Balance Sheets for the four quarters Essay Example for Free

Balance Sheets for the four quarters Essay To evaluate how I utilized both budgets and pro-formas to ensure the adequacy of funds for providing production capacity that was needed to achieve the businesses goals. I want to first start with the definition of both pro-forma and budget; A budget is a basic idea that covers more than a few areas, all in all its a financial plan that is made to control costs for operations and results. It can be expressed in a multitude of numerical terms, it also can cover a certain period of time, short, intermediate and long term goals. A pro-forma is also a financial statement but it is prepared based upon assumptions of specific events and transactions that will hopefully occur in the Future, so basically a projected estimate using historical data to form a hypothesis of A financial outcome. The importance of both the pro-forma and budget were huge. Knowing going into the simulation how much seed money was going to be issued and how much additional money was coming in future investments, gave me an idea of how aggressive or conservative I could be. I was able to to set with an initial idea of how much I could spend for each factor needed moving forward. I was able to understand how much to market, how much to hire and how much I could afford for each of these tasks, as well as how much was coming into pay for future marketing and hires. Without advertising there are no customers, without a good sales and service staff there are no sales, or an ability to take care of the customer. In the opening quarter of the company I had a 2 million dollar start-up fund. My upfront expenses were approximately $530,000. I also chose to invest in a 3 month CD about $880,000, I made sure in my first endeavor to keep money available and not to over indulge. I took similar approaches going into each additional quarter; thereafter I wouldreview what was spent and estimate what was coming in and at that point I would hire more employees, adjust and raise benefits and increase marketing. My sales force and marketing expenses doubled from quarter two to quarter three and rose another 49 percent from quarter three to quarter four. These two factors in my opinion are the biggest of a profitable company, as sales and marketing grow and increase your company will thrive. At the end of each quarter I would review the results in these areas and make assessments on how much additional advertising I needed based upon sales numbers of the individual computers Mercedes and the Traveler. Based upon production and the competition I would review to see if I was going to increase the sales force and the compensation plan. The overall outcome of both areas had my company in NWL as the top employers at 83 out of a maximum 84 Score; also in regards to marketing effectiveness in NWL my company had a 92 out of a 97 maximum Score thats how I used the budget and pro-forma to help NWL achieve its goals. B.2. To evaluate how I employed Just In Time or JIT and Lean Operations to improve operating efficiency in my manufacturing facility, again as part of moving forward I want to define these two strategies before I explain how I use them. A) Just In Time or JIT is a production strategies to improve a business return on investment ROI by reducing in-process inventory as well as the associated carrying cost. This is done by only receiving goods as they are needed in the overall process, this helps cut overall inventory costs. B) Lean Operations simply supplies a customer with exactly what the customer needs when and only when the customer wants it without waste with this constant improvement, the emphasis and focus is on understanding the customer. Both JIT and Lean Operations can help with the overall increase of return on investment or ROI. In regards to how my simulation for NWL worked with these strategies, I would say in NWL ran overly Lean to a fault. I ran my operation capacity at 65 and my fixed capacity at 75 which was the second lowest of my competitors on both accounts. This was a huge negative for my company since it cost me over 2100 in lost sales. This would have increased my sales by approximately 33 percent which would have lowered the overall production costs and increase profits. I finished number 2 in sales with thehighest average price of computer. With a 33 percent increase in sales had I run a better production operation I would have had a lager profitability for a already profitable simulation. I did not key into the right places when I reviewed the early production numbers which cost me when it came to changing Operating and Fixed Capacities. I was overly cautious and my end result was indicative of this and caused big loses for NWL. B.3. Work Cells vs Traditional Straight Line Production. A Work Cell is defined to be a arrangement of machines and personnel that focuses on making a single product or family related products. Traditional Straight Line Production Is the standard assembly line style of manufacturing. Work may start in one department until that phase is complete. Then the product moves onto the next department for the next phase and the next and so on. The major difference between the two is efficiency and cost differentials. In a work cell method there are a multitude of benefits, from a reduction in work area needed, speed of production completion and number of associates needed just to name a few. All of which are in line with the thought process of JIT and Lean Operations which in turn increases ROI (return on investment). Five distinct advantages in the work cell vs the assembly line (1)Tasks are grouped, therefore inspections can be immediate. (2)Fewer workers are needed because of cross training. (3)The workers can access more of the work area. (4)Work areas are more efficiently balanced. (5)Enhanced communication based upon the shape of the work cell. These advantages can help lead to fewer employees reaching higher production numbers. Which in the simulation could have led to smaller start-up companies making more cost efficient production goals happen along with how well a micro