Abstract This paper explains that it is next to impossible to avoid sources of natural radiation in our everyday life, but precautions can be taken to maintain distance from local sources of radiation and to use distance, time, and radiation-shielding as protection. The author points out that radiation is not responsible for the assumed mechanism of carcinogenesis caused by the exposure to magnetic fields. The paper relates that the nuclear industry and many other sources of radioactivity are used in an enormous range of industrial processes, such as industrial radiography, thickness gauges, smoke alarms, and medical diagnosis and treatment.
Table of Contents
Types and Sources of Ionising Radiation
The Effect of Radiation on the Body
Detecting Radiation
Regulating Body Standards and the Workplace
Ionizing Radiation
Contamination
Stochastic Effects
Deterministic Effects
Monitoring Radiation Exposure
Radiation Accidents
Types of Radiation Accident
The Food Industry Uses Radiation
From the Paper "Ionising radiation does not accumulate in our body, but science proves that the radiation effects are evident from exposure to large amounts of radiation, as in sunburns from too much exposure to strong sunlight. Radiation carries energy that has a damaging effect on the living cells of living things and can either kill them or change their structure and function to inhibit correct functioning but this would take large doses to kill a good number of cells to cause death. Radiation dose would have to be several thousand times bigger than the dose received annually from the environment to cause death. Death would occur if the person were exposed more over a year. For example, exposure to sunlight over a year gives one a suntan, but one-day exposure of sunbaking could cause death by sunstroke."
Abstract This paper examines the theory proposed by British physicist, Peter Higgs, that the universe is a field made of disturbances created by particles that have allowed objects to have mass. It looks at how Higgs proposed a mathematical solution to explain the theory and how this concept became known as the 'Higgs boson', a subatomic particle being a very massive particle, heavier than most elementary particles. It also explores the attempts by scientists to actually find the Higgs particle and discusses its place within the field of particle physics as a whole.
Outline
Introduction
The Creation of a Theory
The Standard Model
The Concept of Symmetry
The Goal of Physics
Conclusion
From the Paper "Potential evidence for the Higgs boson existence recently turned up on the Large Electron-Positron (LEP) collider where research is conducted at the European Center for Particle Physics (CERN) located in Switzerland. To locate the Higgs, the CERN team smashed together two other fundamental particles commonly known as electrons and positrons using the LEP. Utilizing upgraded equipment known as the Tevatron collider at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is included in new plans to continue the search of the Higgs boson. However, at the beginning of September, scientists at LEP announced that they had observed several unusual events that could have been the signature of the elusive Higgs boson. A very powerful research machine, a Particle Accelerator, may soon create observable numbers of Higgs bosons."
Abstract This paper examines how nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that involves the use of radioactive isotopes in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. It looks at how positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is used extensively as diagnostic tool in the U.S. and Europe, but has limited availability in the U.K. It shows how the information obtained from these examinations can differentiate between different organs without the need for the patient to undergo surgical procedures. It also examines how, despite the long history of PET development, the costs and effectiveness of its use in routine clinical practice remain unknown. It reviews the relevant literature to determine whether PET imaging should be used more extensively in the U.K. instead of conventional nuclear medicine imaging.
From the Paper "These researchers report that despite the long history of PET development, the costs and effectiveness of its use in routine clinical practice remain virtually unknown. However, what is known is that the bottom line for these and other advances in medical technology is clinician and patient accessibility. According to Michael Johns, "Physicians who do not have access to or choose not to utilize cutting-edge technologies could potentially limit the care provided to their patients. But for many in the developing world, the cost of new equipment and materials continues to be prohibitive. Even in the West, both public and private insurance agencies take into account the cost of a test or therapy before deciding whether to pay for it" (2001, 132)."
