The Light Bulb
I. Introduction
The light bulb was invented in 1879 by a man of the name Thomas Edison. He was not the only one trying to make a light bulb that would work for the small areas such as a home or a night stand. Once he got the paten he formed the board of paten control which was a good thing for him because over 600 law suits were filed for copyright infringement.
II. Discovery
The incandescent lamps were the kind of lights that were usable in all the small places without blinding the user. People had become very accustomed to gasoline lit lamps and the companies were very profitable business so there was a sudden drop in profit when the light bulb came into play. He used an improved vacuum and filament to conduct a low currency light that was usable in everyday lives of people.
III. Biography
Thomas Edison was born on February 11, 1847 in Milan, Ohio and in his early life around 1859 he quit school in order to get a job. He moved to New York and became a partner with frank l. pope, who was a known electrical expert. In 1879 he invented the light bulb and made a huge profit off of this invention. On Feb. 24, 1886 he married a 20 year old lady by the name of Mina Miller who was also the daughter of a prosperous manufacturer. And he later purchased a land to live on and died on October 18, 1931.
IV. Impact on the World/Humanity
The light bulb made it so that we weren’t dependant on a fuel to light our homes and that we could light our homes without the risk of setting our homes on fire. This invention also made it convenient to be able to have light at the flip of a switch. The light bulb is now used in everyday life, in industries, offices and other places.
V. Journal Article Review
The article that I read basically said that Thomas did not invent the light bulb but merely enhanced a fifty year old idea. All that he had to do was make a lasting filament and a safety switch that allowed for it to be turned off when not in use. He also made little electric plants all over the US so that it could service more people at al times of the day not only at night.
Sources
Category. (n.d.). Thomas Edison - The Inventions of Thomas Edison. Inventors. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://inventors.about.com/library
Category. (n.d.). Thomas Edison - The Inventions of Thomas Edison. Inventors. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://inventors.about.com/library
Thomas (Alva) Edison Biography - Biography.com. (n.d.). Biography.com. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://www.biography.com/articles/Thomas-Edison-9284349
invention, t. t., & gas. (n.d.). Light Bulb History - Invention of the Light Bulb. The Great Idea Finder - Celebrating the Spirit of Innovation . Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://www.ideafinder.com/history
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Underwater Welding by William Luer
Underwater Welding
William Luer
I. Introduction:
Underwater welding has been in use since its discovery in 1932 by Soviet engineer and inventor Konstantin Konstantinovich Khrenov. This discovery would also prove to be extremely useful during the immense destruction of World War II (1939-1945). Welding is the process of uniting or fusing metals by hammering or compressing especially after being rendered soft or pasty by heat. It is most often used with steel, which has a melting point of about 1500o C (2732o F). The history of dry welding can be traced back thousands of years ago to the Bronze Age (3300-1200 BCE) and was also used to create the iron pillar; an 11,900-pound tower erected around 310 CE in Delhi, India.
II. Discovery:
Underwater welding is split into two main categories: dry welding and wet welding. Wet welding is the most common and is performed by a diver clad in a full wetsuit, a 30-pound helmet, and thin rubber gloves. In these rubber gloves, the diver holds a fully waterproof electrode that when charged, heats up the same as it would on land since water is equally conductive. The helmet contains a lense plate that can be flipped up and down over the eyes to protect them from the intense light and also supplies him with sufficient air. Less dangerous DC currents are always used over the common AC currents of your home because they lessen the chance of fatal shock.
Dry welding requires a makeshift habitat that is lowered from a ship, placed around the structure to be fixed, sealed and then drained of all water. This newly made hyperbaric chamber is filled with helium gas and can be operated in just like any other weld on land.
Underwater welding is based off the concepts and ideas of normal welding. In fact many of the wet welding techniques only have a slight variation that allows them to be able to function at an elevated pressure. One of the variations may be to create a helium filled chamber surrounding the structure. There are three other techniques used such as: manual metal arc welding (MMA), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), and friction welding. MMA welding is the most common process used today. FCAW welding was the technique of choice in the former Soviet Union. Friction welding is used mainly in deep water repair due to the fact that is relatively insensitive to depth changes and is operated by robotic arms up to 10,000 feet under water.
III. Biography:
Konstantin Konstantinovich Khrenov has been credited with the discovery of underwater welding in 1932. Khrenov was born in Borovsk, Russia in 1894. He graduated from the department of electrochemistry of St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University in 1918. In 1932, he worked as a lecturer at the Moscow Institute of Electromechanical Engineering and the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. His career was dedicated to developing and improving new techniques and equipment.
Due to his dedicated mindset and the extreme aid that underwater welding had towards the Soviet Union in WWII, Khrenov was given the Stalin Prize in 1946.
IV. Impact on the World:
Underwater welding has had a vast impact on the world as we know it. It is used most often to repair ships, oil platforms, and pipelines offshore that have been damaged, most often by hurricanes or explosions. During World War II, ships could be constructed, built, and repaired all without having to leave the water.
This may all sound too good to be true and you’re exactly right. There are three potential risks that may result from underwater welding. The first is electric shock from the electrode the diver is holding. The second risk is for the potential for pockets of explosive gas to be built up as a product of the welding and cutting. The third and final risk has to do with pressure changes. If a diver is to experience too rapid of pressure changes, deadly bubbles of nitrogen will emerge in his bloodstream and kill him.
Due to the high level of expertise required, Global Industries, a leading company in construction, engineering, and support for oil and gas industries, makes trainees undergo years of specialized training. As you can see, underwater welding also gives jobs to people from across the world.
