bonus, useful by-products were extracted from the acid steam, including boric acid, ammonia and carbon dioxide. The possibility of tapping the heat energy stored in subsurface rocks is also being considered. The plan is to pump water into such regions by means of deep wells, and then pump the heated water back to the surface. One of the major problems is the poor thermal conductivity of rocks, and it is thus very desirable to have hot rocks that lie at relatively shallow depths. Bibliography Booth, Basil. Volcanoes and Earthquakes. East Sussex, Wayland Ltd., 1988 Boyle, Desmond. Energy. Morristown, Macdonald Education Ltd., 1980. Doty, Roy. Where are you going with that Energy?. Garden City, Doubleday & Company Inc., 1922. McClory, Paul. Focus on Alternative Energy. East Sussex, Wayland Ltd., 1985. Siddiqi, Toufiq. World Energy. Artarmon, Holt-Saunders Pty. Ltd., 1976. Smith, Norman. Energy isn't easy. Toronto, General Publishing Co. Ltd., 1984. Thomas, John. The Quest for Fuel. East Sussex, Wayland Ltd., 1978.

How to Choose a Building Lot for Your New House

How to Choose a Building Lot for Your New House Youre building a house. Which do you do first? 1. Select a style and a plan OR 2. Select a building lot? Both approaches have merit. If your heart is set on a Spanish style adobe home, a heavily treed lot may not make sense for you. Having an idea of the architectural style you prefer will determine the size and characteristics of your building site. You may run into problems, however, if you select a specific floor plan too soon. You can always design a home to suit a landscape, but you may not be able to alter a landscape to accommodate the specifications of predetermined house plans. The configuration of rooms, the placement of windows, the location of the driveway and many other design elements will be affected by the land you build on. The land itself has long been the inspiration for truly great homes. Consider Frank Lloyd Wrights Fallingwater. Constructed of concrete slabs, the house is anchored to a rugged stone hill in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. Compare Fallingwater with Mies van der Rohes Farnsworth House. Made almost entirely of transparent glass, this unearthly structure seems to float above a grassy plain in Plano, Illinois. Would the Farnsworth House seem as graceful and serene perched on a rocky hill? Would Fallingwater make such a powerful statement if it sat in a grass field? Probably not. Questions to Ask About Your Building Lot Once you have located a promising building site for your new home, spend some time on the building site. Walk the full length of the building site at different times of the day. If you are a follower of feng shui, you may want to think about the land in terms of its chi, or energy. If you prefer a more down-to-earth evaluation, think about ways the building site will influence the shape and style of your home. Ask yourself: What are the general characteristics of the land? Is it green and woodsy? Rocky and gray? Or, is it a vast open stretch with a golden hue? Will the prevailing colors of the landscape change with the seasons? Will the home you imagine blend with the landscape? Does the landscape suggest particular colors or materials you might include in the design of your home?Can other structures be clearly seen from the building lot? What is the prevailing architectural style? Will your proposed home fit the overall context of the neighborhood?Will the size of your proposed house be proportionate to the size of the lot? (You dont want to squeeze a mansion onto a postage stamp!)Is there a street or road? Should the house face toward or away from the road?Where should the driveway be located? Will there be enough room for cars and delivery trucks to turn around?Where are the most pleasing views? Where does the sun rise and set? Which views would you like to see from the living areas? From the kitchen ? From the bedrooms? Where should windows and doors be placed? If you are in a northern climate, how important is it to face the south? Will a southern exposure help you save on heating costs?Is the site flat? Are there hills or streams? Are there any other geological conditions that might affect the design or placement of your home?How much landscaping will be required? Will preparing the land for building and planting trees and shrubbery add to your final costs? The waterfall views at Fallingwater may look idyllic, but for most of us, building on a rocky hillside isnt practical. You want the site of your new home to be beautiful, but it must also be safe... and affordable. Before you make a final decision, youll need to consider a mind-boggling list of technical details. Check Your Building Lot For Common Problems As you narrow your search for an ideal building site, dont scrimp on getting expert advice on home building. Your builder can put you in touch with consultants with the legal and scientific expertise to offer building advice. Your consultants will investigate the characteristics of the land and explore zoning, building codes and other factors. Land Conditions Soil. Has the property been a victim of hazardous waste? Are there pollutants that may not be apparent to an untrained observer?Land Stability. Is the property is subject to land slides or sinkages?Water Drainage. Is the property located near a river? Are there hills or low spots which may make your home subject to water runoff? Err on the side of caution. Even Mies van der Rohe made a grievous mistake. He placed the Farnsworth House too close to a stream, and his masterpiece suffered serious flood damage as a result.Noise. Is there a nearby airport, highway, or railroad? How disruptive is it? Zoning, Building Codes and More Zoning. In five years, your beautiful views may be replaced by a highway or a housing development. Zoning regulations will indicate what may be legally constructed in the surrounding area.Building Codes. A variety of ordinances will affect the placement of your new home on the lot. Regulations will specify how close you can build to the property line, roads, streams, and lakes.Easements. Easements for electrical and telephone poles will limit the space you have for building your home.Public Utilities. Unless the property is in a development of suburban tract homes, there may not be easy access to electricity, gas, telephone, cable television or public water lines. Sewers. If there are no municipal sewers, youll need to know where you may legally place your septic system. Costs You may be tempted to skimp on the cost of your land so that you can spend more money on building your house. Dont. The cost of altering an unsuitable lot is likely to be more expensive than purchasing land that is meets your needs and your dreams. How much should you spend on a building lot? There are exceptions, but in most communities your land will represent 20% to 25% of your total building costs. Advice From Frank Lloyd Wright Building a house is often the easy part. Making decisions is stressful. In Wrights book The Natural House (Horizon, 1954), the master architect gives this advice on where to build: When selecting a site for your house, there is always the question of how close to the city you should be, and that depends on what kind of slave you are. The best thing to do is go as far out as you can get. Avoid the suburbs- dormitory towns- by all means. Go way out into the country- what you regard as too far- and when others follow, as they will (if procreation keeps up), move on.~p. 134

