Nuclear Power and Radioisotopes Essay Example for Free

Nuclear Power and Radioisotopes Essay Radioisotopes are considered as a double-edged sword. They can be the greatest innovation in science, or the cause of death. Radioisotopes are isotopes that are produced artificially or naturally through the process of synthesis and separation. These combinations of protons and neutrons are unstable and give off a radioactive wave. Radioisotopes can be used for many different functions such as an atomic bomb or to help in the field of medicine. They are very important and without them, doctors would have lost a very important tool. In the field of medicine, radioisotopes are used to provide information about the functioning of a person’s specific organs or to treat disease. The idea of using radioisotopes is to â€Å"image internal structures and processes† in the human body (Ioffe). This is similar to using an X-rays. The advantage to using radioisotopes is that it can show all of the internal structures. X-rays can only see hard tissue like bones but radioisotopes can show a diagram of all soft tissue like muscle. Radioisotopes are not only limited to imaging processes. Another use is to treat diseased organs or tumors by â€Å"killing cancerous cells† (Ioffe). This process is called radiation therapy. Some examples of the radioisotopes in this process are â€Å"Iodine-131, phosphorus-32† and for â€Å"more radical uses, Boron-10 to specifically attack tumor cells† (Ioffe). In the process, radioactive elements are inserted near the tumor. Radiation is more harmful to growing cells and cancerous cells grow at an uncontrolled rate, giving them a disadvantage to radiation exposure. The cancerous will start to be destroyed and when it is all gone, there is no chance for the tumor to grow back again. An important factor in radiation therapy is that the radiation kills all cells indiscriminately. Although it is impossible to control the isotope to only kill the bad cells, the hope is that the radiation kills off more cancerous cells and less of the healthier cells. Without Radioisotopes, tumors would have to be removed in a different way. Tumors would have to be surgically removed. The down side to this process is that if all of the cancerous cells were not removed, the tumor has a chance of growing again. Making diagrams of the internal structure would also be hindered without radioisotopes. Technologies such as MRI scanners and CAT scans would not exist without radioisotopes. These clearer and more advanced imaging would not be available. Without radioisotopes, the field of medicine would have been left in a huge disadvantage. Although radioisotopes can be very beneficial, it has caused a lot of controversy throughout the world. Using radioisotopes causes radioactive waste. All isotopes have half-lives, the time taken until the amount is half of the initial amount. Half-lives can vary from each isotope. There are isotopes that have low half-lives where level of radiation â€Å"drops to less than 1% of the original amount in a matter of hours or days† (Newton). These can be stored safely until the amount can be safely thrown away. Other isotopes have half-lives over a millennium such as Uranium-235 which has a half-life of 713,000,000 years (Newton). These radioisotopes continue to emit harmful radiation for practically forever. To safely dispose of such long lasting isotopes require â€Å"burying them deep in the earth, a procedure that still has not been satisfactorily demonstrated† (Newton). There is no way to safely dispose of or to store these isotopes. As a result, the environment is harmed by the radiation that will never fade. These long lasting radioisotopes also happen to frequently be used in nuclear energy plants, which is also a very controversial topic. The energy given is a great amount but with dangers. Chernobyl and Fukushima are examples the negative side of nuclear energy. When disaster stuck, much off the radiation started to affect the environment and the people. Chernobyl had to be evacuated and even now after twenty-five year, the area is still dead. There is much fear that comes with radioisotopes and how they are used. There are not only positive results that come with using radioisotopes. Many problems can be created. Radioisotopes can also help out the future generations of humanity. As mentioned before, the nuclear power plants causes’ controversy, but it also produces solid results. The world faces a problem with pollution. Nuclear energy, however, produces no pollution from the process of creating energy. Today, the energy produced by nuclear power plants exceeds â€Å"360 gigawatts† (Merriman). This is a huge amount of energy that makes clean energy as well; much different than fossil fuels that creates many tons of carbon waste. For a better future, carbon emissions have to be cut down. Nuclear energy is also gaining popularity. Overseas and in Britain, â€Å"by 1990 it was obtaining more than 70 percent of its electricity† through nuclear energy (Merriman). This is an example of the potential that nuclear energy has. Over half of the electricity supplied in a whole nation was coming from nuclear energy. The future generations will gain a great asset to obtaining a clean and powerful energy source. Radioisotopes can be used for various functions. The isotopes can also cause many problems. The question is whether the isotopes give more than it takes away. As a chemistry student, I feel that radioisotopes are very important. They are the reasons why such advance technologies in medicine and energy are available. Even though there are negative aspects in using the radioisotopes, the benefits outweigh the downsides. Radioisotopes can kill the patient when applied too much dosage, but without radioisotopes, there may not have been a chance for recovery. That should make incentive for more research to go into radioisotopes and making them safer. There is no reason to be afraid of them. With more research, the safety of using radioisotopes can be increased. There are present dangers to using radioisotopes but it is still beneficial to use them