V. Journal Article:
The Journal Article I chose has to do with the effects of wet underwater welding on the fracture behavior of welds. It takes into account the nature of the surrounding fluid having to do with temperature distribution. Inhomogeneous volume changes and thermal residual stresses occur on the weld due to the heating and cooling. A similar weld was performed in both a wet and dry weld scenario in order to see the differences.
In a dry weld, the molten pool of steel that dried to an inhomogeneous volume was 15mm longer than that of the wet weld because the water provides a high cooling rate. The depth and width between the two experiments were nearly identical. In conclusion, the water contact leads to a high cooling velocity and to a high temperature gradient in the vicinity of the weld seam compared to dry welding in air atmosphere.
Video
"Konstantin Khrenov : Define, Explore, Discuss." 1000s of Museums Online : MuseumStuff.com. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Konstantin_Khrenov>.
"Konstantin Khrenov : Info, Images, Discussion." Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.joeinvestoronline.com/library/Konstantin-Khrenov.php>.
Lutz, Lindhost. On the Effects of Wet Underwater Welding on the Fracture Behaviour of Welds 1969: 1-8. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.iasmirt.org/SMiRT16/G1969.PDF>.
"Underwater Welding (Knowledge Summary)." TWI - Welding and Joining Specialist. 2010. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.twi.co.uk/content/ksdja001.html>.
U.S. Army Operator Ciculars. "Great Welding Hist
ory Information !!" Great Welding History Information. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.weldguru.com/welding-history.html>.
"YouTube - Underwater Welding." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Ed. The History Chanel. Modern Marvels, 16 Dec. 2008. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt-IcUp82w4>.
William Luer
I. Introduction:
Underwater welding has been in use since its discovery in 1932 by Soviet engineer and inventor Konstantin Konstantinovich Khrenov. This discovery would also prove to be extremely useful during the immense destruction of World War II (1939-1945). Welding is the process of uniting or fusing metals by hammering or compressing especially after being rendered soft or pasty by heat. It is most often used with steel, which has a melting point of about 1500o C (2732o F). The history of dry welding can be traced back thousands of years ago to the Bronze Age (3300-1200 BCE) and was also used to create the iron pillar; an 11,900-pound tower erected around 310 CE in Delhi, India.
II. Discovery:
Underwater welding is split into two main categories: dry welding and wet welding. Wet welding is the most common and is performed by a diver clad in a full wetsuit, a 30-pound helmet, and thin rubber gloves. In these rubber gloves, the diver holds a fully waterproof electrode that when charged, heats up the same as it would on land since water is equally conductive. The helmet contains a lense plate that can be flipped up and down over the eyes to protect them from the intense light and also supplies him with sufficient air. Less dangerous DC currents are always used over the common AC currents of your home because they lessen the chance of fatal shock.
Dry welding requires a makeshift habitat that is lowered from a ship, placed around the structure to be fixed, sealed and then drained of all water. This newly made hyperbaric chamber is filled with helium gas and can be operated in just like any other weld on land.
Underwater welding is based off the concepts and ideas of normal welding. In fact many of the wet welding techniques only have a slight variation that allows them to be able to function at an elevated pressure. One of the variations may be to create a helium filled chamber surrounding the structure. There are three other techniques used such as: manual metal arc welding (MMA), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), and friction welding. MMA welding is the most common process used today. FCAW welding was the technique of choice in the former Soviet Union. Friction welding is used mainly in deep water repair due to the fact that is relatively insensitive to depth changes and is operated by robotic arms up to 10,000 feet under water.
III. Biography:
Konstantin Konstantinovich Khrenov has been credited with the discovery of underwater welding in 1932. Khrenov was born in Borovsk, Russia in 1894. He graduated from the department of electrochemistry of St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University in 1918. In 1932, he worked as a lecturer at the Moscow Institute of Electromechanical Engineering and the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. His career was dedicated to developing and improving new techniques and equipment.
Due to his dedicated mindset and the extreme aid that underwater welding had towards the Soviet Union in WWII, Khrenov was given the Stalin Prize in 1946.
IV. Impact on the World:
Underwater welding has had a vast impact on the world as we know it. It is used most often to repair ships, oil platforms, and pipelines offshore that have been damaged, most often by hurricanes or explosions. During World War II, ships could be constructed, built, and repaired all without having to leave the water.
This may all sound too good to be true and you’re exactly right. There are three potential risks that may result from underwater welding. The first is electric shock from the electrode the diver is holding. The second risk is for the potential for pockets of explosive gas to be built up as a product of the welding and cutting. The third and final risk has to do with pressure changes. If a diver is to experience too rapid of pressure changes, deadly bubbles of nitrogen will emerge in his bloodstream and kill him.
Due to the high level of expertise required, Global Industries, a leading company in construction, engineering, and support for oil and gas industries, makes trainees undergo years of specialized training. As you can see, underwater welding also gives jobs to people from across the world.
V. Journal Article:
The Journal Article I chose has to do with the effects of wet underwater welding on the fracture behavior of welds. It takes into account the nature of the surrounding fluid having to do with temperature distribution. Inhomogeneous volume changes and thermal residual stresses occur on the weld due to the heating and cooling. A similar weld was performed in both a wet and dry weld scenario in order to see the differences.
In a dry weld, the molten pool of steel that dried to an inhomogeneous volume was 15mm longer than that of the wet weld because the water provides a high cooling rate. The depth and width between the two experiments were nearly identical. In conclusion, the water contact leads to a high cooling velocity and to a high temperature gradient in the vicinity of the weld seam compared to dry welding in air atmosphere.
Video
"Konstantin Khrenov : Define, Explore, Discuss." 1000s of Museums Online : MuseumStuff.com. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.museumstuff.com/learn/topics/Konstantin_Khrenov>.
