Monday, April 13, 2020

10 Words for Categories of Words

10 Words for Categories of Words 10 Words for Categories of Words 10 Words for Categories of Words By Mark Nichol Antonym, homonym, pseudonym. Do nyms make you numb? Here’s a handy guide to words, familiar or unfamiliar, for classes of words: Acronym: An abbreviation, pronounced as a word, consisting of the initial letters of a multiword name or expression. It can consist entirely of uppercase letters (NASA) –thought British English has adopted an initial-cap style, which is employed in American English for longer acronyms like Nasdaq or lowercase letters (radar); the latter are also known as anacronyms. Anepronym: A trademarked brand name now used generically, such as aspirin or kleenex. Antonym: A word distinguished from another with an opposite meaning, such as large, as compared to small. There’s also a class of words called autoantonyms, contranyms, or contronyms, single words with contrasting meanings, like oversight, which can mean either â€Å"responsibility for† or â€Å"failure to be responsible for.† Eponym: A proper or common name deriving from another name, as San Francisco (in honor of St. Francis) or many scientific terms, such as watt (named after James Watt) and volt (from Allesandro Volta). Heteronym: A word spelled the same way for different meanings, such as wear (to clothe oneself) as opposed to wear (to atrophy); sometimes, as in this case, however, they have the same origin. A heteronym can be pronounced differently depending on meaning, such as bass, the musical instrument, and bass, the fish; this type of word is also called a heterophone. Homonym: A word pronounced or spelled the same but different in meaning, like hi and high (also called homophones). Bass, referred to above, is both a heteronym and a homonym. (Does that make it a binym or a duonym?) The homonym sow, which can mean a female animal such as a pig or can refer to planting seeds, is also a homograph, meaning that not only its pronunciation but also its origin and definition can differ. Metonym: A term that identifies something by its association: Articles about Microsoft often used to refer to the company metonymically as Redmond, the city in Washington State where its headquarters are located, just as Washington stands in for the U.S. government. Pseudonym: A name adopted by an author, such as Charles Lutwidge Dodgson’s use of Lewis Carroll. In a literary context, this is often referred to as a nom de plume (â€Å"name of the pen†). A related term is nom de guerre (â€Å"name of war†), originally in reference to French Foreign Legion enlistees who masked their identities but since then employed by guerrilla fighters to avoid reprisals against their families. Other examples of pseudonyms include stage names (performing arts), ring names (professional wrestling), and handles (computer hacking, or CB or ham radio operation). Synonym: A word with the same meaning as another, such as small, as compared to little. Toponym: A place name, whether it retains capitalization, or is lowercased in generic usage, such as burgundy. Dozens of other -nym words exist many for, as you might imagine, obscure classes of words. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?Rules for Capitalization in TitlesParticular vs. Specific

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Understanding Corium and Radioactivity After a Meltdown

