Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Human resources - Essay Example Current competitive environment has made employees more devoted towards their work and they end up having issues with their personal life (Friedman 2008). Various relationships have experienced breakups due to increased devotion towards work by either one or both members of the couples. Due to problems in personal life, organizations end up paying higher costs (Beard 2011). Researchers have proven that increase in work-life imbalance has resulted in high employee turnover rate, increase in number of days when employees are absent from work, health issues, dissatisfaction from job and life, and increased pressure on managers (Imam 8644). All of these problems are directly linked with decrease in productivity of an organization. When the rate of employee turnover increases, work is halted until empty positions are filled (Beard 2011). When employees do not attend work, the amount of production that they would have been able to conduct is compromised. Dissatisfaction from working condit ions results in de-motivating the workers to work efficiently and effectively, which decreases the quality and the quantity of goods produced. The organizations do not only face loss of productivity due to work life imbalance, they even end up paying higher cost incurred for employee’s psychological health, which is disturbed by this imbalance. Various ways have been continuously pointed out to solve the problem of work-life imbalance; managers need to assess these ways and create programs constituting these methods to increase productivity and increase work-life balance. Managers can offer flexible work timings to employees, for example, managers have to allot a specific number of hours for an employee to work and the employee can decide what bracket of hours he choose to work (Kanter 2010). Managers can assign a work day of 5 hours to an employee and the employee can choose whether to work from 9am to 2pm or 2pm to 7pm etc.

The Destruction of the Indies and the Middle Passage Essay Example for Free

The Destruction of the Indies and the Middle Passage Essay Bartolomà © de las Casas was one of the first proponents of Indian rights in the New World. A priest and historian of his day, responsible for preserving Christopher Columbuss journals, de las Casas also wrote works such as The Devastation of the Indies and Apologetic History of the Indies. Labeled a heretic and traitor, de las Casas documented the war on the Indians by the Spaniards and argued the Indians cause, at great personal risk, before the Spanish court. The following account gives a sympathetic description of the natives, outlines the Spanish lust for gold, and details a nearly unbelievable torture of several Indians. SOURCE: From The Devastation of the Indies by Bartolomà © de las Casas. English Translation Copyright  © 1974 by The Crossroad Publishing Company. Reprinted by permission of The Crossroad Publishing Company. And of all the infinite universe of humanity, these people are the most guileless, the most devoid of wickedness and duplicity, the most obedient and faithful to their native masters and to the Spanish Christians whom they serve. They are by nature the most humble, patient, and peaceable, holding no grudges, free from embroilments, neither excitable nor quarrelsome. These people are the most devoid of rancors, hatreds, or desire for vengeance of any people in the world. And because they are so weak and complaisant, they are less able to endure heavy labor and soon die of no matter what malady. The sons of nobles among us, brought up in the enjoyments of lifes refinements, are no more delicate than are these Indians, even those among them who are of the lowest rank of laborers. They are also poor people, for they not only possess little but have no desire to possess worldly goods. For this reason they are not arrogant, embittered, or greedy. Their repasts are such that the food of the holy fathers in the desert can scarcely be more parsimonious, scanty, and poor. As to their dress, they are generally naked, with only their pudenda covered somewhat. And when they cover their shoulders it is with a square cloth no more than two varas in size. They have no beds, but sleep on a kind of matting or else in a kind of suspended net called hamacas. They are very clean in their persons, with alert, intelligent minds, docile and open to doctrine, very apt to receive our holy  Catholic faith, to be endowed with virtuous customs, and to behave in a godly fashion. And once they begin to hear the tidings of the Faith, they are so insistent on knowing more and on taking the sacraments of the Church and on observing the divine cult that, truly, the missionaries who are here need to be endowed by God with great patience in order to cope with such eagerness. Some of the secular Spaniards who have been here for many years say that the goodness of the Indians is undeniable and that if this gifted people could be brought to know the one true God they would be the most fortunate people in the world. The common ways mainly employed by the Spaniards who call themselves Christian and who have gone there to extirpate those pitiful nations and wipe them off the earth is by unjustly waging cruel and bloody wars. Then, when they have slain all those who fought for their lives or to escape the tortures they would have to endure, that is to say, when they have slain all the native rulers and young men (since the Spaniards usually spare only the women and children, who are subjected to the hardest and bitterest servitude ever suffered by man or beast), they enslave any survivors. With these infernal methods of tyranny they debase and weaken countless numbers of those pitiful Indian nations. Their reason for killing and destroying such an infinite number of souls is that the Christians have an ultimate aim, which is to acquire gold, and to swell themselves with riches in a very brief time and thus rise to a high estate disproportionate to their merits. It should be kept in mind that their insatiable greed and ambition, the greatest ever seen in the world, is the cause of their villainies. And also, those lands are so rich and felicitous, the native peoples so meek and patient, so easy to subject, that our Spaniards have no more consideration