"Konstantin Khrenov : Info, Images, Discussion." Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.joeinvestoronline.com/library/Konstantin-Khrenov.php>.
Lutz, Lindhost. On the Effects of Wet Underwater Welding on the Fracture Behaviour of Welds 1969: 1-8. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.iasmirt.org/SMiRT16/G1969.PDF>.
"Underwater Welding (Knowledge Summary)." TWI - Welding and Joining Specialist. 2010. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.twi.co.uk/content/ksdja001.html>.
U.S. Army Operator Ciculars. "Great Welding Hist
ory Information !!" Great Welding History Information. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.weldguru.com/welding-history.html>.
"YouTube - Underwater Welding." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Ed. The History Chanel. Modern Marvels, 16 Dec. 2008. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt-IcUp82w4>.
The Play Pump by Jennifer Grigsby
The PlayPump
By Jennifer Grigsby
I. Introduction
Almost 3.6 million people throughout the world die from water-related diseases every year. In sub-Saharan Africa, as in many other places, the lack of water supply and sanitation are to blame. Dirty, unreliable water pumps are few and far between. In some villages in South Africa, women and girls walk miles every day to carry the dirty water back to their villages. At the age of 42, Trevor Field (a successful business executive) decided he wanted to give something back to the world. He worked with an inventor and in 1994, the first two PlayPumps were installed. The PlayPump is a merry-go-round that’s attached to a water pump. When kids play on it (spin it), it pumps clean, cool drinking water from the ground – it is a more efficient way to get clean water.
Figure 1: Play Pump Labeled
Figure 2: Play Pump Numbered Diagram
II. Discovery
More and more PlayPumps were installed in South Africa’s Masinga district. In 1999, South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela came to the opening of a new school where a PlayPump had been installed, which was great publicity for the PlayPump. By 2005, about 700 PlayPumps had been installed throughout South Africa. In 2006, Laura Bush announced a $16.4 million grant toward building more pumps in South African communities, and PlayPumps International intended to provide water for up to 10 million people by 2010. To date, over 1,000 PlayPumps are in use in 5 African countries.
The PlayPump is beneficial to many South African communities not just because it pumps out clean drinking water powered by kids having fun, but also because it benefits the economy: the water towers also function as billboards. Some of these billboards/water towers are advertisements to help finance the pump, and some are campaigns such as AIDS awareness.
III. Biography of Investigator
55-year-old Trevor Field was born in Birmingham, England. He is a British businessman who has lots of experience in the industries of outdoor advertising, printing, and publishing in South Africa and the United Kingdom. He moved to South Africa in 1975 and worked there 5 years installing cables so people could watch TV. In 1980, he joined First General Media (a magazine group) and was the National Sales Manager in South Africa and the United States.
In 1995, however, his focus became solely on the PlayPump water systems. He teamed up with Paul Ristic (an inventor) in 1996 and they officially founded the Roundabout Outdoor company. “Mr. Field is the marketing director of Roundabout Outdoor, the founder of the PlayPump™ water pumping system, and an active social entrepreneur.” (***)
IV. Impact on the World/Humanity
The PlayPump has made a huge impact on the lives of over 2 million people in Africa. It provides entertainment for children at schools while also providing clean, safe drinking water and advertisements. Not only does this make healthier people and happier kids, but it also creates a greater sense of gender equality among schools and villages. Before the PlayPump, women were the ones who had to go out and carry the water back to their families. Girls sometimes had to miss school or get there late because this was also what was expected of them. Females got the water and males went to school/did the “more important” stuff. But now, girls are getting just as good of an education as boys, and since boys and girls both play on the PlayPump, both genders are contributing to the community’s water supply and neither has to take a toll for it: one gender is not superior to the other.
There are far less water-related illnesses because of the PlayPump, and in the best cases, life is a whole lot easier and safer. However, there are some cases that didn’t work out as well as others. Some of the pumps have broken, and the villages have been without a water supply of their own (they had to share with a neighboring village) for 6 months. But 80 to 90 percent of the pumps installed are a success and are improving the lives of many Africans more every day.
V. Journal Article Review
When children spin on the PlayPump, clean water is pumped from under the ground into a 2,500-liter tank (7 meters tall). The faucet is easy to use, so it is an easy task for adults and children to draw water. Excess water is diverted from the tank back into the ground (borehole).
All four sides of the water tank are used for billboards (2 sides for consumer advertising, 2 sides for health and educational messages). The money from leasing out advertisement space pays for pump maintenance.
The pump is easy to operate, reasonable in terms of costs and maintenance, can produce up to 1,400 liters of water per hour, and is effective up to a depth of 100 meters. It is durable, sturdy, and simple. However, it is not entirely safe for children because the pump can spin very fast, and they could fall off and land on the concrete base. When the pumps are being installed, there is no onsite supervision. Combined with the standard of poor quality of workmanship, this results in unreliable pumps that break and require more maintenance than is given.
There is an issue of child labor in the PlayPump project. Some adults actually pay children to “play”, the pump can be very tiring, and the community’s water source relies on children.
Since the water is virtually free, the value of water is decreased. However, the cost of the pump itself has gone from $6,500 to $14,000 within the last 2 years without explanation to clients.
All in all, the PlayPump is a brilliant and innovative idea. However, it has many problems that need to be revised. It can be improved with some minor modifications.