Abstract This paper explains that the desire for instant communication without being tied to a particular machine can be dated as far back as 1843 when Michael Faraday, an analytical chemist, began exhaustive research into whether space could conduct electricity. The author points out that the cell phones, which were introduced commercially in the 1980s, were expensive and often difficult to carry; moreover, service provided by the cell phone carriers of the day was extremely poor in comparison to "land lines". The paper relates that, although early use of cell phones elicited embarrassment and laughter, usage advanced when, in addition to their professional connections, consumers demanded the ability to stay connected with children, spouses, friends, and other individuals on a more consistent basis than allowed by a land phone.
From the Paper "Cell phones have existed longer in modern history and memory than might be commonly thought. Communicating in a wireless fashion, in fact, has existed almost as long as what are now termed "land lines" or ordinary phones. But it was not until 1977 that cell phones, along the lines of today's technology, first ?went public.? The state of Chicago began the first trials of cell phones with 2000 customers. Eventually other cell phone trials appeared in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore area. The next nation to make use of the technology after the United States was Japan, which began testing cellular phone service in 1979."
Tags: land, electricity, usage, consistent, personal
Abstract This paper looks at aerogel, a lightweight material that is a cross between gel and air, whose superb physical, mechanical,and optical properties make it useful for high-tech applications, such as insulating the Mars rover. In particular, it explores how future uses extend to household applications, such as clear, insulating windows and sunroofs. It discusses the physical, mechanical, and optical properties of silica aerogels, as well as their general method of preparation and their applications.
Outline
What are Aerogels?
What Makes Aerogel a Super Material?
How are Aerogels Prepared?
Applications of Aerogel
From the Paper "A material that closely resembles aerogel, called xerogel, may be prepared at home or in the laboratory. The process will not require a high-pressure vessel as is in preparing aerogels. The simplest way to make a xerogel is to form a variety of gels and leave them out in the air to dry. Ordinary gelatin may be used for this purpose. Silica xerogels, however, may be prepared using sodium silicate gel-forming liquid. This is commonly used as a lubricant and is available at pharmacies. Xerogels are much denser than aerogels but provide some of the same high-temperature insulation."
Abstract This paper is a technical report on a laboratory experiment on surface tension measurements using the Du Nuoy ring. Samples are pure water, ethanol solution, and 1.5N NaCl. Calculations for the correction factor and other necessary values are included in the discussion.
From the Paper "The Du Nuoy ring is the most commonly used apparatus for surface tension measurements. The group used pieces of paper to determine the weight needed to depress the lever arm to zero. For the experiment proper, the ring was thoroughly cleaned and flamed to red heat for a few seconds. The vernier was turned to zero reading and the lever arm made to just touch the zero indicator. The ring was made to contact the surface of the liquid and was carefully submerged until good contact is established. This was then slowly recovered from the liquid by careful downward movement of the platform and of the thumbscrew. It is important that the lever arm is kept at the zero indicator until the ring is detached from the liquid."
Abstract This paper first defines mechanics, a branch of study that deals with the influence of forces acting on bodies and dynamic responses of bodies to the imposition of those forces, and then lists the three different subdivision of mechanics. Included in this subdivision is dynamics, which the paper also explains and describes as it relates to the study of mechanics.
From the Paper "Life without motion is better explained as death. A living being is said to be having life only when the walls of the heart engage in pumping the blood, when the blood circulates through the entire body, when nerves impulse electrically from brain to toe, lungs move to bring oxygen, food transports through the stomach and intestines, when the iris expands and contracts, when the eyeball rotates, etc. Not only in the living beings, the riddles of the non-living items like recoiling of a fired gun, acceleration of an automobile, action of a spinning top, the motion of a space rocket can also be broken down in terms of the analysis of motion."
Abstract This paper contends that nanomachines constitute the future hope for humanity. The paper states that curing diseases, fixing the atmosphere, and reducing of poverty fully, are no longer remote ideas, but will become reality with the help of nanomachines. The paper discusses the feasibility of overcoming the technological barriers in the construction of nanomachines.
From the Paper "The Science of molecular size machines and its engineering designs and constructions until late 1980s were not considered practicable. Nanotechnology, according to the leading exponents of that time were neither feasible nor viable, due to the fact of total structural difference of the constituent of nano-molecular device i.e. Atoms from the mechanical objects of every day life. The essential components of engineering mechanics i.e. cogwheels, gears or motors could not be imagined to have formed by means of atoms, that are characterized by fuzzy and unsubstantial contents having no definite location position."