for them than beasts. And I say this from my own knowledge of the acts I witnessed. But I should not say than beasts for, thanks be to God, they have treated beasts with some respect; I should say instead like excrement on the public squares. I once saw this, when there were four or five Indian nobles lashed on grids and burning; I seem even to recall that there were two or three pairs of gri ds where others were burning, and because they uttered such loud screams that they disturbed the Spanish captains sleep, he ordered them to be strangled. And the constable,  who was worse than an executioner, did not want to obey that order (and I know the name of that constable and know his relatives in Seville), but instead put a stick over the victims tongues, so they could not make a sound, and he stirred up the fire, but not too much, so that they roasted slowly, as he liked. I saw all these things I have described, and countless others. And because all the people who could do so fled to the mountains to escape these inhuman, ruthless, and ferocious acts, the Spanish captains, enemies of the human race, pursued them with the fierce dogs they kept which attacked the Indians, tearing them to pieces and devouring them. And because on few and far between occasions, the Indians justifiably killed some Christians, the Spaniards made a rule among themselves that for every Christian slain by the Indians, they would slay a hundred Indians. Among the noteworthy outrages they committed was the one they perpetrated against a cacique, a very important noble, by name Hatuey, who had come to Cuba from Hispaniola with many of his people, to flee the calamities and inhuman acts of the Christians. When he was told by certain Indians that the Christians were now coming to Cuba, he assembled as many of his followers as he could and said this to them: Now you must know that they are saying the Christians are coming here, and you know by experience how they put So and So and So and So, and other nobles to an end. And now they are coming from Haiti (which is Hispaniola) to do the same here. Do you know why they do this? The Indians replied: We do not know. But it may be that they are by nature wicked and cruel. And he told them: No, they do not act only because of that, but because they have a God they greatly worship and they want us to worship that God, and that is why they struggle with us and subject us and kill us. He had a basket full of gold and jewels and he said: You see their God here, the God of the Christians. If you agree to it, let us dance for this God, who knows, it may please the God of the Christians and then they will do us no harm. And his followers said, all together, Yes, that is good, that is good! And they danced round the basket of gold until they fell down exhausted. Then their chief, the cacique Hatuey, said to them: See here, if we keep this basket of gold they will take it from us and will end up by killing us. So let us cast away the basket into the river. They all agreed to do this, and they flung the basket of gold into the river that was nearby. This cacique, Hatuey, was constantly fleeing before the Christians from the time they arrived on the island of Cuba, since he knew them and of what they were capable. Now and then they encountered him and he defended himself, but they finally killed him. And they did this for the sole reason that he had fled from those cruel and wicked Christians and had defended himself against them. And when they had captured him and as many of his followers as they could, they burned them all at the stake. When tied to the stake, the cacique Hatuey was told by a Franciscan friar who was present, an artless rascal, something about the God of the Christians and of the articles of the Faith. And he was told what he could do in the brief time that remained to him, in order to be saved and go to Heaven. The cacique, who had never heard any of this before, and was told he would go to Inferno where if he did not adopt the Christian Faith, he would suffer eternal torment, asked the Franciscan friar if Christians all went to Heaven. When told that they did he said he would prefer to go to Hell. Such is the fame and honor that God and our Faith have earned through the Christians who have gone out to the Indies. The Middle Passage, from Olaudah Equianos Interesting Narrative This account of the middle passage comes from one of the first writings by an ex-slave and the originator of the slave narrative. Equiano was born in Nigeria and was kidnapped into slavery at the age of eleven. After a time in the West Indies, he was sold to a Virginia planter before becoming the slave of a merchant. Years later he was able to buy his freedom and at the age of 44, he wrote The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Written by Himself. Equiano became an abolitionist and made the expedition to settle the colony of ex-slaves at Sierra Leone. . . . The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave ship, which was then riding at anchor, and waiting for its cargo. These filled me with astonishment, which was soon converted into terror when I was carried on board. I was immediately handled and tossed up  to see if I were sound by some of the crew; and I was now persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits, and that they were going to kill me. Their complexions too differing so much from ours, their long hair, and the language they spoke, (which was very different from any I had ever heard) united to confirm me in this belief. Indeed such were the horrors of my views and fears at the moment, that, if ten thousand worlds had been my own, I would have freely parted with them all to have exchanged my condition with that of the meanest slave in my own country. When I looked round the ship too and saw a large furnace of copper boiling, and a multitude of black people of every description chained together, every one of their countenances expressing dejection and sorrow, I no longer doubted of my fate; and, quite overpowered with horror and anguish, I fell motionless on the deck and fainted. When I recovered a little I found some black people about me, who I believe were some of those who brought me on board, and had been receiving their pay; they talked to me in order to cheer me, but all in vain. I asked them if we were not