Understanding Corium and Radioactivity After a Meltdown The most dangerous radioactive waste in the world is likely the Elephants Foot, the name given to the solid flow from the nuclear meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986. The accident occurred during a routine test when a power surge triggered an emergency shutdown that didnt go as planned. Chernobyl The core temperature of the reactor rose, causing an even greater power surge, and the control rods that might otherwise have managed the reaction were inserted too late to help. The heat and power rose to the point where the water used to cool the reactor vaporized, generating pressure that blew the reactor assembly apart in a powerful explosion.   With no means to cool the reaction, the temperature ran out of control. A second explosion threw part of the radioactive core into the air, showering the area with radiation and starting fires. The core began to melt, producing a material resembling hot lava- except that it was also wildly radioactive. As molten sludge oozed through the remaining pipes and melted concrete, it eventually hardened into a mass resembling the foot of an elephant or, to some viewers, Medusa, the monstrous Gorgon from Greek mythology. Elephants Foot The Elephants Foot was discovered by workers in December 1986. It was both physically hot and nuclear-hot, radioactive to the point that approaching it for more than a few seconds constituted a death sentence. Scientists put a camera on a wheel and pushed it out to photograph and study the mass. A few brave souls went out to the mass to take samples for analysis. Corium What researchers discovered was that the Elephants Foot was not, as some had expected, the remnants of the nuclear fuel.  Instead, it was a mass of melted concrete, core shielding, and sand, all mixed together. The material was named corium after the portion of the reactor that produced it.   The Elephants Foot changed over time, puffing out dust, cracking, and decomposing, yet even as it did, it remained too hot for humans to approach. Chemical Composition Scientists analyzed the composition of corium to determine how it formed and the true danger it represents. They learned that the material formed from a series of processes, from the initial melting of the nuclear core into the Zircaloy (a trademarked zirconium alloy) cladding to the mixture with sand and concrete silicates to a final lamination as the lava melted through floors, solidifying. Corium is essentially a heterogeneous silicate glass containing inclusions: uranium oxides (from the fuel pellets)uranium oxides with zirconium (from the melting of the core into the cladding)zirconium oxides with uraniumzirconium-uranium oxide (Zr- U-O)zirconium silicate with up to 10% uranium [(Zr,U)SiO4, which is called chernobylite]calcium aluminosilicatesmetalsmaller amounts of sodium oxide and magnesium oxide If you were to look at the corium, youd see black and brown ceramic, slag, pumice, and metal. Is It Still Hot? The nature of radioisotopes is that they decay into more stable isotopes over time. However, the decay scheme for some elements might be slow, plus the daughter, or product, of decay might also be radioactive.   The corium of the Elephants Foot was considerably lower 10 years after the accident but still insanely dangerous. At the 10-year point, radiation from the corium was down to 1/10th its initial value, but the mass remained physically hot enough and emitted enough radiation that 500 seconds of exposure would produce radiation sickness and about an hour was lethal. The intention was to contain the Elephants Foot by 2015 in an effort to diminish its environmental threat level. However, such containment doesnt make it safe. The corium of the Elephants Foot might not be as active as it was, but its still generating heat and still melting down into the base of Chernobyl. Should it manage to find water, another explosion could result. Even if no explosion occurred, the reaction would contaminate the water. The Elephants Foot will cool over time, but it will remain radioactive and (if you were able to touch it) warm for centuries to come. Other Sources of Corium Chernobyl isnt the only nuclear accident to produce corium. Gray corium with patches of yellow also formed in partial meltdowns at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in the U.S. in March 1979 and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan in March 2011. Glass produced from atomic tests, such as trinitite, is similar.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Case Study - Assignment Example He uses persuasion rather than his authority, a factor that portrays him as a being more of a leader than a manager. A leader motivates people to work together as a team and motivates them to work towards a common aim. This is evident from the case as Terrill tells the employees that he will try keep of their back so that they can be free to work. This is in contrast to a manager who would want to be involved in the activities of the workers and closely supervise their work. Another reason that makes Terrill a leader is his use of communication and leadership skills to influence behavior of the employees and direct them. He holds actively engages the workers in discussions, listens to their problems, and uses his leadership skills to guide them on the way forward. This is in contrast to a manager who uses his formal authority to get things done. Just like a leader, Terrill is always keen to ensure that the decisions made by him are well communicated to the employees and that they are in agreement. A leader will make and support decisions from top down and from down up. In most cases, a manager will only implement decisions from the top management. The workers are allowed to air out their views and opinions before any final decision is made. The willingness to communicate honestly: The first step that Terrill takes is to have an honest conversation with the employees. This enables him to listen to their grievances and ensures that they feel free to air them out. This enables him to identify problems before they manifest themselves in the department. Willingness to take risks: At one time, John Terrill calls for a meeting with the employees and after he hears their grievances, he tells them to drop the reports to his office, which was against the company’s policy. Through this, he shows his willingness to take the risk to prove a point to the top management. A leader should be strategically focused: A good leader needs to focus on

Friday, February 7, 2020

Biology - Plant Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Biology - Plant Diversity - Essay Example The most important of all radiations for land plants occurred in the early Devonian period. This was when the first rhyniophytes appeared in the fossil record and made this fossil discovery very important for paleobotany. They had some distinguishing features such as their reproductive structures which contributed to their success. Some important species that dominated their eco-system included anthropods and sporopytes and gametophytes. 2. Describe and discuss the third land flora (the â€Å"Gymnosperm Flora†) that evolved on Earth. Your answer should include the following: †¢ references to geologic time of origin and/or decline, †¢ factors that may have influenced its distribution, success and/or decline, †¢ names and brief descriptions of the most important plants that dominated this flora. Gymnosperm flora Gymnosperms are known as primitive seed plants. Their evolutionary history is long. Gymnosperms appeared in the Paleozoic and then soon became the most do minant plants world over in the Mesozoic and Caenozoic periods. They were also seen in the Tertiary Period, survived the Glacial period and have multiplied till date. While gymnosperms are only 0.36% of angiosperms, they are seen in vast areas in coniferous forests and are widely distributed world over. They are found in great abundance in China in particular. Their leaves are needlelike and evergreen. They can produce cones. A very important feature of gymnosperms is that their female sex germs reside in the ovules as in regular flowers. However the ovules are not enclosed inside the flower’s ovaries as is found in most flowering plants. It should be noted though that gymnosperms don’t produce fruits. In the biological terms, fruits are produced from maturing flower ovaries where the seeds develop in the ovules inside the ovaries. They are found in vast quantities in coniferous forests which have straight tree trunks and high timber yield of gymnosperm plants. Thuja s utchuenensis, an important specie of gymnosperm is extinct. Cycas revoluta, C. taiwaniana and C. szechuanensis, three other species of the plant are now the only cultivated plants. Some other species are as following: Cycas multipinnata, Keteleeria pubescens, K. oblonga, K. hainanensis, Abies beshanzuensis, A. yuanbaoshanensis, Picea likiangensis var. montigena, P. neoveitchii, Larix chinensis, Pseudotsuga brevifolia, Pinus squamata, Cephalotaxus lanceolata, Amentotaxus formosana and A. yunnanensis. (Cummings) Most of the aforementioned species are critically endangered and nowhere to be found today. 3. Describe and discuss the fourth land flora (the â€Å"Angiosperm Flora†) that evolved on Earth. Your answer should include the following: †¢ references to geologic time of origin, †¢ factors that may have influenced its distribution and success, (Hint: pollination and seed dispersal mechanisms, including convolution of the animal groups often involved in these mechan isms, should be a prominent feature of your answer.) †¢ Names and brief descriptions of some of the most important types of plants that dominate this flora. The evolution of angiosperms is a matter of great mystery to date. There are a lot of issues concerning their evolution today. There are speculations regarding their time of origin, the