Abstract This paper is an introductory essay on the physics behind holography and the growing number of applications, paying particular attention to the emerging field of data storage. It offers comparisons with more traditional methods, such as optical and magnetic data storage, and gives an historical context for the whole field.
From the Paper "In today's society most people are familiar with the concept of a hologram. They are a well known security feature and can be seen on bank notes, credit cards and video labels to name but a few. They hold a fascination for many people, perhaps largely because they seem so mysterious, and yet the closest many people get to understanding how they are made is to think of them as a trick of lights and mirrors."
A comparison and analysis of the bipolar junction transistor (BJT), the metal oxide field-effect transistor (MOSFET), and the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
Abstract This paper examines how, although power semiconductors were first developed in the late 1940s, they have matured significantly in sixty years and how in today's society, they can be found everywhere. They are essentially the solid-state version of the mechanical relay or the vacuum tube. Some of most common applications include motor drives, uninterruptible power supplies, audio amplifiers, and fluorescent lighting. In particular, it looks at how, for the best device suited for the job, it has become a competition between the bipolar junction transistor (BJT), the metal oxide field-effect transistor (MOSFET), and the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). It shows how each has inherent advantages over the others and how the IGBT has seemed to dominate the industry in recent years.
From the Paper "The MOSFET was introduced in the 1970s and, unlike the BJT, is a voltage controlled device. It also has three terminals, though they differ from the BJT: the source, the gate, and the drain. The source and drain diffusions are separated by the gate. The MOSFET has a p or n channel and can operate in depletion or enhancement mode. In enhancement, no current flows when the gate voltage is zero. In depletion mode, however, a narrow n channel is formed under the gate such that current will still flow when the gate voltage is zero."
This paper is a research proposal to determine the current and potential clinical applications for positron emission tomography and to develop a "best practices" approach to developing a partnership between cognitive scientists and neuroscientists.
Abstract This paper explains that Positron Emission Tomography (PET), an
imaging technique, allows clinicians to localize safely and monitor accurately the activity of areas in the normal human brain during specific mental tasks. The author points out that the traditional methods of research, such as experiments in memorizing and observation of individuals who had suffered localized brain damage, have been facilitated by innovative methodologies, such as positron emission tomography, that connect human behavior to specific brain structures and functions. The paper relates that the research methodology will be a critical review of the scholarly and relevant literature, followed by a qualitative and quantitative analysis of how partnership between cognitive scientists and neuroscientists can be created and improved based on the technique's demonstrated efficacy in various clinical settings. Color illustrations.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of Study
Importance of Study
Review of Related Literature
Background and Overview
How Positron Emission Tomography Works.
Figure 1. Typical Positron Emission Tomography Device, Clinician and Patient
Radionuclides Used in PET
Figure 2. PET Scan of Damaged Human Brain
Methodology
Data-gathering Method and Database of Study
From the Paper "PET provides clinicians with a functional brain-imaging technique to identify brain regions activated in motor, sensory, cognitive, and emotional processes. ?PET is based on a simple principle: a radioactive isotope that emits [[Beta].sup.+] particles (i.e., positrons, with a mass equal to an electron but with a positive electrical charge) is artificially integrated into a biological molecule and then injected intravenously.? In the various PET applications, a chemical compound that is "labeled" with a short-lived, positron-emitting radionuclide (either carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine) is injected into the body. The activity of such a radiopharmaceutical is then measured quantitatively throughout the target organs through the use of photomultiplier-scintillator detectors."
Abstract This paper examines how remote sensing can be broken down to New World and Old World. It looks at how New World involves aerial photography from artificial satellites and how Old World involves procedures like electromagnetic and resistivity surveying.