to be eaten by those white men with horrible looks,  red faces, and loose hair. They told me I was not; and one of the crew brought me a small portion of spirituous liquor in a wine glass; but, being afraid of him, I would not take it out of his hand. One of the blacks therefore took it from him and gave it to me, and I took a little down my palate, which, instead of reviving me, as they thought it would, threw me into the greatest consternation at the strange feeling it produced, having never tasted any such liquor before. Soon after this the blacks who brought me on board went off, and left me abandoned to despair. I now saw myself deprived of all chance of returning to my native country or even the least glimpse of hope of gaining the shore, which I now considered as friendly; and I even wished for my former slavery in preference to my present situation, which was filled with horrors of every kind, still heightened by my ignorance of what I was to undergo. I was not long suffered to indulge my grief; I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life: so that, with the loathsomeness of the stench, and crying together, I became so sick and low that I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to taste  anything. I now wished for the last friend, death, to relieve me; but soon, to my grief, two of the white men offered me eatables; and, on my refusing to eat, one of them held me fast by the hands, and laid me across I think the windlass, and tied my feet, while the other flogged me severely. I had never experienced anything of this kind before; and although, not being used to the water, I naturally feared that element the first time I saw it, yet nevertheless, could I have got over the nettings, I would have jumped over the side, but I could not; and, besides, the crew used to watch us very closely who were not chained down to the decks, lest we should l eap into the water: and I have seen some of these poor African prisoners most severely cut for attempting to do so, and hourly whipped for not eating. This indeed was often the case with myself. In a little time after, amongst the poor chained men, I found some of my own nation, which in a small degree gave ease to my mind. I inquired of these what was to be done with us; they gave me to understand we were to be carried to these white peoples country to work for them. I then was a little revived, and thought, if it were no worse than working, my situation was not so desperate: but still I feared I should be put to death, the white people looked and acted, as I thought, in so savage a manner; for I had never seen among any people such instances of brutal cruellty; and this not only shewn towards us blacks, but also to some of the whites themselves. One white man in particular I saw when we were permitted to be on deck, flogged so unmercifully with a large rope near the foremast, that he died in consequence of it; and they tossed him over the side as they would have done a brute. This made me fear these people the more; and I expected nothing less than to be treated in the same manner. I could not help expressing my fears and apprehensions to some of my countrymen: I asked them if these people had no country, but lived in this hollow place (the ship): they told me they did not, but came from a distant one. Then, said I, how comes it in all our country we never heard of them? They told me because they lived so very far off. I then asked where were their women? had they any like themselves? and why, said I, do we not see them? they answered, because they were left behind. . . . The stench of the hold while we were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for any time, and some of us had been permitted to stay on the deck for the fresh air; but now that the whole  ships cargo were confined together, it became absolutely pestilential. The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost  suffocated us. This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died, thus falling victims to the improvident avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers. This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now become insupportable; and the filth of the necessary tubs, into which the children often fell, and were almost suffocated. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. Happily perhaps for myself I was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on deck; and from my extreme youth I was not put in fetters. In this situation I expected every hour to share the fate of my companions, some of whom were almost daily brought upon deck at the point of death, which I began to hope would soon put an end to my miseries. Often did I think many of the inhabitants of the deep much more happy than myself. I envied them the freedom they enjoyed, and as often wished I could change my condition for theirs. Every circumstance I met with served only to render my state more painful, and heighten my apprehensions, and my opin ion of the cruelty of the whites. One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on the deck, rather than give any of them to us to eat as we expected, they tossed the remaining fish into the sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well as we could, but in vain; and some of my countrymen, being pressed by hunger, took an opportunity, when they thought no one saw them, of trying to get a little privately; but they were discovered, and the attempt procured them some very severe floggings. . . . . . . I and some few more slaves, that were not saleable amongst the rest, from very much fretting, were shipped off in a sloop for North America. . . . While I was in this plantation [in Virginia] the gentleman, to whom I suppose the estate belonged, being unwell, I was one day sent for to his  dwelling house to fan him; when I came into the room where he was I was very much affrighted at some things I saw, and the more so as I had seen a black woman slave as I came through the house, who was cooking the dinner, and the poor creature was cruelly loaded with various kinds of iron machines; she had one particularly on her head, which locked her mouth so fast that she could scarcely speak; and could not eat nor drink. I was much astonished and shocked at this contrivance, which I afterwards learned was called the iron muzzle . . .