PSAT Practice Tests Free Questions and Full-Length Tests

PSAT Practice Tests Free Questions and Full-Length Tests SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Why buy a bunch of PSAT practice tests when you can find them online for free? To make your search as easy as possible, I've compiled all the best PSAT practice tests and sample questions available online. Read on for 10 downloadable official PSAT practice test PDFs,along with 10 bonus SAT practice tests. Since the College Board has only released two official practice tests for the current version of the PSAT, I'll also explain how you can modify older practice tests to effectively prepare for the test. Let's get right to it with the first official PSAT practice test PDF for you to download. Practice Tests for the PSAT Thoughthe PSAT changed in the fall of 2015, there still aren't a whole lot of updated PSAT practice materials available. The College Board currently offers two sample PSAT practice testswith answer keys. These arethe best resources out there so far for practice questions for the PSAT: Official PSAT Practice Test 1 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Official PSAT Practice Test 2 - Score Your Test - Answer Explanations Test-prep company Ivy Global has also made their version of a PSAT practice test PDFavailable on their website. Keep in mind that these are not official College Board questions.Although they resemblePSAT questions and are useful practice, they're not an exact representation of what you'll encounter on test day. As time goes on, more and more practice materials specific to the current version of thePSATwill be released. For now, you can use a combination of the above resources, older PSAT practice tests, and official SAT practice questions to prep effectively. Before we delve into these other test-prep materials, though, how can you use these two newer PSAT practice tests to study for the exam? How to Use Updated PSAT Practice Tests for PSAT Prep As I mentioned, the College Board's official practice tests are the best representation of what you'll see when you take the PSAT. Before taking them, you should review the content and format of the PSATso you have a sense of what skills to focus on and develop. When you actually take the practice tests, be sure to simulate testing conditions by timing yourself and making sure you're familiar with the test format and instructions. Like with the SAT, there's no score penalty for wrong answers,so make your best guess on every question. Since there are only two official PSAT practice tests currently available, I would recommend saving them until you have done some initial studying. Then you can see how effective your studying has been, analyze your results to get a clear sense of your strengths and weaknesses, and readjust your focus as needed. Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Practice Tests for the Old (Pre-2015) PSAT Below, we've compiled eight PSAT practice test PDFs with answer keys that you can download and print out. These consist offour official College Board tests and four unofficial ones. They are scored out of 240 (with the Critical Reading, Math, and Writing sections each worth 80 points) and deducta 1/4 point for each wrong answer. Keep this different system in mind while scoring these old practice tests. Official PSAT Practice Test 1 Official PSAT Practice Test 2 Official PSAT Practice Test 3 Official PSAT Practice Test 4 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 1 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 2 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 3 Unofficial PSAT Practice Test 4 As mentioned above, the PSAT no longer takes a1/4 point deduction for wrong answers; now, it uses rights-only scoring,meaning you get one point for each correct answer and no points for wrong or skipped answers. The current PSAT scores Math on a scale from 160 to 760, and Reading and Writing together on the same scale (160 to 760). Your composite PSAT score, therefore, will be between 320 and 1520. You'll also get individual test scores for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language between 8 and 38 (these are then converted into the scaled scores above from 160 to 760). Besides using adifferent scoring system on the old PSAT practice tests, what else can you do to make your practice testing relevant for the current PSAT? How to Use Old PSAT Practice Tests for PSAT Prep To adapt your studying, you mustfamiliarize yourself with the changes in question types and skills on the current PSAT. For instance,changes to the PSAT in 2015eliminated sentence completion questions in favor of passage-based vocabulary questions, whichask you to define more common words that have multiple meanings. The PSAT also wants you to be able to find evidence for your answers in a passage, graph, or chart. These questions will ask you to interpret details, main points, or data in the context of a passage or other information provided.As a result, you'll need to concentrate on passage-based Reading questions and Math questions that require you tointerpret data from charts and graphs. Generally speaking, the Reading and Math questions on old PSAT practice tests are still very useful for prepping for the current PSAT. That being said, note that the old PSAT was two hours and 10 minutes long, whereasthe current PSAT is a