computer company could make a work cell arrangement payoff positively. B.4. Evaluation of decisions involving inventory management in the Marketplace Simulation Inventory is defined as raw materials, work-in-progress goods and completely finished goods that are considered to be the portion of the businesses assets that are ready or will be ready for sale. Inventory represents one of the most important assets that most companies possess, because the turnover of inventory represents one of the primary sources of revenue generation and subsequent earnings for the company. In the marketplace simulation NWL was not very successful at inventory management in the attempt to run Just-in-Time (JIT) and Lean Operations, I ended up with sold out product and a enormous loss in sales. The lost sales totaled 50 percent of the total sales, which meant there could have been an additional 33 percent positive sales increase if the inventory was managed properly. These were losses of 1000 Travelers units and 1103 Mercedes units, those totals losses of $3,312,730 in gross profit. That was based upon the final sales and not taking into account any production savings by the increased sales volume. That could have increased gross profit by a minimum of 47 percent, if I had it to do over again paying more attention to the inventories would have been a possible windfall. B.5. A continuous improvement program that could have been used to improve and achieve quality assurance goals could have been either Employee Empowerment or Bench-marking. Employee Empowerment involves employees in every step of the production process. Employees are on the front lines and know what is going on in every aspect and on all fronts. If employees find problems they can fix them or help fix them. Whom better in handling an issue then the ones most familiar with the process, if a shortcoming is found an experienced a periodic quality circle can address it. Its been proven that most quality issues are either material or the process, its not usually the employees performance. If a Bench-marking program were to be implemented, the first step would be to established what the benchmark would be. Examples of which are; Percentage of Defects, Cost per unit processing time, Lost sales due to Out-of-Stocks and Customer Satisfaction Rates. If these type of factors were used in my situation, I would have used either Lost sales due to Out-of-Stocks or Customer Satisfaction Rates. mainly because I would have found out possibly a better way of keeping product in stock which could have reduced lost sales as well as a negative customer satisfaction due to no product. The benchmark team can find out what and how benchmark partners were doing to achieve their sales goals by tracking and keeping product stock, whereas to assure customer satisfaction. Then we could analyze the data from the partners and take the appropriate steps to move beyond and keep the process continually improving. C. Sources Investopedia (2013) A Division of ValueClick â€Å"www.investopedia.com†

Changes to the National Curriculum

Changes to the National Curriculum Since the introduction of the National Curriculum in 1992, a number of changes have been made to its structure and implementation. Identify and explain these changes and assess the contribution of the National Curriculum in the effort to raise standards in Education. This essay will describe, identify and explain the changes that have occurred to the National Curriculum (NC) since its conception in 1992. It will also assess these changes and evaluate the benefits and difficulties that it has experienced since 1992. The Education Reform Act (ERA) came into effect in 1988, this enabled Kenneth Baker the Conservative Minister of Education to implement the roll-out of the National Curriculum in 1992 within primary / secondary education. However, prior to 1992 there had been no National Curriculum and previously teachers had worked out their own schemes of work that they deemed appropriate for their pupils. As a result of this the standard of education across the country varied considerably and the methods employed to teach were wide-ranging. With the implementation of the National Curriculum in 1992, responsibility was shifted away from teachers to centralised government over what was to be taught. The National Curriculum established a set-framework of learning to enable children to move freely between schools as they would be learning from the same framework. The National Curriculum ensured that schools taught a certain range of subjects, this consisted of ten subjects. The subjects were divided into two sub-categories (core and foundation). The three main core subjects were English, Maths and Science, and together with seven other foundation subjects (Art, Home Economics. Music, History, a Modern Foreign Language (only compulsory in secondary schools), Geography and Physical Education created the foundation of the National Curriculum. Compulsory National tests (SATS) were introduced at 7, 11 and 14 on core subjects. The results are published annually in league tables (along with GCSE/A levels and truancy statistics). Changes occurred to the National Curriculum from its inception. Rather than being embraced the National Curriculum was met with hostility from some teachers and most of the larger teachers unions. One of the main criticisms of the National Curriculum by teachers and teaching unions was that at first glance that it contained far too many subjects and was considered to be too rigid, compared to what was previously taught. This meant that it was difficult to teach the subject well as the students had to learn so many subjects, and they presumed that it would be very difficult for students. The National Curriculum was also criticized for being extremely Eurocentric, as it was primarily focused around European culture, giving those from ethnic backgrounds very little opportunity to learn about their roots. Certain sections of the public also argued that the government intentionally fashioned the National Curriculum to remove subjects which they as a political party are against for political