Video Links: Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
References:
Trevor Field Bio | Premiere Motivational Speakers Bureau. (n.d.). Premiere Motivational Speakers Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://premierespeakers.com/trevor_field/bio
Problem with the PlayPump | PRI's The World. (2010, June 29). PRI's The World. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.theworld.org/2010/06/29/problem-with-the-playpump/
Water.org » Water Facts. (n.d.). Water.org. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/facts/
Watson, S. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks "How PlayPump Works". HowStuffWorks. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/playpump.htm
Journal Article:
An Evaluation of the PlayPump® Water System. (n.d.). PBS. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/southernafrica904/flash/pdf/unicef_pp_report.pdf
Pictures:
PlayPump helps quench thirst the fun and simple way - technabob. (1930, January 9). cool gadgets, gizmos, games and weird science - technabob. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://technabob.com/blog/2009/01/30/playpump-helps-quench-thirst/
Chambers, A. (1924, November 9). Africa's not-so-magic roundabout | Andrew Chambers | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk . Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk . Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/24/africa-charity-water-pumps-roundabouts
Videos:
NationalGeographic. (2009, January 8). YouTube - Playpumps International. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjgcHOWcWGE
YouTube - PBS FRONTLINE World Video | PlayPump . (2014, November 9). YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrmQ9s2t1Jw
YouTube - PLAYPUMP BBC 2 - JULY '09 . (1929, August 9). YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg_vWWqj-2M
1. play pump labeled
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrmQ9s2t1Jw
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjgcHOWcWGE
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg_vWWqj-2M
5. play pump numbered diagram
By Jennifer Grigsby
I. Introduction
Almost 3.6 million people throughout the world die from water-related diseases every year. In sub-Saharan Africa, as in many other places, the lack of water supply and sanitation are to blame. Dirty, unreliable water pumps are few and far between. In some villages in South Africa, women and girls walk miles every day to carry the dirty water back to their villages. At the age of 42, Trevor Field (a successful business executive) decided he wanted to give something back to the world. He worked with an inventor and in 1994, the first two PlayPumps were installed. The PlayPump is a merry-go-round that’s attached to a water pump. When kids play on it (spin it), it pumps clean, cool drinking water from the ground – it is a more efficient way to get clean water.
Figure 1: Play Pump Labeled
Figure 2: Play Pump Numbered Diagram
II. Discovery
More and more PlayPumps were installed in South Africa’s Masinga district. In 1999, South Africa’s President Nelson Mandela came to the opening of a new school where a PlayPump had been installed, which was great publicity for the PlayPump. By 2005, about 700 PlayPumps had been installed throughout South Africa. In 2006, Laura Bush announced a $16.4 million grant toward building more pumps in South African communities, and PlayPumps International intended to provide water for up to 10 million people by 2010. To date, over 1,000 PlayPumps are in use in 5 African countries.
The PlayPump is beneficial to many South African communities not just because it pumps out clean drinking water powered by kids having fun, but also because it benefits the economy: the water towers also function as billboards. Some of these billboards/water towers are advertisements to help finance the pump, and some are campaigns such as AIDS awareness.
III. Biography of Investigator
55-year-old Trevor Field was born in Birmingham, England. He is a British businessman who has lots of experience in the industries of outdoor advertising, printing, and publishing in South Africa and the United Kingdom. He moved to South Africa in 1975 and worked there 5 years installing cables so people could watch TV. In 1980, he joined First General Media (a magazine group) and was the National Sales Manager in South Africa and the United States.
In 1995, however, his focus became solely on the PlayPump water systems. He teamed up with Paul Ristic (an inventor) in 1996 and they officially founded the Roundabout Outdoor company. “Mr. Field is the marketing director of Roundabout Outdoor, the founder of the PlayPump™ water pumping system, and an active social entrepreneur.” (***)
IV. Impact on the World/Humanity
The PlayPump has made a huge impact on the lives of over 2 million people in Africa. It provides entertainment for children at schools while also providing clean, safe drinking water and advertisements. Not only does this make healthier people and happier kids, but it also creates a greater sense of gender equality among schools and villages. Before the PlayPump, women were the ones who had to go out and carry the water back to their families. Girls sometimes had to miss school or get there late because this was also what was expected of them. Females got the water and males went to school/did the “more important” stuff. But now, girls are getting just as good of an education as boys, and since boys and girls both play on the PlayPump, both genders are contributing to the community’s water supply and neither has to take a toll for it: one gender is not superior to the other.
There are far less water-related illnesses because of the PlayPump, and in the best cases, life is a whole lot easier and safer. However, there are some cases that didn’t work out as well as others. Some of the pumps have broken, and the villages have been without a water supply of their own (they had to share with a neighboring village) for 6 months. But 80 to 90 percent of the pumps installed are a success and are improving the lives of many Africans more every day.
V. Journal Article Review
When children spin on the PlayPump, clean water is pumped from under the ground into a 2,500-liter tank (7 meters tall). The faucet is easy to use, so it is an easy task for adults and children to draw water. Excess water is diverted from the tank back into the ground (borehole).
All four sides of the water tank are used for billboards (2 sides for consumer advertising, 2 sides for health and educational messages). The money from leasing out advertisement space pays for pump maintenance.
The pump is easy to operate, reasonable in terms of costs and maintenance, can produce up to 1,400 liters of water per hour, and is effective up to a depth of 100 meters. It is durable, sturdy, and simple. However, it is not entirely safe for children because the pump can spin very fast, and they could fall off and land on the concrete base. When the pumps are being installed, there is no onsite supervision. Combined with the standard of poor quality of workmanship, this results in unreliable pumps that break and require more maintenance than is given.
There is an issue of child labor in the PlayPump project. Some adults actually pay children to “play”, the pump can be very tiring, and the community’s water source relies on children.
Since the water is virtually free, the value of water is decreased. However, the cost of the pump itself has gone from $6,500 to $14,000 within the last 2 years without explanation to clients.
All in all, the PlayPump is a brilliant and innovative idea. However, it has many problems that need to be revised. It can be improved with some minor modifications.