little longer at two hours and 45 minutes.To practice pacing yourself over this longer amount of time, you might add an extra section or two to your practice test. All these changes in content, skills, and scoring match the ones made to the SAT in 2016.Below, we've compiled 10 practice tests for the SATyou can use to prep! Plus, you'll find free SAT practice questions online. But wait, there's more! Practice Tests and Sample Questions for the SAT Like the PSAT, there still aren't a ton of practice materials out for the current version of the SAT, which was firstadministered in the spring of 2016. However, we've gathered 10 official SAT practice tests (with answer keys) that you can download and take: SAT Practice Test 1:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 2:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 3:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 4:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 5:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay SAT Practice Test 6:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay SAT Practice Test 7:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations |Essay SAT Practice Test 8:Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations | Essay SAT Practice Test 9: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations SAT Practice Test 10: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations In addition to these practice tests, you can find some free sample questions on the College Board website. Thesesample questions are for both the PSAT and SAT. This speaks to how similar the two tests have become. Whatever studying you do for the PSAT will help you a great deal once you take the SAT. Finally, you can create an account with Khan Academy and find high-quality practice questions for the SAT. This website works in conjunction with the College Board to produce official SAT practice questions. Given that the PSAT and SAT are so similar, are there any modifications you need to make when using SAT practice questions to prep for the PSAT? How to Use SAT Practice Tests and Questions for PSAT Prep The questions on the SAT and PSAT are almost identical. SAT Math may get a bit more advanced into algebra and functions, but otherwise the questions are very similar. The one exception is that the PSAT does NOT have an optional Essay section. TheSAT is somewhat longer at three hours (plus the additional 50-minute optional essay). Also, although the two tests resemble each otherin both content and scoring, the SAT is slightly more difficult than the PSAT is. As I discussed above, the PSAT isscored on a scale of 320-1520, with a range of 160-760 for Math and 160-760 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, or EBRW. The SAT, on the other hand, isscored on a scale of 400-1600. The score range for Math is 200-800 and the score range for EBRW is also200-800. Your PSAT scores are meant to predict your SAT scores; however, the scoring scaledoesn't go up as high to account for the fact that the PSAT is a slightly easier test. While a high score on the PSAT predicts a high SAT score, it doesn't necessarily coincide with a perfect 1600. As with the PSAT practice tests, I recommend timing yourself and simulating real test conditions. After, take some time to understand any mistakes you made and determine your strengths and weaknesses. Since the PSAT and SAT are so similar, you may use one test as a diagnostic pre-test and one as a post-test tofigure out where you're starting out and to gauge your progress after significant studying. Given all these practice materials, new and old, you should have plenty of resources to help you achieve a strong score on the PSAT. Let's quickly review the steps you should take to prep for the PSAT. Down to the last piece of the puzzle ... Best Ways to Prep for the PSAT The best resource for PSAT practice questions are the two official PSAT practice tests released by the College Board and listed at the beginning of this guide. Official test questions are the gold standard when it comes to sample questions, as they are the best representation of what will be on the actual exam. Since the PSAT is so similar to the SAT, the practice tests and free online questions for the SAT can be very useful prep tools. These questions will help you get ready for both the PSAT and SAT. Finally, you can still use older PSAT practice tests effectively, as long as you familiarize yourself with the changes to the exam and focus your energies on the relevant content and skills. This understanding will also help you avoid wasting time on material and information that's no longer relevant, such as Sentence Completion questions. As long as you take the time to understand the exam and adapt your test prep accordingly, you can still use the abundance of practice material out there to prep for the PSAT. And as an added bonus, all this prep will help you out a great deal in the future when you take the SAT! What's Next? Are you aiming for top scores on the PSAT? Learn what it takes to become a National Merit Semifinalist and a National Merit Finalist. If your scores qualify you for National Merit distinction, you might be eligible for National Merit scholarships. Read more about how you can earn a National Merit scholarship. Planning to take the SAT, too?Check out this full guide to learn all about the test.