reasons, such as sociology, politics, and environmental sciences (they were never contained in the National Curriculum). However, a benefit to the National Curriculum was that teachers now had to educate students in a range of subjects. This gave children / students a better start for the skills they would need for later in life. It was also disputed that the national Curriculum helped to reduce the division of girls and boys subjects, as both sexes were taught the same subjects. This helped to reduce the stereotyping of gender. In 1993, teachers decided to boycott the national curriculum testing arrangements (SATS) after complaining about the workload. The Secretary of State for Education, in a move in the right direction asked Sir Ron Dearing, who was the current Chairman of the School Curriculum and Assessment AuthorityHYPERLINK http://www.bookrags.com/tandf/school-curriculum-and-assessment-tf#p2000a9f68830215001 (SCAA), to review the national curriculum. Dearing made an Interim Report in 1993 and a Final Report in 1994 (The Dearing Report) after a period of consultation with teachers and the teachers unions. In his report his recommended on slimming down the curriculum, and improving its administration. He also recommended that the slimmed down national curriculum should not be altered for five years and that national tests should be simplified without sacrificing validity or reliability. The revised curriculum was implemented from August 1995. The 1992, Ofsted (The Office for Standards in Education) formed as part of the major overhaul and centralisation of the school system begun by the Education Reform Act 1988, which introduced the National Curriculum, extensive testing in schools and the publication of league tables. Ofsted inspections were carried out on school every 6 years. This change was introduced as it was believed standards needed to be raised in schools. Many people thought Ofsted inspections were a good idea, if schools were failing, it was noticed and measures were put in place in order to improve these schools. However, Ofsted were also often seen to be too strict on schools, making it difficult for schools to pass inspection highly. Also, it was felt that many teachers and schools would improve their teaching standards while they were being inspected. Some schools would also send some of their worst behaved students on school trips for the inspections. This defeated the object of Ofsted inspections as it wasnt the normal teaching standards that were being tested. Recent inspections by Ofsted have revealed that although a good proportion of schools had improved since they were last checked many were stilling failing. Figures released by Ofsted in 2009 show that 11% of schools checked since last September were rated outstanding, while 9% were not up to scratch. [Angela Harrison, BBC] In the year 2006-07, 14% of those checked were outstanding and 6% were inadequate. [Angela Harrison, BBC] In 1997, the incoming The New Labour Government came into power in the UK. They Introduced the National Literacy Strategy to all Primary Schools in England from September 1998 after setting targets for pupils at Key Stage 2 in English (80%), Mathematics (75), but not in Science. Previously a pilot project had been tested during 1996, which involved schools in 14 Local Education Authorities. The strategy was planned for teachers to teach a daily Literacy Hour, which followed a pattern of 30 minutes whole class teaching, then group work and concluding with a plenary session. A number of documents have been published by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) to help teachers raise standards in literacy at the time. The National Literacy Strategy framework endeavoured to improve standards for all primary aged pupils. The strategys purpose was to make sure that all pupils were receiving on a daily basis dedicated one hour of literacy. The end result would give pupils the opportunity to develop skills in reading, grammar, spelling, and oral work and help raise standards in teaching and learning. In the following year of September 1999 The National Numeracy Strategy framework was introduced and like the literacy strategy, aimed at raising standards for all primary pupils. Similar to the National Literacy Strategy it prescribed a one hour daily mathematics lesson for all pupils. The Five Year Review in 2000 set out the main aims and purposes of the National Curriculum for the first time. The four main purposes of the National Curriculum are: To establish an entitlement. To establish standards. To promote continuity and coherence. To promote public understanding. The National Curriculum has been put into place in the hope that children will achieve and will have an entitlement to learning irrespective of their background, be it race, gender, cultural or otherwise. It also makes expectations for childrens attainment explicit for all concerned and sets out national standards for performance. These standards can then be used for target setting, measuring progress and monitoring progression. The Foundation Stage was introduced by the Labour government in 2000, to provide guidance for settings which provide care and education to pre-school children (aged 3 to 5). It was named the Foundation Stage because it lays the foundations for childrens later learning. [Neaum and Tallack, 2002]. It evolved from the Rumbold Report of 1990, which investigated the educational provision for the under 5s, and found that there was a patchy, unplanned curriculum which was unsatisfactory. In 2004 a review was carried out of Key Stage 4, from this review the introduction of Entitlement subjects. The Curriculum Entitlement Framework provides pupils with access to a wider range of learning opportunities suited to their needs, aptitudes and interests, irrespective of where they live or the school they attend. In 2007 the government abolished formal written Key Stage 1 SATS and replaced them with teacher recorded assessments. The Key Stage 1 assessments are very low key and completed by the pupils teacher over a period of a few weeks so they will be hardly aware that an assessment is taking