From the Paper "The world emits energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. There are many sources of energy and the most important one is the sun. Satellites mostly portray the land with respect to the electromagnetic spectrum. There can be two types of sensing active and passive sensing. Active sensing involves the satellite to send waveforms that interact with certain parts of the land (including water) and give off different waveforms in the spectrum. The passive sensing involves just reading the waveforms from different sources (like the sun) and portraying them. One advantage of active sensing as opposed to passive is that measurements can be recorded anytime where in passive it has to be done when the naturally occurring energy is available."
Abstract This paper examines the implications, relevance, and significance that the current, best theories in physics and cosmology have for the understanding of our lives and our place in the world. In particular, it seeks to determine what our best theories in physics and cosmology, including relativity theory, quantum theory, and big bang cosmology, imply about the nature of the physical world and about the nature of our selves. An overview of these best theories is followed by an analysis of their implications, relevance, and significance today, followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.
From the Paper "According to Bergmann (2004), the general theory of relativity was developed in response to the need to extend the new space and time concepts of the special theory of relativity from the domain of electric and magnetic phenomena to all of physics and, particularly, to the theory of gravitation. Because space and time relations are the foundation of all physical phenomena, researchers recognized the inherent constraints in applying mutually contradictory concepts of space and time to explain different types of interactions, particularly in view of the fact that the same particles may interact with each other in several different ways-electromagnetically, gravitationally, and through the so-called nuclear forces (Bergmann 2004)."
Abstract This paper looks at the life of Lise Meitner who was born in Vienna on November 7, 1878. It looks at how, in order to become one of Germany's leading physicists, she overcame huge obstacles as a woman and as a Jew, and how she was the first to identify nuclear fission. It discusses how, even though she was denied the Nobel Prize and due recognition during her lifetime, Lise Meitner is now considered one of the most significant woman scientists of the century.
From the Paper "Lise Meitner was born in a liberal Viennese family. The Viennese system of education did not allow girls to enter high school. So from 1892 to 1901 she had to struggle a lot to get her education. The government opened high schools for girls in 1899. Lise's father hired a tutor to get her ready for university entrance when she was 21. In two years she completed 8 years' worth of schooling. Around 1905 she began studying radioactivity. She entered the University of Vienna in 1901 and received her doctorate in physics in 1907. She went to Germany to pursue further studies in physics; she stayed there for the next 31 years, adding a lot to German science."
This paper discusses Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID), an automated identification and data collection technology consisting of tags containing chips for storing data and an antenna for transmitting data through radio waves.
3,150 words (approx. 12.6 pages), 14 sources, MLA, $ 91.95
Abstract This paper explains that RFID chips can be attached, often without notice, to all sorts of products, such as clothing and books, and can be use to monitor and control the supply chain in ways similar to the bar code, which the RFID is being developed to replace. The author points out that some examples of the consumer use of the RFID are in a library where the reader need only to walk in front of a shelf and can immediately see on a screen a list of all the books and their contents. For another example, parents in amusement parks can locate their children by putting a RFID on their children and then locating them on a special "kidspotter" map of the park. The paper stresses that, despite the clear advantages of RFID, there is a concern among privacy activists because RFID tags, so small that they can go undetected, can be embedded in any product or article of clothing and even under the skin of a person and then can be used to record information about their activities, tracking anyone with a tag on them.
Table of Contents
History
Beneficial Social Impact
Deleterious Social Impact or Potentially Dangerous Social Impact
Personal Privacy
Information Security
Analysis of Social Impact
Future Impact of the Technology
From the Paper "While in the 1980's RFID was primarily used for commercial applications, the 1990s saw RFID enter the consumer market. Toll systems throughout the US and Europe became widespread and started gaining major use. Toll systems were adopted by Kansas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Maine, and New York, Massachusetts, and quite a few other states. Standardization became a big issue with all these systems, leading to the Title 21 standard and the EZ-Pass Interagency Group, both of which were formed in an effort to provide consistent toll standards in different regions of the US. Payment and access systems were developed, such as the speedpass payment system used by Mobile gas stations, various skipass systems and gated community access setups. Automobile related RFID systems also were implemented in larger scale including remote entry and ignitions systems."
