Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Bags of Reactions Lab Essay Example for Free

Bags of Reactions Lab Essay * Problem/Purpose * Background Information: The Law of Conservation of Mass was created by Antoine Lavoisier in the 18th century. This law stated that mass could matter could neither be created nor destroyed. During a reaction the bonds of the reactants are broken and form new substances. As stated in the Law of Conservation, matter can neither be created nor destroyed; because of this the products should have the same number and type of atoms as seen in the reactants. * Purpose: Test the Law of Conservation of Mass. * Hypothesis: If we weight the mass of the materials before and after the reaction, then we can prove if the Law of Conservation of Mass is true. * Materials: * Goggles * 25mL graduated cylinder * 2 resealable bags * Scale * Antacid tablet * Scoopula * CaCl2 , Calcium Chloride * NaHCO3 , Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate * Universal Indicator * Procedure Part A 1. Measure 25mL of water and put into a resealable bag. Flatten air out of the bag and seal it. Record the mass in Table 1. 2. Record the mass of the antacid tablet in Table 1 3. Tip the bag sideways, and while holding the bag this way, add the tablet and water so not mix. Do not trap any extra air in the bag. Reseal the bag. 4. Let the tablet drop into the water. Observe the reaction until it comes to a complete stop. Record the observations. 5. When the reaction is complete, record the mass of the bag and its contents in Table 1. Part B 6. Add two scoops of CaCl2 to the second bag 7. Add one scoop of NaHCO3 to the bag and shake gently to mix. 8. Determine the mass of the bag and its contents. Record in Table 2. 9. Measure 25mL of water in a graduated cylinder. Add 10 drops of Universal Indicator to the water. 10. Tip the bag sideways, and while holding the solids in the upper part of the bag, pour the water into the bag so the solids don’t mix. 11. Keeping the trapped air to a minimum, reseal the bag. Hold the bag and let the liquid move from one end of the bag to the other until the contents are mixed. 12. Observe the reaction until it comes to a complete stop. Record your observations 13. Record the mass of the unopened bag in Table 2. Clean up your work and wash your hands before leaving the laboratory. * Data/Results Table 1: Antacid and Water| Mass of bag and water| 27.085g| Mass of tablet| 3.21g| Mass of bag and reactants| 30.305g| Mass of bag and products| 28.14g| Table 2: CaCl2, NaHCO3, and Water| Mass of bag and dry reactants| 4.09g| Volume of water| 25mL| Mass of water| 24.925g| Total mass of bag and reactants| 29.015g| Mass of bag and products| 27.37g| * Analysis/Conclusion A. Analysis Questions: 1. How do the values for the total mass before and after each reaction demonstrate the law of conservation of mass? The values seem to be in the same general value 2. What were three observations you made that indicated a reaction had occurred in part A? The tablet started to fizz, the bag began to fill with gas, and you could hear the tablet reacting with the water. 3. An indicator changes color when the acidity of a solution changes. What evidence is there that such change occurred in Part B? The universal indicator changed to a yellowish orange color 4. Did the reaction in Part B become more acidic or basic? More acidic B. Conclusion: The lab showed us that the Law of Conservation of Mass is correct. I feel that there were some mistakes in the lab. The size of the scale we were using was not large enough to fit the entire bag on for weighing. I feel that this affected the results we recorded for mass. If I were to redo this experiment I would be sure to use a bigger scale. I feel the data was also affected by extra air left in the bag. The results are close enough to show that the Law of Conservation of Mass is possible though when you take into accounts the problem we had with the lab.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Reader Response to Wells’ The Time Machine :: Time Machine

Reader Response to Wells’ The Time Machine As a Christian, I don't personally believe in evolution in general; I don't think humans evolved from a lower life form and I don't think we will be here for another 800,000 years to evolve into anything else. But the logical scientist in me is nonetheless intrigued at the possibilities presented in The Time Machine. So what would happen to the human race a few hundred millennia from now? Would it divide into two distinct races that live separately from one another as Wells describes? I personally don't think this would happen. The human race seems to have a stubborn quality about it -- anytime there is a challenge or obstacle to face, we tend to try to overcome it in one way or another. I remember reading somewhere recently (I can't remember where) that humans have a natural tendency to resist captivity or oppression. This is why slavery is never permenent, and the history of man is littered with uprisings and revolts. This line of thinking begs the question: if indeed the Morlocks were forced underground at one point or another, why did they stay there? Even if they accepted their new environment without question, they were going to run out of food eventually -- no sun means no plants or vegetables, correct? This is where the Time Traveler presumes that the Morlocks began to feed on the Eloi out of necessity. But wouldn't the Morlocks just return to the surface at this point? Why would they stay underground if their only food was on the surface? It doesn't seem to make sense. Nevertheless, the year 802,701 as envisioned by Wells is fascinating. I have always loved good stories, especially imaginative ones, and I must admit that The Time Machine has become one of my favorite works of literature. Along these same lines, I have to agree with what Michael wrote in the first part of his journal entry. I, too, am not a fan of overanalyzing works of literature. For me good stories are just that -- stories. Don't get me wrong, there are many cases where looking past the surface of a book is appropriate -- for example Animal Farm is obviously allegory, and The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is not so obviously a book promoting socialism. But sometimes I think that critics are digging too deep into literature and finding things that just aren't there, nor did the author intend for them to be there.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Project Management and Virtual Teams Essay