place. In 2008 a review of Secondary National Curriculum resulted in new Key Stage 3 and 4 Curriculum which was introduced in 2009. This updated part of the curriculum now offers Diplomas and other alternatives to current GCSE and A-level examinations. In 2009 the then current Labour government announces that Key Stage 3 Sats examinations are to be abolished and that Sir Jim Rose will be conducting a full review of the Primary National Curriculum. The findings of the report will be implemented from September 2011. In May 2010 a general election was held and New Conservative / Liberal Democrat government came to power under David Cameron and Nick Clegg. The future changes to the new primary national curriculum which were put forward by Sir Jim Rose to be implemented from September 2011 have been shelved, the government stating that it does not intend to proceed with the new primary curriculum. Instead they are committed to giving schools more freedom from unnecessary prescription and bureaucracy. They have always made clear their intention to make changes to the National Curriculum that will ensure a relentless focus on the basics and give teachers more flexibility than the proposed new primary curriculum offered. The National Curriculum has undergone considerable change and development over the past twenty years and is still being altered and adjusted at the present day. Controversy still exists as to the approach education should adopt for those over the age of 14 testing is thought to be heavily based on recall of knowledge encouraging a lack of skill development activities. Many of the original subjects that were mandatory no longer are, as it was felt the curriculum was too full. In my opinion, since the introduction of the National Curriculum, I believe that it was the keystone to greatly improving the standards of education that children receive in todays society. This is because before the standard of education students received was highly based on class status and was typically biased towards the middle / upper class families, another factor was your locality in the country. Teachers also taught a range of subjects that they wished to teach as there were no set subjects so what you could be taught varied across the country. This led to many students leaving school with limited knowledge. With the introduction of the Literacy and Numeracy hours Sats results have increased again of the subsequent years but again now have slowed to a halt. As seen in the table below. But on the flip side having felt that on the whole the National Curriculum is effective it is also somewhat flawed. Children are taught to the test at a detriment to other subjects, and so they are missing out on a broad and balanced curriculum. Schools and teaching staff will also admit that they are being forced to teach to the test; cutting out subjects such as history, geography and art to inflate their position on national league tables or else look as if they are failing. The national tests also distort childrens education as they are being offered a restricted timetable as teachers are forced to focus on the core subjects. In a number of schools an emphasis on tests in English, Mathematics and Science limits the range of work in these subjects in particular year groups, as well as more broadly across the curriculum in some primary schools. Having said this, the positive points outweighed the negative greatly as it was the start towards the National Curriculum that we currently have today.

Informed Consent Essay -- Medical Care

Informed consent is the basis for all legal and moral aspects of a patient’s autonomy. Implied consent is when you and your physician interact in which the consent is assumed, such as in a physical exam by your doctor. Written consent is a more extensive form in which it mostly applies when there is testing or experiments involved over a period of time. The long process is making sure the patient properly understands the risk and benefits that could possible happen during and after the treatment. As a physician, he must respect the patient’s autonomy. For a patient to be an autonomous agent, he must have legitimate moral values. The patient has all the rights to his medical health and conditions that arise. When considering informed consent, the patient must be aware and should be able to give a voluntary consent for the treatment and testing without being coerced, even if coercion is very little. Being coerced into giving consent is not voluntary because other s people’s opinions account for part of his decision. Prisoners and the poor population are two areas where coercion is found the most when giving consent. Terminally ill patients also give consent in hope of recovering from their illness. Although the possibilities are slim of having a successful recovery, they proceed with the research with the expectation of having a positive outcome. Although the physician provides adequate information to his patient, how can he ensure that his patient properly knows everything and is capable of making the decision? Prisoners and the poor population are simply two groups that are easily coerced into giving consent to medical research. Although prisoners give consent, I don’t believe many are voluntarily giving consent, but... ...on from your patient that could possible alter his decision. The patient should have rights to know all information and statistics about the doctor and the success rate of all treatment options revealed. The information, in which, the doctor reveals or does not reveal fall under the category of reasonable clinician standard. Reasonable clinician standard is inconsistent with informed consent because the focus is on the physician rather than the patient’s best interest. Works Cited Davis, John K. "Precedent Autonomy and Subsequent Consent." Ethical Theory and Moral Practice 40.3 (2004): 267-91. Gert, Heather. "Avoiding Surprises: A Model for Informing Patients." The Hastings Center Reports 32.5 (2002): 23-32. Nelson, Robert, and Jon Merz. "Voluntariness of Consent for Research: An Empirical and Conceptual Review." Medical Care 40.9 (2002): 69-80.