Nursing - Critically Reflective Account of a Leadership Issue Research Paper

Nursing - Critically Reflective Account of a Leadership Issue Pertinent to Your Own Work Role - Research Paper Example Research supports the concept that there is no one specific method or style that works all the time. Rather, the leader of a healthcare organization should understand and identify with employees and tailor his or her approach accordingly. Recent reforms have required healthcare organizations to implement new ways of operating and to redefine their purposes, the nature of their work and the relationships between employees. Old-style, top-down bureaucracies are being replaced by organizational structures and cultures in which shared the vision, partnerships, patient empowerment, and collaboration across professions and agencies, are emphasized. â€Å"Effective clinical leadership is essential in delivering the high-quality, person-centered care envisioned by health minister Lord Darzi in the final report of the NHS Next stage review, High-Quality Care for All† (department of health (DH) 2008). Lord Darzi says in his report, that â€Å"it is through unlocking talent that we will achieve high-quality care across the board†. ‘Unlocking talent’ involves tapping into the leadership abilities and potential of all front line staff to deliver high-quality, safe and efficient care to patients and service users. There are four key ideas that should be understood and explored in the creation of an appropriate workplace for health professionals in the new environment. They are patients, management, staff performance, and leadership. The changing requirements and concerns of patients demand that healthcare is delivered in integrated care patterns spreading across some clinical disciplines. (Edmonstone 2005, 10-11) A look into the future of healthcare points clearly toward an integrated approach to the dispensing of health services, from hospital care to health and community agencies. Healthcare in future will be considered from a whole systems approach with the appropriate inter-agency partnership to ensure faultless care. The new workplace must allow for  project-based teams, with core teams and provisional specialists who move from one core team to another.  

The long-term effects of unemployment on a person Essay - 1

The long-term effects of unemployment on a person - Essay Example Spending is reduced to buying basic items because of the uncertainty of getting a new job. Apart from cutting back on buying certain items the individual may also suffer some personal loss. Especially during this global recession a significant number of persons have lost their homes to foreclosure. It is likely that they may also suffer other financial loss. It is difficult to keep up with car payment, for example. In large families where the recently unemployed is the sole breadwinner the financial effect is more chronic. This can affect the lifestyle of everyone including children. Normal situations such as schooling, entertainment and extracurricular activities can be disrupted. Research has shown that long-term unemployment is experienced more among older as well as blue-collar workers. Many persons in these two categories sometimes do not have enough savings to sustain themselves during the jobless period. In the case of the older worker many of them have to use money from their retirement funds. Another effect of long-term unemployment is strained family relations. The sudden loss of unemployment puts a burden on other members of the family. It causes separation and broken relationships in many families that were already on the verge of break-ups. It takes time for both the unemployed and other family members to adapt to the new situation and status. Although they may realize that it is an uncontrollable situation it is difficult to accept the reality of it. Some persons have reported that they have lost contact with friends during their period of unemployment. The inability to socialize with persons due to lack of extra cash can be a factor. Some persons may have to borrow money from family and friends and the inability to repay these loans can destroy friendships and other relationships. Long-term unemployment can also have rippling effect on other aspects of the family such as the health of the children. In many