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Personal Ethics Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Ethics Statement Essay After taking the Ethical Lens Inventory, I have discovered that my personal lens is the Results Lens. Upon further reading I discovered how that translated into my values, strengths, weaknesses, and my blind spot as well as how to see more clearly. The key phrase for those with the Results Lens is â€Å"I make choices that are good for everyone. † The values and strengths associated with the Results lens are the core values, the classical values, and the definition of ethical behavior, the tools for analyzing problems, and the gift. Core values are autonomy over equality, and protecting individual rights, and prioritizing value of sensibility over rationality. It is better to examine each situation in its own context rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. The classical value is prudence by demonstrating wisdom, foresight, optimism, imagination, and the gift of entrepreneurship. Creating the greatest good is my lens type’s definition of ethical behavior, by seeking win-win results. Experience provides the tool for analyzing problems, by considering multiple perspectives and focusing on what is really happening to consider solutions that make many people happy. Free will is the gift associated with the Results Lens. Because of the value of autonomy, we are self-reliant and accountable. We want this freedom for each person to seek their ideal goals in life. The Results Lens also has its weaknesses such as a blind spot, expedience, risk, greed, and also failure. The blind spot for this lens type is becoming satisfied with too little good. We fail to be accountable to those that are depending on us when we exercise our free will. As long as our needs are met we can become complacent. Our temptation is expedience by not paying attention we can be tempted to base our actions on what is politic or advantageous rather than what is right. Reducing decisions to a cost-benefit analysis is this lenses biggest risk. We need to ensure that all have free will or we run the risk of reducing decisions to narrow and purely financial cost-benefit analysis. The vice for the Results Lens is becoming greedy. If we fail to exercise free will responsibly our pursuit of good for all can devolve into an excuse for taking as much for ourselves as we can get away with. Failure is this lenses major crisis. If we fail to develop the practice of mindfulness and reflection we will face failure. No one can accomplish or acquire everything, and the more you do the less satisfying it can become. Our acquisitiveness could be driving people away from us. In conclusion, in order for people who fall under the Results Lens to see clearly, we must use our head, check to see if our gut and head agree. To find a proper balance we need to explore the gifts of the other lenses such as consistency and concern for the whole community. As we learn to consider other perspectives in our decision-making process, we will live out the best of our ideals with compassion and care for others.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Camping: The Best Family Vacation Essay examples -- Argumentative Essa