Alcohol vs Marijuana

Alcohol and marijuana are two drugs commonly used and abused in the United States. Alcohol is the number one abused drug, while marijuana is number one among illegal drugs. While alcohol remains legal, and marijuana illegal, this does not necessarily mean that alcohol is better for you. There have been many arguments where people suggest that marijuana should be legal because alcohol is more deadly. On the other hand, there are alcoholics who would tell a pothead that smoking weed is bad for you. Both substances are very bad for your health and should not be heavily used by anyone but we do need to be a little more piteous to the people that do drugs because you don’t know what they go through in life . Although, Marijuana has such a bad reputation Marijuana is one of the most common drug today and its also arrant. But what exactly is marijuana? Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seed, and flowers of the hemp plants. There are a lot of names for this drug and they are: pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, mary jane, gangster, or chronic. Marijuana has been around for many years and has been thought to be illegal and harmful. But marijuana has been used for medical reasons, including: medicine, hemp rope, crude cloth and enjoyment. Why do young people use marijuana? There are many reasons why they do that and most young people smoke marijuana because their friends or brothers and sisters use marijuana and pressure them to try it. others may think its cool to use marijuana because they hear songs about it and see it on TV and in movies. Some teens may feel they need marijuana and other drugs to help them escape from their problems at home, at school, or with friends. Alcohol is a drug that is classified as a central nervous system depressant. There are three forms of alcohol, beer, wine and distilled spirits. Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs in the United States and has more adverse effects that most other drugs combined. There are many aspects to consider when thinking about alcohol as a drug. There are many myths surrounding alcohol, including who uses it, what its effects are on users, social and sexual situations and the amounts people drink. The vast majority of the American population uses alcohol and in many various ways and this also causes different effects. Alcohol is also has a great causation in crimes committed by users, social, medical, and educational problems as a result of use as well. Marijuana and alcohol are similar in many ways because weed and alcohols seems to satisfy most teenagers in today’s world. Some of there similar effects are that they both make you very hungry and sleepy and they both make you escape from reality. When I say they both make you escape from reality I mean that most people drink in smoke because they are going through something and they just don’t want to think about it anymore and that’s how they escape from reality. If they were to get rid of marijuana and alcohol I think that would be very formidable. As you can see marijuana and alcohol are the most common drugs used in today’s society but does that make it right for everyone to do them? Should alcohol be illegal since marijuana is illegal or should they both be legal? Those are some of the questions you have to ask yourself because just because your friends are drinking and smoking doesn’t mean you have to drink and smoke also, jus be above the influence!