Athabasca University Abstract Due to advanced communication technologies, globalization and outsourcing most of the project management teams are based on groups of individuals called virtual teams who work across time and space using communication technologies. Members of virtual teams may be employees of same company from same country, or they can be contractors, suppliers and company employees around the globe. Managing projects using virtual teams have some advantages and disadvantages. Also several studies have been done to try to determine the factors that are positively co-related to the effectiveness of virtual teams (Schwalbe, 2011). To manage virtual teams successfully in project management, the project manager must manage these factors successfully and also minimize the impact of disadvantages. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual teams in project management and outlines the factors that are positively correlated to the success of projects based on virtual teams. The paper also outlines some of the recommendations to successfully manage the virtual team in information technology projects. Keywords Globalization, outsourcing, virtual teams, video conferencing, telecommuting, Project Management, Trust and relationship, Advantages of Virtual teams, Disadvantages of virtual team. Introduction Imagine that you are a project manager in a multinational organization and managing a project to upgrade the server operating system and your team members are from different countries with different cultures and working in different time zones. To complete the project successfully that is based on virtual teams, project manager must understand the advantages and disadvantages of managing virtual teams and factors that positively affect the team members. Today most of the project management teams are based on virtual teams whose members work across time and space using communication technologies and project managers cannot rely on previous methods of project team management where they were able to build trust between team member by social interaction, face-to-face meetings, and direct observations of fellow team member commitment. Literature Review Virtual teams do have some advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages outlined by Kathy Schwalbe are: 24/7 availability of workers increasing competiveness and responsiveness, lowering the cost of project as many virtual team members do not need office space and support, providing more flexibility and expertise as project managers have access to the talent around the globe and increasing the work/life balance for team members by eliminating fixed office hours and the need to travel to work. (Schwalbe, 2011). Communication and trust are the most important factors that influence the virtual team performance. Saonee Sarker and others discussed the â€Å"theoretical linkages among trust, communication, and team member performance in virtual teams†. (Sarker1, Ajuja, Sarker, & Kirkeby, 2001). To prove their argument the researchers identified and tested three proposed models (additive, interaction, and mediation) describing the role of trust in its relationship. The results of the study indicated that the â€Å"mediating† model best explains how communication and trust work together to influence the performance of virtual team members. In simple words them study proves that â€Å"a communicative individual will be more likely to be trusted and will therefore be more likely to be a high performer†. (Sarker1, Ajuja, Sarker, & Kirkeby, 2001) Radostina K. Purvanova reviewed experimental literature and emerging field research on virtual teams. Author compared the â€Å"results from both type of literature and found that experimental literature has largely reported negative results for virtual teams, whereas ? eld investigations and case studies of real virtual teams employed by business organizations report positive outcomes for virtual teams. According to the article although results reported by experimental versus field studies are quite different, author concludes that both literatures have revealed negative attitudes toward virtual communication media. Advantages of Virtual Teams The main advantages of virtual teams include: The biggest advantage of virtual team enjoyed by an organization is the associated cost savings. The organization can save huge expenses on real estate, office spaces, utility bills such as gas, electricity, water etc. and executive’s travel. Team members can work from anywhere and anytime of the day. They can choose the place they work based on the mood and the comfort. You can recruit people for their skills and suitability to the job. The location does not matter. There is no time and money wasted for commuting and clothing. Physical handicaps are not an issue. Another advantage is the labour laws, some organizations prefer to have virtual teams because of strict local labour laws. Since the members span the time zones, there could be different team working on the same project 24/7, so when one member sleeps there will be another one somewhere else who would start work where the former had left. This shortens the product development time as well as faster response time to demands in both global and local markets. Disadvantages of Virtual Teams Disadvantages of virtual teams include: Since team members do not frequently meet or do not meet at all, the teamwork spirit may not be present. Some people prefer to be in a physical office when working. These people will be less productive in virtual environments. To work for virtual teams, individuals need to have a lot of self-discipline. If the individual is not disciplined, he or she may be less productive. The cultural difference between the members of virtual teams gives rise to number of conflicts. For example, while an employee from one part of the world would write a straightforward email describing a bad situation; this would be perceived as impolite by a member of the team from other part of the world. This would lead to conflicts, mistrust and difficulties in fruitful collaboration which is so vital for the success of virtual team functioning. These challenges are also precipitated by the absence of non-verbal cues so intrinsic to face-to-face interactions. Many members of virtual teams are adversely affected by the lack of physical interactions. Most of the communications in virtual environment is task-oriented. In today’s society where job is an important social force for most of us because many of our workplace colleagues also constitute our close friends, this gives a not-so-good feeling of social isolation. This in turn counter-effects productivity as well as leads to