Video Links: Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
References:
Trevor Field Bio | Premiere Motivational Speakers Bureau. (n.d.). Premiere Motivational Speakers Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://premierespeakers.com/trevor_field/bio
Problem with the PlayPump | PRI's The World. (2010, June 29). PRI's The World. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.theworld.org/2010/06/29/problem-with-the-playpump/
Water.org » Water Facts. (n.d.). Water.org. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/facts/
Watson, S. (n.d.). HowStuffWorks "How PlayPump Works". HowStuffWorks. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/playpump.htm
Journal Article:
An Evaluation of the PlayPump® Water System. (n.d.). PBS. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/southernafrica904/flash/pdf/unicef_pp_report.pdf
Pictures:
PlayPump helps quench thirst the fun and simple way - technabob. (1930, January 9). cool gadgets, gizmos, games and weird science - technabob. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://technabob.com/blog/2009/01/30/playpump-helps-quench-thirst/
Chambers, A. (1924, November 9). Africa's not-so-magic roundabout | Andrew Chambers | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk . Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk . Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/24/africa-charity-water-pumps-roundabouts
Videos:
NationalGeographic. (2009, January 8). YouTube - Playpumps International. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjgcHOWcWGE
YouTube - PBS FRONTLINE World Video | PlayPump . (2014, November 9). YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrmQ9s2t1Jw
YouTube - PLAYPUMP BBC 2 - JULY '09 . (1929, August 9). YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. . Retrieved December 12, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg_vWWqj-2M
1. play pump labeled
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrmQ9s2t1Jw
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjgcHOWcWGE
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg_vWWqj-2M
5. play pump numbered diagram
Monday, December 13, 2010
AMNIOCENTESIS
By Patience Elett
VI. Dr. Douglas Bevis
1. Jeanty, P., Shah, D., & Roussis, P. (1990). Single-needle insertion in twin amniocentesis. Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, 9(9 511-517), Retrieved from
2. Amniocentesis. (2010, July). Retrieved December 13, 2010, from babycenter website: http://www.babycenter.com/0_amniocentesis_327.bc?
3. Amniocentesis. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2010, from Medical Discoveries website:
http://www.discoveriesinmedicine.com/A-An/Amniocentesis.html
4. The First Test-Tube Baby. (1978, July 31). Time, 6. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,946934-6,00.html
5. Amniocentesis (inventions). (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2010, from Crankshaft website: http://www.the-crankshaft.info/2010/04/amniocentesis.html
6. Crompton, A. C. (1994, July 30). Obituary: Professor Douglas Bevis . Retrieved from HighBeam Research website: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4666571.html
Overview of Procedure
I. Introduction
Amniocentesis is an optional prenatal test that can establish whether or not your baby has certain genetic, mental, or physical disorders or defects. This is determined by analyzing a sample of the amniotic fluid while the mother is in her fifth month of pregnancy. Depending on the results, some families opt for an abortion. Amniocentesis can alert your doctor of physical defects which can be fixed before birth. The downside of amniocentesis is that it creates a chance of miscarriage. Amniocentesis is one of the most common prenatal diagnostic tools.
II. Before and During Amniocentesis Discovery
Since the beginning of time, the inability to see or touch a fetus in a pregnant woman was a huge problem in obstetric care and in diagnosing mental and physical health issues of an unborn child. Before amniocentesis was discovered and available, prenatal tests were extremely limited and severely risky. By the late 1920s or early 1930s, amniocentesis was a rarely used but accepted procedure. The use of amniocentesis became widely used after Douglas Bevis got his article published in the February 1952 issue of Lancet. The study explained in this article was conducted at St. Mary’s Hospital in Manchester , England
III. What Amniocentesis Can Detect and Prevention of Defects
Eight weeks after conception, the prenatal child is about 2.5 centimeters long and has all of the anatomic elements it will have when it’s born. Diabetic mothers and mothers older than thirty-four have higher than usual chances of delivering babies who have birth defects. These are two of the reasons that amniocentesis is suggested to expecting mothers.
Amniocentesis can be used to find out the sex of the baby. If the fetal cells contain a “Barr Body” (chromatin mass made of nucleic acid and protein on the edge of the nucleus [A complex body within a cell that contains the cell’s hereditary material and controls its growth]), then the fetus is female. Knowing the sex of the fetus is important in assessing the potential of a sex-linked (affects only one sex) disease when the child is born.
Amniocentesis can be used to rule out or diagnose uterine infections.
By measuring the level of AFP in the amniotic fluid, you can determine whether or not the fetus has neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly.
Amniocentesis can also detect over two hundred genetic disorders.
Amniocentesis detects nearly all chromosomal disorders in a fetus, and is more than 99% accurate with diagnostics.
Amniocentesis cannot detect other physical birth defects such as cleft lip or heart malformation.
If the lungs of the fetus are not mature enough to work properly after birth, a hormone can be administered to encourage development.
V. How Amniocentesis is Performed
In the pioneering days of amniocentesis, doctors put the needle into the uterus guided only by touch and tried not to stick the placenta, the baby, or umbilical cord. Nowadays, ultrasound machines rule out that risk because doctors can see where everything is inside of the mother. The mother is given a shot to numb the pain, and then fluid is taken from the amniotic sac and sent into the labs for analysis and culturing. This takes anywhere from ten to twenty days. The sample of amniotic fluid is typically about four teaspoons. The woman’s body will replenish the depleted supply of fluid. During early pregnancy, the amniotic fluid looks like blood serum. The amniotic fluid contains fetal cells from skin, and from the gastrointestinal, reproductive, and respiratory tracts. Once the fluid is extracted, the fetal cells are separated out. Subnormal lecithin production in a prenatal baby typically indicates that the baby will have respiratory distress syndrome or hyaline membrane disease after birth. Both diseases have the potential to become fatal. Diabetic mothers commonly bear children with such troubles.