While growing up for most family vacations my family and I would go camping in the woods. Camping is one of my all time favorite things to do. While camping, I love going on hikes and seeing the beauty of the world around us. I love the fresh air and smell of the pine trees. I love just sitting around a campfire at night, smelling the burning wood, staring at the bright fire with the darkness of the night all around up, looking up and seeing all the beautiful bright stars glowing in the dark night sky. I love the sounds you hear, the crackling of the fire, maybe wild animals, a wolf howl or birds chirping or maybe nothing at all, just complete silence away from the worlds. Camping and being in the woods is like being taken to another planet away from the fast paced world we live in. People may not know that camping can be lots fun and has other benefits. Camping is a very good idea for a family vacation. Everyone should go camping because it provides you time to relax and to get aw ay from the stress of life, it gets you away from technology, and gives you an opportunity to get physical activity in the fresh air. How often do you get away from the world and take time to relax? According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, most people are effected by stress in some way or another. Acute (sudden or short-term) stress leads to fast changes throughout the body and almost all of the body systems, including the heart and blood vessels, immune system, lungs, digestive system, sensory organs, and brain, prepare for danger. This responses could be very beneficial in a life-or-death situation but over time repeated stressful situations put a strain on the body. The repeat stressful situation is called chronic (long-term) stress... ...e-to-face interactions. Overall, camping gets you away from the fast-paced world and provides time to relax, exercise and have loads fun at the same time. Works Cited Adler, Emily. â€Å"Social Media Engagement: The Surprising Facts About How Much Time People Spend On The Major Social Networks†. Buisness Insider. N.p., 15 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 Jan. 2014. "American Time Use Survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics. N.p., 20 Jun 2013. Web. 17 Jan 2014. "Overweight and Obesity." Center of Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., 16 Aug 2013. Web. 15 Jan 2014. "Stress." University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., 30 Jan 2013. Web. 17 Jan 2014. W., Thomas. â€Å"Negative Effects of Technology on Society†. Obloolo. N.p., 19 May 2009. Web. 15 Jan 2014. "Physical Activity Improves Quality of Life." American Heart Association. N.p., 22 March 2013. Web. 15 Jan 2014.

Monday, January 13, 2020

American Red Cross: Decision For New Building

The American Red Cross is one of the very busy organizations operating both inside the country as well as in international locations. But this does not impede the movement of the internal operation of the organization that ensures that the American Red Cross is always accessible and amenable to new developments that can help it perform better as an international aid and assistance organization. One of the recent internal decisions that the organization made was the transferring of some of its sections to another location from its former business address.The transfer will have South Central Division changing its office address, as well as key laboratory facilities and divisions of the American Red Cross including the National Testing Lab or the NTL as well as the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. The previous office address of the three offices is found in 4050 Lindell Boulevard in St. Louis (American Red Cross Blood, 2008). Once the building is completed, they will transfer to a new office found in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) campus.The start of the timeline of this project can be attributed to the time when a study conducted six years before the official announcement of the transfer was made, yielding results that include the identification of the need for important facelift in the buildings that houses important sections of the organization, including the blood manufacturing and blood processing section. The next important point in the timeline of this project came two years ago, marking the selection of the current location after a painstaking process of narrowing down prospective location candidates that will house the new building (American Red Cross, 2008).This decision no doubt has financial implications, including the identification of important and key costs that will surface before the project reaches completion. The two relevant costs for this particular decision of the American Red Cross to transfer to another establishme nt will include the cost of the construction of the building and the cost of the new technology that the American Red Cross will bring inside the building since the creation of the building is also a move to have the organization catch up with the available latest technology for its laboratories.While the American Red Cross has not yet identified the official cost of the project, the public may have an idea already if they will base it from the previous American Red Cross projects that involve the erecting of new buildings or the purchasing of existing establishment for the organization. In 1917, the group started shopping for its first national headquarters office, and the money that was used to pay for it came from the government and from private individuals and institutions.The result was a building budgeted at $854,897. 01. A memorial building for the organization followed in 1930, the cost of which pegged at $780,000. There is also the Fiftieth Anniversary Office Building which officially opened its doors on July 7, 1932 after the building project was completed to the tune of $850,000, again shouldered by the government and private groups.Considering the changes in the value of the US dollar and the current costs of building construction and the amenities of the said building, it is easy to say that the new building will amount to not less than 5 million US dollars at the very least (RedCross. org, 2008). There are also some non-relevant costs in this decision, two of which includes the costs of the operation of the American Red Cross for its outreach programs inside the country and for its international operation, and the costs of the education campaign that the American Red Cross is undertaking all year long.The costs of these two particular aspect of the American Red Cross operation is non-relevant to the recently-made decision because this aspect of the operation of the organization is in no way connected to the move of the American Red Cross, since t he move will only involve part of the organization’s laboratory work, including the installation of the equipment necessary for blood testing as well as blood manufacturing.All in all, the probable result(s) of this move will include the improvement of the operation of the group, as well as the shouldering of financial costs of the building if it is burdened to pay such amount in the long term. There are implications rising from this result(s), and it would include operation and financial implications made about by this development. References: American Red Cross (2008). Retrieved May 12, 2008, from http://www. redcross. org/ American Red Cross Blood (2008).American Red Cross Blood Services Relocation Announcement. Retrieved May 12, 2008, from http://americanredcrossblood. org/News/NewsReleases/NewsReleaseViewer/tabid/97/ArticleID/120/CBModuleId/428/Default. aspx Handal, Kathleen A. (1992). The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook. American Red Cross. Boston: Litt le Brown. Red Cross. org (2008). Red Cross Square: Headquarters of the American Red Cross. Retrieved May12, 2008, from http://www. redcross. org/museum/history/square. asp