stress. In the virtual environment, it is better to communicate, clarify, and confirm everything to make sure that all members have the same understanding about the task at hand. This produces of ton of paperwork and files that could quickly fill your archives. Factors that positively affect virtual teams Succession planning and promotions involving virtual team members are important factors and if managed properly, virtual team members will feel that they are receiving recognition and credit and as a result they will be satisfied and their productivity will be increased. (Leonard, 2011) Since team members are not communicating face to face, constructive team and individual feedback early and often becomes more important and if managed properly can avoid many problems before hand. Trust between team members and project leader is an important factor that can affect the performance of team members. One important way to build trust between team members is effective communication. The more they communicate with each other and with project more they build the trust. Well defined and documented team process also important which saves a lot of time for especially new team members to find answers to their questions related to policies and procedures. A team member selection and role preference is also important factor to successfully manage the virtual teams. â€Å"Dr. Meredith Belbin defined a team role as a tendency to behave, contribute and interrelate with others in a particular way. 15 It is important to select team members carefully and to form a team where all roles are covered. Each virtual team member must also understand his or her role(s) on the team. † (Schwalbe, 2011) Discussion and Conclusions Organizations such as IBM, Microsoft, Whirlpool as well as SMEs are reaping the benefits of virtual teams for some time now. It has been a well-recognized fact that virtual team is not a passing tide but it is here to stay. Virtual teams are rising in numbers nowadays and even small technology companies are now adapting virtual team practice for recruiting the best people from all over the globe and reduce the cost. As outlined in previous sections, virtual teams do have advantaged and some disadvantages as well. To benefit from advantages and to minimize the impact of disadvantages a project manager can focus on factors that positively affect the virtual team’s performance. As indicated by previous researchers, increase in trust, comfort level and communication effectiveness leads to better project success. All of the above discussed disadvantages can be overcome by following a different leadership approach, trainings, greater role clarity and effective communication strategies. Also earlier discussed factors that affect virtual teams, if managed properly can result in a successful project. In addition, the companies using virtual teams can minimize their operating costs and maximize the profit margins. Additionally, the employees working in virtual teams are at advantages when it comes to working in their own home, own time, and reduction of commuting costs. Therefore, organizations should look into setting up virtual teams for different tasks whenever possible. To reap the benefits of virtual teams in projects and minimize the impact of disadvantages virtual team managers should manage the outlined factors properly and should also follow best practices outlined in next section. Best Practices When running virtual teams, some of the best practices include: An instant messaging program can be used to create a sense of presence amongst members of the team. Chat is a good way to have side conversations during meetings to gain consensus, confirm understanding or ask questions. Quick questions can be asked through instant messenger as a substitute for popping into someone’s cubicle. Services for syncing files, bug tracking, project management, source control, web conferencing, conference calls, screen recording, usability testing and so on. A virtual phone system allows mapping of phone extensions to any phone number. Advance features allow callers to dial by name, get placed into a phone queue or get recorded answers back from a phone tree. In-person meetings are also a good option; it helps build team cohesion and trust and can help people get to know each other on a deeper level. But they are by no means critical. Bringing everyone together once a year may cost a little, but it’s still often cheaper than paying local salaries and rent, and increases the efficiency of team.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Should The Death Penalty Be Justified - 989 Words

Should the Death Penalty be a widely accepted practice by the judicial system in each state? The ability to control the population of those who violate the laws of the country is a valuable asset we as a society have evolved into making a permanent aspect of our judicial system. Capital Punishment is described as the legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime (capital punishment). Despite Capital Punishment being in use for hundreds of years, there is still tension behind the idea of whether or not it is morally right to practice amongst a civilized society. Since colonial days around thirteen-thousand people have been tried, deemed guilty, and executed by the state ( White, Deborah). There is a point a person crosses where death seems to be the only fitting punishment for the crime. The United States judicial system has evolved to possess a low tolerance for crime since the potential criminals have been inclined to commit more outrageously awful crimes. Instea d of prisons taking the guilty into rehabilitation for the rest of their lives, it’s proved more effective to execute the worst criminals providing both a fitting punishment and also have ridden the world of certain criminals who have shaken the society in which they reside. The death of the guilty provides closure for the victim s family, demonstrates government involvement and serves as the ultimate punishment for deserving criminals. The United States government s involvement proves toShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Death Penalty:Social Ethics: Morality and Social Policy1737 Words   |  7 PagesDeath Penalty 1) Two major claims: death penalty serves as a deterrent and death penalty is morally justified because murderers can’t live and you have a right to kill them. 2) The premises and conclusions that the author of the letter outlines are as follows: Death Penalty serves as a deterrent. a. Criminals fear the death penalty. b. 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