The Character of Sebastian in Shakespeares Twelfth Night: Essay

The Character of Sebastian in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night:      Ã‚  Ã‚   Sebastian's presence in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: or What You Will is a vexation. More pointedly, it is his sudden marriage to Olivia which troubles me so. Was he written in to give a parallel storyline between Olivia and Viola? Was he a convenient way to have a double wedding, which Shakespeare seemed to prefer for his happy endings? Or, could there be some other meaning to Sebastian?    The last day of the Christmas season is January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, when Christ was revealed to the world in the personage of the Magi. The evening before is called Twelfth Night, the most "riotous" holiday of the year for Elizabethans (Singman 61). Supposedly, the classes changed places for the day. Servants lorded over their masters; higher order clergy served the lowly priests; children were free of rules. Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night probably in 1600, and performed it on January 6, 1601 for Queen Elizabeth and her guests, one of which was Don Virginio Orsino, Duke of Bracciano (Halliday 154). F. E. Halliday believes it possible that Shakespeare changed the name of the Duke of Illyria to Orsino in tribute to Don Orsino (155).    Twelfth Night was based on Barnabe Riche's story of Apollonius and Silla. Silla falls in love with Apollonius and follows him back to Constantinople. She is shipwrecked, and is saved by clinging to a chest containing the lecherous captain's clothing. For safety, since her servant, Pedro, has drowned, she dons the men's clothing; calls herself Silvio after her twin brother; and goes into the service of Apollonius. Apollonius asks her to woo Julina for him, but Julina falls in love with Sill... ...tic, Golden Comedies.    WORKS CITED Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books-Penguin Putnam, 1998. Halliday, F.E. Shakespeare. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1961. Riche, Barnabe. "Apollonius and Silla." Riche: His Farewell to  Ã‚   Military Profession. 1581. William Shakespeare: Four Comedies.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ed. David Bevington. Toronto: Bantam-Scott, Foresman and     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Company,   1988. 524-546. Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. Ed. David Bevington.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Toronto: Bantam-Scott, Foresman and Company, 1988. 283-377.   Twelfth Night. Ed. David Bennington. Toronto: Bantam-Scott, Foresman   and Company, 1998. 427-517. Singman, Jeffrey L. Daily Life in Elizabethan England. Greenwood Press.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Daily Life Through History" series. Westport, CT: Greenwood  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Press, 1995.   

Ethnic Drinking Subcultures Essay

Says : Cultures have been able to integrate drinking into a religious and symbolic context. Irish tend to have a serious drinking problem with drinking; Jews and Italians do not. There are two psychological explanations to be found for alcoholism-cultural and psychological. In a culture in which the demands for male supportiveness are high and there is low support for assertiveness in the male role, the author argues that drinking increases in men at least. The author also discuss the influence of drinking socialization on drinking patterns. Does : It provides the background knowledge required to understand the contents of the book. It introduces the proposition through specialized, concrete and qualitative premises. Chapter Three (Page 36-52) Says : Different cultures are evaluated on the he characteristics of power and support. The Irish and Italians are high on power and support, while the Swedes and Jews are low. Italians and Jews are high on support than are Irish and Swedes. On this basis, it can expected that the groups would rank themselves in terms of alcohol consumption in the following order : irish, Swedes, Italians, Jews. Thus, there is a striking difference in the drinking environment of each drinking group. Does : It provides reasons in support of the proposition. It provides concrete and qualitative examples. It also provides several descriptive examples and qualitative evidence. Chapter Six (Page 83-89) Says : The chapter examines whether the different ethnic groups may have different ‘addiction’ subcultures. The Irish may drink more because they have an ‘oral dependency’ subculture. While various groups do not differ enormously in their adolescent years in their levels of drug consumption, young people from the different groups seem to find their way into peer-group environments where the propensity to abuse alcohol and drugs is high. Does : It provides several specialized and concrete research findings. It introduces several implications of the proposition. Chapter Eight (Page 95-101) Says : There are different drinking subcultures among ethnic groups studied, which influence the drinking behavior and ones propensity to have drinking problems. These cultures are remarkably durable, persisting across generations. Does : It provides a conclusion for the book, and highlights the most important facts related to drinking and ethnicity.