Developing Road Protection Program Policy

Developing Road Protection Program Policy Theory of microeconomics Introduction Consumers of the American region, in particular, road are the ones who have the right to be safe and protected as it is outlined in the mechanisms of environmental protection. The inclusion of this statement will be valid for any possible products and services that are being provided in the market place to promote safety devices providing consumers with the believes and faith that their functionality is to provide protection to their road and that they can be sound around different objects of threat and harm. Consumers are supposed to be educated in terms of increasing their knowledge and awareness of being informed shoppers and their rights to consume products that are safer for road. Consumers in this regard should also know the hazards which can take place while specific products are currently in implication. The launch of a product is not merely the availability of something useful; it should rather be safe to use after the purchase is made. Multiple consumers are supposedly repo rted by ANEC (American Association for the Co-ordination of Consumer Representation in Standardization) undertake the CE mark to be the official safety seal when there is no universal American mark that allows a product to be used on safe terms. Serious injuries and even fatal accidents have been reported associated with various products in many Member States’ system of national data in the region. Within the US market therefore, there is an essential need of evaluation and measurement of the consumer product safety regulations in an essential manner. The chosen product is baby prams for the purpose of analysis in this report. Discussion Health aspects and road protection programs determine the success and practical approach of a product company because all of the individuals and managing persons like to take advantage of such facilities over time. Just when they are allowed to fulfill the expectations from work, they are also going for free assessments, training sessions and check-ups as well. This clearly indicates the level of interests in people for the road protection programs to be introduced in the system for good. Management in dealing with road protection programs is extremely important when it comes to providing a centre of achievements and coordination. No matter what an individual is getting out of these programs, on a cultivated level, the aim of any corporation while introducing these road protection programs is to help their employees lead a professional approach and lives through education and self-management in all terms. Road side protective plan and management of environmental factors is of great importance and diversity as well because there are different aspects involved with it that are not only convenient to understand but very applicable and successful as well. Where people think value chain is only predictable and applicable on the business management firms and organizations but it can also be implemented on different technological factors and considerations. Things like information systems and production work can also imply value chain model very practically. Information systems are all about carrying out the purchasing, communication, material handling and several other aspects which value chain model can handle pretty well if implied in a better manner. Technology has advanced with modernization and enhancement of different activities throughout the world and value chain model can make it even susceptible and prone to getting on intermediate success height. The idea which value chain model can base on when it comes to connecting it with information systems is that an organization is more than just manpower, resources, outlook and research or the machinery and equipment that is being used at all times; it is about the arrangement and a systematic appearance and organization of different production facilities. Within information systems, technology matters and consumers want to get something which they are paying for and in this matter it is highly important and significant that the value chain model supports the idea generation and background of the material provided. The ability to go on making progress with the routine activities generating different developmental arrangements will be the linkage point between the information syste ms and value chain model. For the success of road protection programs and their implementations, there are some basic elements and considerations which should be contemplated and noted down. Here are those functional basics and predisposition requirements to look over. Support and direction from the leading services If the management that is belonging to the upper level of a road protection industry is not involved with the road protection programs and its strategic implementation, it will remain a low priority with managers and other employees and there will no specific clue as to what should be done about it for a successful and clearer approach. For this reason, there should be clear decisions taken to make sure CEOs and other beneficiaries are involved with the procedure to make employee’s physical and mental state health and essential enough. Involvement of employees in the developmental procedure Just when the layout for road protection program for a company is being designed, there should be a common sense approach of employees with it as well since the implementations are taken place for the employees on their own. It is therefore critical for that matter to have planned the logistics and classes which are to be moderated later on. Employees should support these programs in a cultivated fashion to support their own personal beings and participate further to what they have developed on their own. Objective analysis Just when the hospitality industry is making road protection program plans and different commencements or determining which techniques can be implemented for the causes, there should be suitable planning done for the purposes as well. In order to have successful implementations of these programs, it is important for the internal and external factors to be balanced out which is why a careful monitoring and observation is required essentially (Roberts, 1996). In order to have the road protection programs projected in a manner that they will increase the productivity of a company, there should be checking as in determining if these plans are meeting the objectives and purposes on a normal, usual basis. To do that, there should be surveys and production analysis to the means and measurements. This will determine and clarify which plans have been the most effective and which sets of instructions are the most captivating ones. External assessments can also be carried out to know whether th ey have been any helpful and moderating for the cause or not. Having a budget plan Having budget plan for the road protection program is the most important and essential out of all the management considerations because this is going to cover the allowances and extra techniques that are being employed on the employees and it will also commence the extent to which these management tactics can be extended over time. This will analyze the road protection programs as a vital part of the