Satellites in space

Jeremy Curtis is an engineer and business development manager for space science at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory (RAL) in Oxfordshire. His job includes on the joint European telescope for X-ray astronomy (JET-X), due to have been launched in 1999 on the Russian Spectrum-X spacecraft. He says â€Å"I trained as a mechanical engineer, but I find space engineering exciting because I have to work with all kinds of experts such as astronomers, physicists, designers, programmers and technicians working around the world†. He was sponsored by RAL during his university degree and then spent several years on designs for a large proton synchrotron (a machine for accelerating protons to very high energies) before moving over to space instrument design. In the following passage he describes some of the aspects of space engineering. Why satellites? Getting spacecraft into orbit is a very expensive activity with typical launch costs generally measures in tens of thousands per kilogram. So what makes it worth the bother? There are three key reasons. First, a satellite is a good vantage point for studying the earth's surface and atmosphere – just think how many aircrafts would be needed to photograph the whole of the earth, or how many ships to monitor the temperature of the oceans. Second, if we want to study most of the radiation coming for distant parts of the universe we have to get above the atmosphere. The earth's atmosphere absorbs almost everything that tries to go through it – from X-rays to ultraviolet and from infrared to millimetre waves. Only visible light and radio waves can get through it. In fact, even visible light suffers – convection in the earth's atmosphere makes stars seem to jump about or twinkle, blurring telescope images, so a telescope in space produces sharper images than possible from earth. Finally, and not least, a communications satellite can beam TV pictures across the globe and link telephone users from different continents. The problem with space Once you've got through the huge trouble of expense of launching your satellite, a new set of problems confront you in space. First, a typical spacecraft may need several kilowatts of power – but where do you plug in? The only convenient renewable source of power is the sun, so most spacecrafts are equipped with panels of solar cells. You can see these on the Infrared space observatory (ISO). Unlike earth there is no worry about what to do on cloudy days, but batteries are still needed for periods when the satellite is in the earth's shadow (usually up to an hour or two per orbit) and the satellite has to be continually steered to keep the panels pointing at the sun. So now we have our spacecraft floating in orbit and pointing to face the sun all the time. Although the solar cells provide partial shade from sunlight the surface still starts to heat up, and with no air to convect the heat away the temperature can rise dramatically. To add to the difficulties, the other side of the spacecraft faces cold space (at about 3k or -270à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) and so begins to cool down, unchecked; this would distort the structure, wreck the electronics and decompose the materials that make up the spacecraft. So most surfaces of the spacecraft are covered in â€Å"space blanket† – multilayer insulation made of metallised plastic which reflects the radiation away and insulates the spacecraft. This is crinkly shiny material. 1.2 Studying with satellites The UoSAT satellites are very small, relatively low-cost, spacecraft whose purpose is to test and evaluate new systems and space technology and to enable students and amateur scientists to study the near-earth environment. They are designed and built by the university of Surrey spacecraft engineering research unit. UoSAT, also known as Oscar 11 has sensors to record the local magnetic field, providing information about solar and geomagnetic disturbances and there affects on radio communications at various frequencies. Instruments on board also measure some 60 items relating to the satellites operation. These include; the temperature of its faces, its batteries and other electronic devices; the current provided by its solar arrays; and the battery voltages. It can also receive store and transmit messages to simple radio receivers anywhere in the world. UoSAT's orbit takes it over both poles at a height of about 650km above the earth's surface, and the spinning of the earth allows it to receive data about six times a day. Each UoSAT spacecraft is designed to last about 7 years. Even small spacecrafts such as these need electricity to run all onboard systems, form the computer that controls it all, to the radio transmitters and receivers that send and receive all data to and from ground stations on the earths surface. UoSAT's are small, each with a mass of typically 50kg and about 0.5m across. For comparison, JET-X is about 540kg in mass and about 4.5m long. Communications satellites are larger still, with masses of typically 2 to 5 tonnes. At the top en of the scale is the proposed International Space Station (ISS) – a co-operative venture between 13 nations, including the UK. Construction and testing started in1995 and completion is due in 2002. The completed station will have a mass of about 470 tonnes, measure 110m from tip to tip of its solar arrays, and have pressured living and working space for its crew of six almost equal to the passenger space on two 747 jet airliners. It will have a demand of about 110kw. 1.3 Spacecraft power systems Schematic diagram of a spacecraft