Dr. Douglas Charles Aitchison Bevis, born May 28th 1919, was an obstetrician, and a gynecologist. He was a consultant at Park Hospital , Manchester Sheffield University Hospital Leeds University Hospital Sheffield on June 25th, 1994. Dr. Bevis was one of the doctors included in a group trained in Manchester Leeds , and so Bevis set the main foundation for its accomplishment.
VII. Journal Article Summary
Amniocentesis in twin growth is uncommon for most medical centers. The technique used includes double needle penetration and inserting dye into the first amniotic sac. Now a new method is being proposed. It only takes one needle instead of two, and it doesn’t need any dye. It offers positive proof of tapping the gestational sacs. Although there are potential risks involved, the good outweighs the bad.
Bibliography
1. Jeanty, P., Shah, D., & Roussis, P. (1990). Single-needle insertion in twin amniocentesis. Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, 9(9 511-517), Retrieved from
2. Amniocentesis. (2010, July). Retrieved December 13, 2010, from babycenter website: http://www.babycenter.com/0_amniocentesis_327.bc?
3. Amniocentesis. (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2010, from Medical Discoveries website:
http://www.discoveriesinmedicine.com/A-An/Amniocentesis.html
4. The First Test-Tube Baby. (1978, July 31). Time, 6. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,946934-6,00.html
5. Amniocentesis (inventions). (n.d.). Retrieved December 13, 2010, from Crankshaft website: http://www.the-crankshaft.info/2010/04/amniocentesis.html
6. Crompton, A. C. (1994, July 30). Obituary: Professor Douglas Bevis . Retrieved from HighBeam Research website: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4666571.html
The Discovery of Penicillin - Donato DiNorcia
I. Introduction
Penicillin was discovered in the year 1928 by Alexander Fleming. Even though Alexander Fleming was the discoverer of Penicillin, he never tried to test the drug as a medicine, instead, Howard Walter Florey, Ernst Chain, and Norman Heatley did. Thus the discovery of penicillin as a medicine was attributed to them. What is penicillin? Penicillin is a group of antibodies used to counter serious diseases. Penicillin is a rather old drug that is still used in many other countries today. Penicillin’s are mixtures that are naturally and organically produced. The formula for penicillin is C16H18N2O5S. Today many bacteria had developed resistance to the drug yet it is still effective. There are 4 classes of penicillins, based upon their ability to kill various types of bacteria. They include: Natural Penicillins, Penicillinase-Resistant Penicillins Aminopenicillins, and Extended Spectrum Penicillins. In all there are more than 50 different types of penicillin.
II. Discovery
The discovery of penicillin was originally noticed by a French medical student, Ernest Duchesne, in 1896. Ernest Duchesne documented his discovery in a paper in 1897, yet it was not accepted by the Institut Pasteur for the reason of his youth. There were a few other people who also discovered penicillin a few years previous to Fleming yet none of them had shared or developed the drug. Penicillin was “re-discovered” by Alexander Fleming on Friday, September 28th, 1928. He observed that a plate culture of Staphylococcus had been contaminated by a blue-green mold and that colonies of bacteria adjacent to the mold were being dissolved. Even though the re-discovery of penicillin wasn’t until the year 1928, it was not until the year 1945 that it was used for a medicine. This is because there was not sufficient enough stock to be mass produced and the drug had not been totally refined and tested. His discovery was accidental. In his laboratory Fleming noticed a Petri-dish containing Staphylococcus plate culture he had mistakenly left open. The substance was contaminated by blue-green mould, and formed visible growth. The substance was growing, along with eating the bacteria in the Petri-dish. He grew the substance again and discovered that it was a Penicillium mould. In its early stages, penicillin was most effective against Gram-positive bacteria. Fleming was convinced that penicillin would not last long enough to fight off pathogenic bacteria in the human body, thus in 1931, he put a hold on his work. Eventually he had people experiment with penicillin and in the year 1945, Florey and Chain created the drug, penicillin, and they shared their Nobel prize with Fleming.
III. Alexander Fleming
Alexander Fleming was born on August 6th, 1881. He was a Scottish biologist and a pharmacologist. The things he is most known for are his discoveries of the enzyme lysosome and penicillin. His discovery of penicillin got him the Nobel Prize in 1945, in which he shared with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain. After World War I, Fleming actively searched for anti-bacterial agents. His reason for doing this is because he witnessed so many soldiers die from infected wounds. In the day, people used antiseptics, which did more harm than good for they killed the patients’ immunological defenses more than they killed the invading bacteria. Fleming did an experiment in which described why these antiseptics were killing more soldiers than infection itself during World War I. Antiseptics are drugs that work well on the surface, but they did not have the capability to clean deep wounds, which sheltered bacteria and instead of removing the bad bacteria, the antiseptics removed the beneficial agents. Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin was a complete accident even though his intent was to create a drug with qualities in which penicillin has. - "When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I certainly didn't plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering the world's first antibiotic, or bacteria killer," Fleming would later say, "But I suppose that was exactly what I did" Those are words directly stated by Fleming, proving his accidental discovery.
IV. Impact Penicillin discovery had on the world
The discovery of penicillin changed the course of history. The ingredient in the mold, in which Fleming named penicillin, was really an infection-fighting agent with huge potential. When it was finally recognized, this life-saving drug altered history forever. The discovery completely changed the treatment of bacterial infections. By the 1950’s, Fleming's discovery had created a drug that had the potential to drive out diseases like syphilis, gangrene and tuberculosis. Penicillin was the first antibiotic to be invented and is used to combat powerful bacteria and fatal infections.