organization and not only that, it will also cause the settings to become more motivational and stronger with the gradual time allowance and movement. Budgeting will also ensure that expenses of the programs are controlled in a specific manner and that the funds are not being wasted. Although road protection programs are not invented by different companies for stress reduction and several other soothing techniques, it is an integral part of customer service and productivity in an important manner. The significance of eliminating stress and frantic behavior from the customer service management should ultimately be removed and therefore, hospitality industry emphasizes on having proper measurements and a proactive approach towards road protection programs and applications. Effective functioning of those business components is required for any road and environment protection serving within any region of the world because they are known commodities for the effective implications and therefore proper advancements of the social backgrounds. These set of backgrounds are important to be included within the road and environment protection because they prove a greater amount of competitiveness and advantages within the social arrangements. The qualities and information availability assures attainment of major contracts and consumers for those hotels which have labors and skills for the purpose in a benefitting manner. The specifications and reviews are also approached for those companies and hotels that follow such regimens; contribution of employees for that matter are extremely important as well because the guidelines and appropriate rules are going to define a majority of conclusive approximations which are necessary for the hospitality causes and for the i ndustry. For the skills and their fitting to the broader system of work, there are different job designing parameters for the validation of staff. Such purposes are fulfilled with the help of labors and skills as well and they are important for effectual strategic placement as well as recruitment of more individuals. Labors and skills are important in creative aspects of the road and environment protection as well culminating within the responses of multiple advancements; there are individuals required for thinking procedures and creative responses as well and they can only be found in cases of proper selection and foundation of individuals. Growth and developmental factors hinge on such arrangements too. Conclusion Health should be a top priority when it comes to talking about things which an affiliation or a company should do for its product because it is something very essential and important and not only it can be taken out much derivations from but also carried out to have successful planning done within a considerable amount of time. There are a lot of different companies that do not recognize and undermine the benefits and advantages of the road protection programs and the ones which haven’t done so up until now still believe in the concept for an increase in the productivity and employee involvement in a single company. It can be directed towards anything and everything that an individual can go through including work stress or an ailment that the individual is already suffering from in the first place. Creating and implementing road protective programs on different levels of a product organization is essential and important and it is full of outcomes and results that are positive and ready to be customized in any way one can possibly think about. For the manufacture industry, it is even more compelling and advanced because this allows for every sector of this association to have complete control and command over their abilities. It is a field where people as employees need to provide their customers and consumers with the satisfactory outcomes and results that they need and it can be only achieved when the staff is feeling up to the mark and their mental health is not being compromised for some reasons and that they are enjoying their tasks in a beneficial manner. While buying products, the consumers should know of the regulations and commencements as well in order to provide prams or other associated products that are safer to use and convenient to operate. Knowing the components that are harnessed effectively and to create a balanced use for the road is important and beneficial as well. In the US product manufacture industry, the regulations should be taken into account by both the companies and customers to create proper awareness and knowledge of the topic. References Allen, N. J., and Meyer, J. P. (1990).The Measurement and Antecedents of Affectice, Continuance and Normative Commitment to the Organization. Journal of Organizational 80, Psychology, 63, 1-18. Apospori, E., Nikandrou, I., Brewster, C., and Papalexandris, N. (2008), ‘HRM and Organizational Performance in Northern and Southern Europe,’ International Journal of Human Resource Management 19, 7, 1187–1207. Barrett, A., O’Connell, P. J. 2001. Does training generally work? The returns to in company Training. Industrial and Labour Relations Review, 54(3): 647-662. Oribabor, P.E. (2000), â€Å"Human Resources Management, A Strategic Approval Human Resources Management 9 (4) 21 24 Peteraf, M.A. (1993), ‘The Cornerstones of Competitive Advantage: A Resource-Based View,’ Strategic Management Journal, 14, 3, 179–192. Stavrou, E., Brewster, C., and Charalambous, C. (2004), ‘Human Resource Management as a Competitive Tool in Europe,’ work paper, London: Henley College.20. Tyson, S., Tyson, S., and Fell, A. (1986), Evaluating the Personnel Function, London: Hutchinson. Role of Training in Determining the Employee Corporate Behavior with Respect to Organizational Productivity: Developing and Proposing a Conceptual Model Vol. 5, No. 12; December 2010

Rock And Roll Essay -- essays research papers

History of Rock and Roll   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Punk rock developed in the United States out of the raw and energetic music adored and played by garage bands of the mid-sixties. Many of these garage bands were started by kids in their teens who hardly knew how to play simple chords on a guitar or bang away at drums or cymbals in their own garages. The music was often played at a high volume as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The MC5 epitomized this. The MC5 (Motor City Five) was a high school punk band from Lincoln Park, Michigan. They played with a very loud and angry style. Their lyrics, which were refused airplay, were obscene and profane. The right combination of heavy distortion and two guitars enabled them to combine the power of heavy metal with the raw garage band sound.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many punk songs were reactions to the glitter and glam rock bands of the seventies. The fact that groups were spending months, weeks, or hours in a studio, writing 15- minute songs, and playing elaborate shows with spectacular stage performances in front of thousands of people in large arenas really angered punk bands. Punk songs were generally simple and rather short. The lyrics told the way the 2 members of the band felt. They played small shows and did not put on any elaborate performances. The Sex Pistols were the epitome of a punk band. They were discovered in an...