Data Mining Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Data Mining - Research Paper Example Data mining tools are vital because they have significantly reduced the time taken in answering business questions, which were traditionally too much time consuming to analyze. Currently, most organizations have adopted and implemented the existing data mining software and hardware platforms to improve the value of their stored data. These hardware platforms can be integrated with new products and system as technology advances. Integrating data mining hardware platforms with other parallel processing computers or high performance client/server improves the analysis of massive databases (Hoptroff & Hoptroff, 2001). Foundation of Data Mining Data mining techniques emerged as a result of product development and a long process of research. This idea was first developed when businesses began storing business information on computers. Significant improvements have been witnessed in data access and generated technologies, which allow users to search their data, in real time (Williams & Simo ff, 2006). Data mining software is currently available for use, in the business world, because of the three technologies that support it, and they include data mining algorithms, massive data collection, and powerful multiprocessor computers (Williams & Simoff, 2006). The amount of raw data stored in business databases is currently exploding. A database is measured in gigabytes and terabytes. In the current, competitive business environment, raw data alone does not provide enough information for studying and predicting the market environment. This has called for the need to convert these terabytes of raw data into other significant insights that easily provide a guide for their investment, marketing and management strategies (Prabhu, 2004). Data Warehouses Significant improvements in data transmission, data capture, storage capabilities, and processing power are enabling companies to consolidate their various databases into data warehouse (Prabhu, 2004). Data warehousing is the proc ess of centralizing data retrieval and data management. Data warehouses store large amounts of data based on certain categories that make data more easily to sort, retrieve, and interpret. They also enable managers and executives to manage a series of business transactions, and other information that help in making informed business decisions. Researchers have predicted that all companies shall have adopted and integrated data mining tools, in their business, by the year 2020 (Prabhu, 2004). Companies benefit from data mining when meaningful patterns and trends are extracted from the stored data. How Data Mining Works Data mining tools employ modeling as a technique for performing data analysis. Modeling involves the creation of a model in one situation that is known, and applying the results in another situation where the results are unknown (Kargupta, 2007). Computers are equipped with lots of information about a number of situations, whose answers are known. The data mining softw are, on the computer, runs through the data, and filters the aspects of data that match the designated model. Once the model is developed it can be applied in similar situations, whose answers are unknown. This technique has been in use over the past centuries, but it recently became applicable, in the business field, when communication and data storage capabilities required the collection and storage of huge amounts of data, and the ability to automate

Nestles Changes in Organizational Architecture and Strategy Case Study

Nestles Changes in Organizational Architecture and Strategy - Case Study Example But in 1990s they started their globalisation and the best way for them to do that was to purchase local subsidiaries in foreign markets. The launch in American markets was around the First World War when there was an increase in demand for dairy products; they constructed a lot of different factories in US at that time period. The underlying objective of moving into foreign markets was to increase efficiency and productivity in the company. In 1974 they diversified into the completely different branch of cosmetics by becoming a major shareholder in Loreal. This was a very bold and daring move and till today investors doubt whether this was a correct financial move or not. The other diversification Nestle engaged in was the purchase of Alcon Laboratories, a U.S manufacturer of pharmaceutical products. The diversification and constant restructuring the firm did was to make it more flexible and adaptable to rapid market changes. Restructuring is a continuous process of Nestle and their restructuring charges run up to $300 million a year. The company has done well over decades, which is why a lot of people often wonder if they are doing everything right why try to change? But that is just Nestles culture and what sets the company apart. The change is often slow in nature as one has to consider the magnitude of the multinational, yet it still happens. Nestle greatly relies on its intrinsic corporate culture to reform employees and make them think the same way. Everyone wants to increase the longevity of the organization rather than focus on solely short-term profits. Nestle has also developed a list of â€Å"untouchables†, which comprises of the companies strengths and should never be changed. One example of this is that nestle understands the importance of IT yet they don’t consider is as a sole tool for implementing successful strategies. It is important to reinforce and focus on the strengths and leave them as is. R & D is one of nestles strengths, which is why the company is so open to change. They constantly come up with innovative practical ideas to succeed. Innovation is in fact the first pillar of Nestles corporate strategy. They recently implemented an â€Å"Innovating the future† leadership strategy which is based on: Continuous improvement in consumer research, to find out exactly what they want and to build superior products to satisfy that demand. Using the vast expertise that Nestle has in its R&D network. Recruiting the best open-minded and passionate innovators are included in this strategy. This also includes working closely with leading universities to find out the latest in technology. Lastly the innovations should meet the core demand of nestle which is Nutrition, health and wellness. In 2008, nestle was struck hard by the Chinese food scandal. Even though the company has developed a great reputation over the years when something this serious happens the images takes a huge hit. Nestle however responde d well by announcing changes and new operations.