V. Journal Article
Fleming Discovers Penicillin
The Article “Fleming Discovers Penicillin” states that Fleming discovered lysozyme, an enzyme in many body fluids, such as tears. This enzyme had a natural antibacterial effect, but not against it didn’t have the strongest effect against infectious agents; thus he continued his search. Fleming was always working on multiple things in his lab, sometimes causing accidental mixing of experiments. His messiness proved to be very fortunate. In 1928, he was cleaning up a pile of Petri dishes where he had been growing bacteria, but he had been piled in the sink. He opened each one and examined it before tossing it into the cleaning solution. One of them looked odd to him so he looked into it and he discovered penicillin. It was that simple. The article also says that Fleming actually was okay with receiving aid from Howard Walter Florey and Ernst Chain. Because of Fleming’s selflessness, the antibiotic was created and millions of lives were saved.
Videos about Penicillin:
The discovery of Penicillin- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qeZLLhx5kU
A basic overview of Fleming’s life- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVOz1cD6_MI
The beginning of the movie “The story of Penicillin” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdYiq3Y4OHg
Sources:
• Fleming discovers Penicillin (1998). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/dm28pe.html
• Penicillin (2010). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penicillin
• Alexander Fleming (2010). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Fleming
• Penicillin Antibiotics information- Uses and side effects (2010). Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Penicillin-Antibiotics-Classification---Uses-and-Side-Effects&id=401820
• Cerner Multum, Inc. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/penicillin.html
• The history of Penicillin (2010). Retrieved from http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/Penicillin.htm
• Alexander Fleming and the Discovery of Penicillin (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.essortment.com/all/alexanderflemin_rmkm.htm
• Jacoby D., & Youngson R. (2005) The Encyclopedia of Family Health. New York: Marshall Cavendish.
• Wootton, D. (2006). Bad Medicine, Doctors Doing Harm Since Hippocrates. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Horvitz, L. A. (2002). Eureka! Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed the World. New York: Wiley.
• Amyes, S. G. (2001). Magic Bullets, Lost Horizons. The rise and Falls of Antibiotics. London: Taylor and Francis.
Penicillin was discovered in the year 1928 by Alexander Fleming. Even though Alexander Fleming was the discoverer of Penicillin, he never tried to test the drug as a medicine, instead, Howard Walter Florey, Ernst Chain, and Norman Heatley did. Thus the discovery of penicillin as a medicine was attributed to them. What is penicillin? Penicillin is a group of antibodies used to counter serious diseases. Penicillin is a rather old drug that is still used in many other countries today. Penicillin’s are mixtures that are naturally and organically produced. The formula for penicillin is C16H18N2O5S. Today many bacteria had developed resistance to the drug yet it is still effective. There are 4 classes of penicillins, based upon their ability to kill various types of bacteria. They include: Natural Penicillins, Penicillinase-Resistant Penicillins Aminopenicillins, and Extended Spectrum Penicillins. In all there are more than 50 different types of penicillin.
II. Discovery
The discovery of penicillin was originally noticed by a French medical student, Ernest Duchesne, in 1896. Ernest Duchesne documented his discovery in a paper in 1897, yet it was not accepted by the Institut Pasteur for the reason of his youth. There were a few other people who also discovered penicillin a few years previous to Fleming yet none of them had shared or developed the drug. Penicillin was “re-discovered” by Alexander Fleming on Friday, September 28th, 1928. He observed that a plate culture of Staphylococcus had been contaminated by a blue-green mold and that colonies of bacteria adjacent to the mold were being dissolved. Even though the re-discovery of penicillin wasn’t until the year 1928, it was not until the year 1945 that it was used for a medicine. This is because there was not sufficient enough stock to be mass produced and the drug had not been totally refined and tested. His discovery was accidental. In his laboratory Fleming noticed a Petri-dish containing Staphylococcus plate culture he had mistakenly left open. The substance was contaminated by blue-green mould, and formed visible growth. The substance was growing, along with eating the bacteria in the Petri-dish. He grew the substance again and discovered that it was a Penicillium mould. In its early stages, penicillin was most effective against Gram-positive bacteria. Fleming was convinced that penicillin would not last long enough to fight off pathogenic bacteria in the human body, thus in 1931, he put a hold on his work. Eventually he had people experiment with penicillin and in the year 1945, Florey and Chain created the drug, penicillin, and they shared their Nobel prize with Fleming.
III. Alexander Fleming
Alexander Fleming was born on August 6th, 1881. He was a Scottish biologist and a pharmacologist. The things he is most known for are his discoveries of the enzyme lysosome and penicillin. His discovery of penicillin got him the Nobel Prize in 1945, in which he shared with Howard Florey and Ernst Chain. After World War I, Fleming actively searched for anti-bacterial agents. His reason for doing this is because he witnessed so many soldiers die from infected wounds. In the day, people used antiseptics, which did more harm than good for they killed the patients’ immunological defenses more than they killed the invading bacteria. Fleming did an experiment in which described why these antiseptics were killing more soldiers than infection itself during World War I. Antiseptics are drugs that work well on the surface, but they did not have the capability to clean deep wounds, which sheltered bacteria and instead of removing the bad bacteria, the antiseptics removed the beneficial agents. Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin was a complete accident even though his intent was to create a drug with qualities in which penicillin has. - "When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I certainly didn't plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering the world's first antibiotic, or bacteria killer," Fleming would later say, "But I suppose that was exactly what I did" Those are words directly stated by Fleming, proving his accidental discovery.