Magnesium Oxide Chemistry Report Essay

In chemistry, compounds can be distinguished by using the empirical formula. The formula provides the simplest positive integer ratio of elements in a compound. The empirical formula is largely useful in determining the ratio of elements within ionic compounds where the structure is of a non-directional nature of bonding where any ion at any time could be surrounded by 4, 6, or 8 oppositely charged ions. This creates a pattern of endlessly repeating lattice of ions they do not exist as a free unit of atoms but in crystal lattices with repeating ions in specific ratios which is why empirical formula is used as a form of identification for defining an ionic-bonded substance. Calculating the empirical formula: To calculate the empirical formula for when two reactants undergoes a chemical reaction, the following 5 steps should be taken: 1. Record the masses of all the elements present in a given compound. 2. Convert the masses into moles (dividing by atomic weight in grams). 3. Then divide through by the smallest number of moles to get a ratio. 4. It the numbers are not whole numbers, multiply by a suitable small factor to get a whole number. 5. Finally, round off the numbers in the previous step if applicable to get the prime numbers which indicates the empirical formula. To demonstrate with a simple example; The molecular formula of butane is C4H10, however as the ratio of carbon atoms to hydrogen atoms is 4:10; it can be reduced to the ratio of 2:5. We can see that it is the simplest ratio while remaining as an integer. Butane can now be represented in empirical formula as C2H5. Regarding the Mole and its formula: The mole is the quantity of a substance which contains as many elementary units (atoms, ions, molecules) as there are atoms in exactly 12 grams of carbon-12 isotope. A mole of an element is the mass in grams that is numerically equal to the atomic weight. Also, a mole of a compound is the mass in grams that is numerically equal to the molecular weight. In simpler words; A mole of a substance is simply the atomic / molecular weight in grams. eg; A  mole of copper (atomic weight 63.6) is 63.6grams. Therefore in a diagram; The number of atoms or molecules in a mole of any substance is the Avogadro Constant which is 6.02 x . The molar mass is taken to be the relative atomic mass of an element which is the average mass of atoms present in any naturally occurring element relative to the mass of one atom of carbon-12 isotope taken as exactly 12 which gives formula weight (sum of the atomic weights of the atomic species as given in the stated formula for the compound.) The quantitative stoichiometric relationships governing mass and amount is used in the following experiment regarding the combustion reaction of magnesium metal. Magnesium is reacted with oxygen from air in a contained crucible, and the masses before and after the oxidation is measured. The resulting masses are used to calculate the experimental empirical formula of magnesium oxide, which is then compared to the theoretical empirical formula. A crucible and Bunsen burner will be used to heat magnesium metal for burning. Equipment: AIM: The purpose of this experiment is to perform an experiment of the combustion of Magnesium and gather precise and accurate data of masses and thus find the number of moles of the substance through the stoichiometry mole equation in order to evaluate the empirical formula of Magnesium Oxide. METHOD: 1 The Bunsen burner was set up with the tripod. The pipe clay triangle was placed over the tripod, ensuring that it is secure. 2. The crucible containing the magnesium was positioned in the pipe clay triangle securely with the lid on. 3. The gas was turned on and the Bunsen burner ignited to a blue flame. 4. The crucible was fired strongly for 5minutes until the bottom of the crucible glowed red over the blue flame to rid of contaminants. 5. The flame was removed and to cool the crucible with lid.  6. A piece of magnesium about 5 cm long was cut.  7. The surface of the magnesium ribbon was thoroughly cleaned with steel wool and its appearance was recorded 8. The cooled crucible and lid was weighed  (1st mass to 2dp) 9. The cleaned magnesium was coiled to fit inside the same crucible and covered with the same lid. 10. The crucible containing the magnesium with the lid on was weighed. (2nd mass to 2dp) 11. The crucible containing the magnesium was positioned without the lid onto the pipe triangle setup, ensuring its security. 12. The gas was turned on again and the Bunsen burner was ignited to a red flame (air hole fully open). 13. As the magnesium began to glow, the crucible was covered with its lid carefully with tongs. 14. Heat strongly for about 10 minutes lifting the lid a little VERY carefully occasionally to admit oxygen. 15. Keep heating and lifting the lid until ALL the magnesium turns into gray-white powder or until no further reaction can be witnessed to ensure complete reaction (for around 5 minutes) 16. Turn off the gas and allow the apparatus to cool.  17. Weigh the completely cooled crucible containing magnesium oxide with the lid carefully. (3rd mass to 2dp) RISK ASSESSMENT: Wear safety glasses. It is important to have eye protection during the combustion of Magnesium as the burning Magnesium in the crucible produces a very bright light which emits a harmful intensity of UV light which can cause eye discomfort or damage. Do not inhale the smoke produced when Magnesium is burned. Magnesium Oxide smoke can cause irritation in the nose, eyes and lungs and in large amounts, may cause metal fume fever. Use tongs at all times when handling hot objects. Careful handling of hot equipment such as the crucible and its lid during the heating is important as the very high temperature can burn skin due to improper or insecure handling. Do not cool the crucible or lid under cold water immediately after heating. This can cause the equipment to crack and the shards may easily pierce the skin. If the crucible crack during the experiment, it is vital that the person discontinue any progress with the experiment and proceed to clean the broken equipment away immediately and place into the broken glass bin. RESULTS: MASSES BEFORE HEATING AFTER HEATING Mass of Magnesium 0.08g n/a Mass of oxygen n/a 0.05g Mass of Magnesium Oxide n/a 0.13g Mass of crucible + lid 24.36g 24.31g Total mas of Mg oxide in crucible + lid: n/a 24.44g Total mass of crucible + lid + magnesium: 24.39g n/a Percent composition of Magnesium in compound: Mass of Mg in 1 mole/ Mass of MgO in 1 mole  % composition of Oxygen in compound: Upon observation, the 5cm Magnesium ribbon had a slightly greasy texture and a brittle and coarse surface. It had a hazy, dark metallic sheen to its appearance. After polishing its surface front and back thoroughly with steel wool, there was a change in its appearance. It had a shiny and glossy silver lustre with a smooth clean surface, no longer feeling waxy. The steel wool’s purpose was to remove the oxide layer of carbonate and sulphate which has coated the Magnesium ribbon’s surface due to its slow oxidation in air with CO2 and SO2 and other possible contaminants (which may have caused the strip to feel greasy). The oxide coating on the Magnesium would have made the ribbon more resilient to ignite immediately and thus hinder the combustion  of the metal and prolong the time it takes for the metal to fully combust. The procedure of rubbing Magnesium’s surface with steel wool was beneficial in order to expose fresh Magnesium to facilitate the contact of the r ibbon with the flame quicker and thus a faster complete combustion. The crucible and lid used had minimal surface stains on the outside however it was heavily contaminated with residual substances towards the inside base. By firing the equipment under a blue Bunsen flame thoroughly, it became apparent that any moisture or volatile materials present are burnt off by 5minutes to reveal a clean crucible free of stains or moisture. The purpose of firing the crucible at a high temperature was to quickly eradicate any stubborn chemicals which may have resisted cleaning by water, as well as any moisture the crucible may hold to provide a clean and dry equipment which can ensure accuracy and validity of calculations of masses. In order to activate the reaction of Magnesium, a source of energy was needed. The flame provided a source of heat which prompted a chemical reaction to proceed. When the magnesium was supplied with energy in the crucible, it reacted with a limited quantity of oxygen by using the lid to prevent high exothermic energy (Magnesium would react vigorously if heated in the presence of unobstructed air flow) and the escape of any magnesium oxide during the combustion. It became oxidized to become an ionic compound Magnesium Oxide. After the experiment of combusting Magnesium, the residue in the crucible is observed to be in a fine white powder form of Magnesium Oxide, an ionic compound. The exothermic reaction of combusting Magnesium produced a very bright light within the crucible due to the rapid heating of the Magnesium, where it quickly absorbs energy through ionisation. Magnesium ionises to become a cation while Oxygen ionises to an anion, forming an ionic bond due to electrostatic forces. DATA ANALYSIS: In this experiment, through the combustion reaction of Magnesium, a word equation forms between Magnesium, Oxygen and the ionic compound Magnesium  Oxide. Magnesium + Oxygen ïÆ'   Magnesium Oxide When ignited, magnesium has reacted with oxygen to form the products Magnesium Oxide. By taking the mass of equipments’ used and its mass during and after the reaction, the mass of Magnesium, Oxygen and Magnesium Oxide can be calculated. The mass of the reactants should very closely or mirror the mass of products by Law of Conservation of Mass. COLLECTING MASSES: (mass 1) Crucible + lid = 24.31g (weight after ridding of visible contaminants on crucible) (mass 2) Crucible + lid + magnesium = 24.39g (weight after polished magnesium is placed in fired crucible + lid) (mass 3) Crucible + lid + product = 24.44g (weight of reacted substance MgO in the crucible with lid) To calculate the mass of Magnesium metal = Mass 2 – Mass1 = 24.39g – 24.31g Mass of Magnesium = 0.08g To calculate the Mass of Oxygen incorporated = Mass 3 – Mass 2 (the increase in mass corresponds to the mass of oxygen) = 24.44g – 24.39g Mass of Oxygen = 0.05g To calculate the mass of oxide product formed = Mass 3 – Mass 1 (to validate through law of conservation of mass) = 24.44g – 24.31 Mass of Magnesium Oxide = 0.13g Now that the mass of each substance which took part in the reaction is found, the number of moles can be found through the relationship below. Number of Moles = Mass / Molar Mass Or N = The number of Moles can be calculated by knowing the mass of individual substances in the experiment divided by the molar mass (given on the periodic table as atomic mass number) to experimentally determine empirical formula for the ionic oxide. CONVERTING TO MOLES: Number of Moles of Magnesium: N = 0.08g / 24.31g/mol = 0.00329082692 moles Number of Moles of Oxygen: N = 0.05g/16x2g/mol (oxygen is doubled as it exists as a diatomic molecule) = 0.0015625 moles DIVIDE BY SMALLEST MOLE VALUE The number of moles of Magnesium is larger than the number of moles of Oxygen: 0. 00329(to5dp) moles > 0.00156 (to5dp) moles By dividing each by the smallest mole value of 0.00156 of Oxygen, Magnesium and Oxygen mole ratio is calculated respectively. Magnesium Mole ratio Oxygen Mole ratio = 2.11(to2dp) = 1 Multiply UNTIL WHOLE: The next step is to multiply any decimal numbers by a small whole number and do the same for the other whole number ratio until the decimal number reaches a near whole number (which can then be rounded up). Magnesium Mole ratio is in a decimal number of 2.11, and as it is very close to 2(with 0.11 extra of being a whole number), the number 2.11 is round down to 2 so the process of multiplying until whole is omitted. We obtain the mole ratio as follows: Magnesium : Oxygen 2 : 1 With 2 moles of Magnesium reacting with 1 mole of Oxygen, this should suggest 2 moles of MgO after balancing the equation. 