power system The below figure shows three main elements in a spacecraft power system. The primary source involves the use of fuel to produce electrical power. Primary sources include fuel cells in which a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen produces electricity (with drinking water as a useful by-product), and radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG's) in which a radioactive decay process produces heating in a thermoelectric module that generates electricity. In spacecraft, the most common primary source s the photovoltaic cell, powered by solar radiation; here the initial fuel is protons in the sun, which undergo nuclear fusion. The secondary source is the energy storage system – usually a set of batteries. Sometimes regenerative fuel cells are used in which power from solar arrays electrolyses water to produce hydrogen and oxygen gases during the â€Å"charge† cycle, followed by hydrogen and oxygen recombining to make water during the â€Å"discharge† cycle. n electronic power control and distribution unit controls and adjusts the voltage and current inputs and outputs, often using primary and secondary sources together to boost the overall output power. There are other systems available and these are shown in figure 8 in the textbook, on page 69. Here are some listed: * Chemically fuelled turbines and reciprocating engines. * Chemical turbines and batteries. * Batteries. * Cryogenic hydrogen/oxygen expansion engines. * Cryogenic engines and fuel cells. * Fuel cells. * Nuclear dynamic systems. * Solar and nuclear dynamic systems. * Photovoltaic and radioisotope thermoelectric systems. A useful link to research this further is http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov/ Question 1, Page 70 Using figure 8 on page 69, decide which would be the most suitable power source(s) for a spacecraft needing; (a) 1kw power output for just one week. Cryogenic engines and fuel cells. (b) 10kw for 10 years. Solar and nuclear dynamic systems. The most common primary source of energy used in satellites is the photovoltaic cell or solar cell. Hundreds of thousands of such cells are connected together to make up solar arrays. UoSAT 2 and the ISS have many arrays of solar arrays attached to them. Solar cells have one important characteristic; they only generate electricity when illuminated. Orbiting satellites undergo between 90 and 5500 eclipses, moving into the shadow of the earth, each year. The former is typical of a geostationary telecommunications satellite, the latter of a satellite is in a low orbit like UoSAT 2. The ISS will have sixteen thirty minute periods of shadow each day. The secondary power supply is therefore vital, because during eclipse electrical power has to be supplied by batteries. There are also occasions when batteries are needed to provide power in addition to that of the solar panels. The spacecraft's solar panels are used to recharge its batteries when it emerges into sunlight. To do this they must provide a high enough voltage – higher than the batteries own voltage. (A charger for a 12v car battery provides about 30v.) The power system must therefore be carefully designed to ensure that the solar panels can charge the batteries and that the batteries can operate the electrical equipment on-board. So what voltage does a solar cell provide? How does this voltage vary with the brightness of the light? How can we connect up solar cells in order to charge batteries and operate equipment? These are questions I will explore in part two of this unit.

Martin Luther and John Calvin in the Reformation essays

Martin Luther and John Calvin in the Reformation essays The Lutheran and Calvinist Reformations are very similar in principle. Martin Luther and John Calvin hold that not mere abuses of the Roman Catholic Church need correcting, but that the Catholic Church itself is wrong in principle. I will discuss the platforms from which religious revolutionaries Luther and Calvin stand in church reform as well as the tendency of women to agree with the reforms during 16th-century European religion. Luther's cause for reformation comes from the unnatural paranoia that he is eternally damned because he has problems convincing himself that his spirit is pure enough for heaven. His internal distress rages within him about the omnipotence of God, his own insignificant existence in comparison, and his apprehensiveness of the devil. His personal problems do not yield to the existing manners of assuring oneself that he is headed for heavens such as sacraments, alms, prayer attendance at Mass, and assorted "good works." Luther solves this problem, however, b y believing that good works are the consequence and external evidence of inner grace, but in no way the cause of this grace. He feels that if one has faith in themselves, the religion, and God, then good works will manifest themselves because of it. This is Luther's doctrine of justification by faith. John Calvin's religiousness is a result of acquiring a fresh insight into the meaning of Christianity, also known as a conversion experience, whereby he joined forces with the religious revolutionaries of whom the best known was then Luther. His book, Institutes of the Christian Religion, appeals to human reason itself in that if one is dissatisfied with the Roman church, they can find an idea that would most appropriately fit their beliefs or the situation they are in. Placing much of the textual emphasis on the concept of predestination, Hans J. Hillerbrand says about the Institutes, "Calvin believed that it was a biblical doctrine and he went to consider...