IV. Impact Penicillin discovery had on the world
The discovery of penicillin changed the course of history. The ingredient in the mold, in which Fleming named penicillin, was really an infection-fighting agent with huge potential. When it was finally recognized, this life-saving drug altered history forever. The discovery completely changed the treatment of bacterial infections. By the 1950’s, Fleming's discovery had created a drug that had the potential to drive out diseases like syphilis, gangrene and tuberculosis. Penicillin was the first antibiotic to be invented and is used to combat powerful bacteria and fatal infections.
V. Journal Article
Fleming Discovers Penicillin
The Article “Fleming Discovers Penicillin” states that Fleming discovered lysozyme, an enzyme in many body fluids, such as tears. This enzyme had a natural antibacterial effect, but not against it didn’t have the strongest effect against infectious agents; thus he continued his search. Fleming was always working on multiple things in his lab, sometimes causing accidental mixing of experiments. His messiness proved to be very fortunate. In 1928, he was cleaning up a pile of Petri dishes where he had been growing bacteria, but he had been piled in the sink. He opened each one and examined it before tossing it into the cleaning solution. One of them looked odd to him so he looked into it and he discovered penicillin. It was that simple. The article also says that Fleming actually was okay with receiving aid from Howard Walter Florey and Ernst Chain. Because of Fleming’s selflessness, the antibiotic was created and millions of lives were saved.
Videos about Penicillin:
The discovery of Penicillin- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qeZLLhx5kU
A basic overview of Fleming’s life- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVOz1cD6_MI
The beginning of the movie “The story of Penicillin” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdYiq3Y4OHg
Sources:
• Fleming discovers Penicillin (1998). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/dm28pe.html
• Penicillin (2010). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penicillin
• Alexander Fleming (2010). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Fleming
• Penicillin Antibiotics information- Uses and side effects (2010). Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Penicillin-Antibiotics-Classification---Uses-and-Side-Effects&id=401820
• Cerner Multum, Inc. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.drugs.com/penicillin.html
• The history of Penicillin (2010). Retrieved from http://inventors.about.com/od/pstartinventions/a/Penicillin.htm
• Alexander Fleming and the Discovery of Penicillin (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.essortment.com/all/alexanderflemin_rmkm.htm
• Jacoby D., & Youngson R. (2005) The Encyclopedia of Family Health. New York: Marshall Cavendish.
• Wootton, D. (2006). Bad Medicine, Doctors Doing Harm Since Hippocrates. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Horvitz, L. A. (2002). Eureka! Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed the World. New York: Wiley.
• Amyes, S. G. (2001). Magic Bullets, Lost Horizons. The rise and Falls of Antibiotics. London: Taylor and Francis.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
RADIO WAVES!!!!
Intro
Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation that, like all other electromagnetic waves, travels at the speed of light. Natural radio waves are made by lightning and by astronomical objects. Artificially generated radio waves are used for radar and other navigation systems, fixed and mobile communication, satellite communication, Internet uses, and many other things.
Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation that, like all other electromagnetic waves, travels at the speed of light. Natural radio waves are made by lightning and by astronomical objects. Artificially generated radio waves are used for radar and other navigation systems, fixed and mobile communication, satellite communication, Internet uses, and many other things.
Discovery
Radio waves were first mentioned in the mathematical work done in 1865 by James C. Maxwell. Maxwell noticed properties that were similar between electromagnetic force and light. With these properties in mind, he developed mathematical equations that would explain his ideas. And then, a bright man by the name of Heinrich Hertz came along. He was fascinated by the mathematical works of Maxwell, and was predisposed to prove these equations with the use of experiments that would animate the idea of radio waves. After analyzing all the data that he came about after years of research, he made the Hertz antenna receiver. And with this device, he became the first person to send a wave from one antenna and receive it on another. And that was extremely cool, considering that this was over 120 years ago!
Hertz Maxwell
Hertz Bio
Heinrich Rudolf Hertz was born in Hamburg, Germany. His dad was a lawyer and his mom a housewife. In his youth Heinrich’s hobby was building mechanical objects in the family workshop. Hertz began his college studies at the University of Munich. After very little time, he transferred to the University of Berlin, where he received a doctorate in Philosophy. In other words, he was a pretty smart guy!
Heinrich Rudolf Hertz was born in Hamburg, Germany. His dad was a lawyer and his mom a housewife. In his youth Heinrich’s hobby was building mechanical objects in the family workshop. Hertz began his college studies at the University of Munich. After very little time, he transferred to the University of Berlin, where he received a doctorate in Philosophy. In other words, he was a pretty smart guy!
Impact on Society
This man is responsible for arguably the most important discovery when talking about modern technology, and he was so cool that he did this in 1887! Radio waves are used so much in the modern world. They are used in transmitting sound and television signals, which is something that we use quite often. They are also used so astronauts can communicate with earth without having to send notes tied to asteroids. Satellites are just huge radio transceivers. And of course, CELL PHONES!
Video 1
Video 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCPxbhjDiGw&feature=related (this one has very calming music, watch it and ignore the science and just close your eyes, feel the music, let it sooth your soul)
References
Heinrich Rudolph Hertz. (n.d.). Corrosion science and engineering information hub. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Biographies/HertzBio.htm
Hertz. (n.d.). Antique Wireless And Scientific Instruments. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://www.sparkmuseum.com/BOOK_HERTZ.HTM
Radio waves. (n.d.). Kids Radio waves. Retrieved from http://science.hq.nasa.gov/kids/imagers/ems/radio.html
The, B. (n.d.). Biography - James Clerk Maxwell. Answers in Genesis - Creation, Evolution, Christian Apologetics. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/bios/jc_maxwell.asp
YouTube - Electromagnetic Spectrum: Radio Waves. (n.d.). YouTube - Broadcast
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