2Mg(s) + O2(g) → 2MgO(s) To confirm, the law of conservation of mass is applied which states that in a balanced equation, matter is conserved: Total mass of reactants = Total mass of products Thus, by adding the mass on the left hand side (reactants), it should equal the right hand side (product). Magnesium + Oxygen = 0.08g + 0.05g  Magnesium Oxide = 0.13g It is found that there is no difference in mass between the left side of 0.13g of Magnesium + Oxygen to the right side of 0.13g of Magnesium Oxide in the equation considering the possibility of experimental errors, which represents a positive outcome as an theoretical equation is established and proved to be true. The empirical formula for Magnesium oxide is MgO, which is the correct formula and thus the aim of this experiment has been met. DISCUSSION: The experiment demonstrated the ability for a substance to exist in the empirical formula composition as the simplest ratio of elements present in the compound. It also demonstrated quantitative stoichiometric relationships between the number of moles, mass and molar mass in a chemical reaction. The theoretical result for the combustion product of Magnesium and Oxide is MgO, which in comparison to the experiment result of MgO was proven to be the same. This experiment had demonstrated the basic chemical reaction and the change in states between elements in order to form a stable ionic compound. Through the ionic bond between a metal and a non-metal, Magnesium Oxide was the product of two reactive elements Magnesium and Oxygen. Theoretical laws of conservation of mass and constant composition, lead to the formation of a relationship between the reactants (Magnesium and Oxygen) and product (Magnesium Oxide). The total mass of the products of a reaction must equal the total mass of the reactants. (0.8+0.5 = 0.13) The coefficient of a substance indicated the amount of portions each substance existed in, based on the law of conservation of mass. (2 moles of Magnesium, 1 mole of Oxygen, and 2 moles of Magnesium Oxide). And lastly, the empirical formula of a compound gave the lowest whole-number ratio of the atoms that is the identical with the mass ratios measured by experiment. (MgO) Any portion of a compound will have the same ratio of masses as the elements in the compound. Metal and a non-metal > reaction of 2 substances taking place> Ionic bond of elements>changes in states and formation of a stable compound >the construction of an unbalanced chemical equation -> evaluation of masses of the reactants to products> the law of conservation of mass/and constant composition ->the masses of left side  equals right side provide moles to balance the overall equation >establish empirical formula for end product. 3 experimental errors that may have effect on result Magnesium Oxide forms fumes which may escape the crucible when allowing a passage for oxygen to pass when the lid is lifted. Incomplete combustion of Magnesium (as no stirring rods was used to check/sift through the oxide to prevent calculation errors) Unthorough firing of crucible and lid (due to contact between tongs and crucible, certain areas may be missed) 3 improvements to method to improve results: Monitor the reaction of Magnesium with oxygen carefully, and keep the lid in place on the crucible containing the magnesium instead of off in step 11. Heat the magnesium for five minutes longer, lightly rotating the crucible at its base to ensure complete combustion. Fire the crucible and the lid twice to ensure that its’ completely dry and clean. CONCLUSION: An experiment was performed to calculate the empirical formula of magnesium oxide by comparing the masses of solid magnesium metal to the magnesium oxide solid product in a crucible. The concept of stoichiometry mole equation leads to finding the empirical formula of magnesium oxide. One major finding during the experiment was that burning magnesium caused its mass to increase as it reacted to oxygen. The amount of mass increase is proportional and able to be calculated through weighing the mass of product Magnesium Oxide and subtracting the original Magnesium mass to calculate the mass of Oxygen which partook in the combustion. The Empirical formula had indicated the proportion of Magnesium to oxygen (1:1) and identifies the compound to be Magnesium Oxide. The balance was very accurate in taking precise measurements of masses and the supervision of the experiment during the burning had been careful to prevent any loss of Magnesium Oxide mass to escape which in turn caused my mass results to apply to the law of conservation of mass without any experimental errors.

How sports influenced my life Essay

I have been participating in sports ever since I was four. Athletics has always been a very big part of my life, and that is the way I love it. I play soccer, volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse for my school, as well as playing travel soccer for the LIJSL. I also enjoy playing softball, football, tennis and any other sport. Partaking in athletics has had an extremely positive influence on my life and my development as a person. For one thing, it has taught me cooperation and teamwork. It has taught me how to be a good leader and to work well under pressure. This has become exceptionally handy during test time. Participating in sports has given me very useful problem solving skills as well as keeping me healthy and in great shape. Most importantly, taking part in sports has given me the confidence that I know I could never live without. Playing sports has helped me make a lot of friends. When I first moved to Stony Brook, I was very shy and did not know anyone. Some of my first friends were from my soccer team. It has also kept me very busy. I feel that this has prevented me from trying drugs and/or alcohol along with teaching me some very important organization skills. Since I spend so much time at practice or games, I have learned to organize and manage my time more efficiently. There is little time to procrastinate. Furthermore, I feel that from being a participant in sports I have developed a great amount of self discipline. Sometimes I just don’t feel like getting up and going to those early morning practices or taking that extra mile when I feel like I can’t go another step. Sports have shown me the importance of making the right choices. Aside from teaching me some very important life skills, being an athlete has opened many doors for my future. After I graduate high school, I plan to go on to college and continue my athletic career. I am hoping to get a scholarship so I can then become a veterinarian or a professional soccer player. In conclusion, I feel that playing sports has not only helped me to become a  better person, but it has also helped me to excel in other areas. I think that athletics is a very important part of my life and I encourage many others to participate too. Most of all, I HAVE FUN! There is nothing more I enjoy than going outside and playing any sport; it doesn’t matter which it might be.