How to Make Playdough 6 Easy DIY Recipes

How to Make Playdough 6 Easy DIY Recipes SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Most of us have played with playdough at some point. Brand name Play-Doh, it's a staple of most childhoods. But what actually is playdough and how is it made? We'll discuss what exactly playdough is and offer some of our favorite recipes and tips on how to make natural DIY playdough right at home. What Is Playdough? Playdough is one of those familiar substances that immediately sparks feelings of nostalgia. From it's soft, pliable texture to its distinctive smell, we all think we know playdough. But what exactly is it? In short, Play-Doh is a modeling compound made primarily from flour, water, salt, borax and mineral oil. Natural recipes have cream of tartar, a white crystalline compound found in baking powder, and can be made with a variety of oils. Play-Doh is soft and malleable, and can be reused as long as it's stored properly. I'm sure a lot of us remember the disappointment we faced when we came back to our awesome Play-Doh creations to find them dried out and crusty. Proper storage is key with both store bought and homemade playdough. Where Did Play-Doh Come From? Play-Doh has come a long way from its origins as a cleaning product, and was even inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1998. Play-Doh was originally created as a non-toxic, non-staining putty to remove coal stains from wallpaper by Noah and Cleo McVicker of the soap manufacturing company, Kutol Products. After World War II, the demand for coal-removing putties essentially disappeared. The country turned to natural gas for energy instead of coal, and vinyl wallpaper meant that even when coal was used, it rarely stained. With its original use obsolete, the makers looked for a new way to market the product in the mid 1950's. Schoolteacher Kay Zufall took the putty to her classroom, and Play-Doh as we know it was born. The creators tweaked the formula, and Zufall named the iconic toy "Play-Doh." The product re-launched in 1956, with a marketing campaign that consisted of TV spots and in-store demonstrations in retail giants like Macy's. By 1958, the company sold $3 million worth of Play-Doh. Play-Doh is currently owned and manufactured by Hasbro. Homemade Playdough Recipes While we love traditional Play-Doh, DIY playdough can be just as fun as playing with it! Keep in mind that homemade playdoughs won't last as long as store-bought Play-Doh, and all playdough should always be put back in a sealed container when not in use. Most natural recipes contain flour and cream of tartar. We put together a list of recipes with those ingredients, as well as ones without. Remember, store-bought Play-Doh has flour and is not allergy-safe for those allergic to wheat products. Flour-free homemade playdough is a great alternative. Check out some of our favorite recipes! Playdough Recipes with Flour and Cream of Tartar If you're looking to make an edible playdough with easy to find ingredients, check out these two recipes. What You'll Need: Flour Water Cream of Tartar Vegetable Oil Food Coloring The Best Homemade Playdough Recipe from Tinkerlab Why We Love It: The link above shows the full recipe, and also has a link to a great no-cook playdough recipe in the post. This recipe makes a soft, long lasting playdough and is super easy to follow. A Simple All-Natural Homemade Playdough Recipe from DIY Natural Why We Love It: This recipe is all-natural, and can be made with or without cream of tartar. It's one of the more inexpensive recipes, and should last for several months with proper storage. Flour-FreePlaydough Recipes For playdough with no flour, try one of these easy recipes. What You'll Need Cornstarch Baking Soda Water Oil Food Coloring Allergy-Free Play Dough Recipes from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology Why We Love It: Since wheat allergies are a growing issue amongst kids and adults, the American Academy of Asthma and Immunology put together these fun and helpful recipes for playdough that is both flour-free and edible! How to Make Playdough Without Flour so You Can Avoid Any All Playtime Risks from Romper Why We Love It: This Romper post offers a few recipes for flour-free kids, including a super creative one on how to turn Peeps into playdough. They're fun and creative and allergy-safe. Cream of Tartar-Free Recipes These recipes for how to make playdough are the easiest around, requiring no specialty ingredients and little to no cooking. What You'll Need Flour Salt Water Oil Food coloring How to Make Natural Play Dough Without Cream of Tartar from livesimply Why We Love It: Not only is this recipe cream of tartar-free, but it is definitely one of the quickest recipes on our list, and can be made with items you probably already have at home. It's also (technically) edible, so safe for curious kids. How To Make Playdough Recipe Without Cream of Tartar from Stay at Home Educator Why We Love It: This recipe is no cook, which means that you get to dive right in and mix it up with your hands. It's soothing to make and fun to play with when finished! 6 Tips for Making Great Playdough Whichever recipe you choose- or maybe you'll try them all- making playdough is a blast. Here are some tips to make sure you get the most out of your homemade playdough. Use gel food coloring. It'll help the playdough stay stain-free throughout continued use. Make sure to always store your playdough in an airtight container. You can usually substitute other flours, like almond and coconut, to make wheat-free playdough, if you find that a recipe with flour works best for you but still need it to be wheat-free. Playdough should be cheap and easy to make (which is part of the fun!) so don't get caught up in complicated recipes or expensive ingredients. When picking a recipe, make sure to check how much playdough it makes. You may have to double or triple the recipe to have enough playdough for multiple kids or more than one color. Most recipes allow you to mix in scents too! Playdough is all about having fun, and making it can be just as exciting as playing with it. It's a great rainy day activity for kids, or fun way for adults to make their own scented stress ball. Unlike playdough itself, making it and playing with it never gets old. What's Next? Love making playdough? It's time for slime! Check out our favorite slime recipes. Educational activities should be fun, too. Luckily, we have 37 kid-friendly science experiments to choose from, and ideas for pipe-cleaner crafts. And if you're headed outside, learn about the types of clouds!