Essay about Architectural Forms in the Mannerist Period

During the Mannerist period, architects experimented with using architectural forms to emphasize solid and spatial relationships. The Renaissance ideal of harmony, gave way to freer and more imaginative rhythms. During the High Renaissance, architectural concepts derived from classical ancient times were developed, and used with bigger surety. The most representative architect is Bramante (1444–1514), who expanded the applicability of classical architecture to contemporary buildings in a style that was to control Italian architecture in the sixteenth century. During the Mannerist period, however, architects experimented with using architectural forms to stress on solid and spatial relationships. Specifically, in Mannerist architecture,†¦show more content†¦Giulio Romano (1499–1546), was a pupil of Raphael, assisting him on various works for the Vatican. Romano was also a highly inventive designer, working for Federico II Gonzaga at Mantua on the Palazzo Te (1524–1534), a project which combined his skills as architect, sculptor, and painter. In this work, which integrated garden grottoes and extensive frescoes, he uses illusionistic effects, surprising combinations of architectural form and texture, and the frequent use of features that seem somewhat unbalanced or out of alignment. Michelangelos architectural fame lies chiefly in St Peters Basilica in Rome. St Peters was the greatest creation of the Renaissance, and a great number of architects contributed their skills to it. But at its conclusion there was more of Michelangelo’s design than of any other architect. When he took over the project in 1546 Michelangelo integrated Bramante’s Greek-cross plan and redesigned the piers, the walls, and the dome, giving the lower weight-bearing members huge proportions and eliminating the encircling aisles from the chancel and identical transept arms. Michelangelo’s dome was a masterpiece of design using two masonry shells, one within the other and crowned by a massive lantern supported, as at Florence on ribs .For the exterior of the building, he designed a giant order which defines every external bay. The full lot is held together by a wide cornice which runsShow MoreRelatedRenaissance Architecture Vs Gothic Architecture1390 Words   |  6 PagesR enaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 14th and early 17th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. 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The revival was begun by Cimabue and completed by Giotto, who equalled the ancient paintersRead MoreEssay on Art from Baroque Period Through the Postmodern Era1486 Words   |  6 PagesArt from Baroque Period through the Postmodern Era Renaissance art history began as civic history; it was an expression of civic pride. The first such history was Filippo Villanis De origine civitatis Florentiae et eiusdem famosis civibus, written about 1381-82. Florentine artists revived an art that was almost dead, Villani asserts, just as Dante had restored poetry after its decline in the Middle Ages. The revival was begun by Cimabue and completed by Giotto, who equalled the ancient paintersRead MoreArchitecture Of Europe During The Eighteenth Century2650 Words   |  11 PagesDuring the fifteenth century, architecture in Europe underwent a dramatic change in architectural styles, transitioning from Gothic to Renaissance. However for Italy, who had substantially less involvement with Gothic compared to other countries in Europe such as France, not only revolutionised in terms of architecture but also in terms of their social and economic state. With Italy positioned between Western Europe and Byzantium on the east, it acted as th e trade hub for products coming out of theRead More leadership theories and analysis Essay2506 Words   |  11 Pages The Renaissance was a rebirth of cultural awareness and learning that took place during 1400 - 1500. Art became a branch of learning during the Renaissance. It was a period of time when art was very important. Artists had finally recaptured the amazing detail and realism that the Greeks and Romans perfected. Artists broke boundaries with new exciting mediums and bright colors. Filippo Brunelleschi permitted artists to decide the proportional size of a figure by inventing the vanishing point perspective