Tu Jahan

Laayla Muhammad
Block 1
May 23, 2007

“Tu Jahan” (wherever you are)

The song “Tu Jahan” by the movie Salaam Namaste can be classified as a Romantic song. Romanticism is the emphasis on the personal emotional and dramatic aspects of historical subject matter. When implying such a concept to this song, it becomes easier to view the details that make it true. This Pakistani Punjabi song is composed of lyrics that show a story about two lovers who are deeply in love with one another. Both individuals are expressing their love for one another in the most maudlin way ever. They are using metaphors and analogies to compare the strength of the love they have for each other. Both lovers take turns expressing their emotions and it becomes clear to the listeners, that due to heavy exaggerations and dramatic comparisons, this song is an example of Romanticism at its peak.
The song starts out with the chorus, which sets the mood of the song instantly. With a dramatic phrase such as, “I will walk alongside you, just like the sky” it shows why one could consider this song to be Romantic. Instead of just stating that he will always be there for her, he compares his presence’s existence to the sky. As the song continues to play, analogies used in the 1st verse exposes the emotional tone it holds. The lover expresses his care by stating that he will protect her from the sun by becoming her shade rather than just stating he will be there for her in need. He emphasizes his presence around her to comfort her, and uses examples such as being her shadow when she is alone and bringing relief to her when she is in distress. Immediately, the girl starts singing with a dramatic tone, explaining how she can finally live now that he is here with her. She compares the joy she feels to a net of happiness and claims that she has either lost herself, or has found everything she’s been seeking. Such a statement reveals the over-sentimental tone of the poem once again.
The 2nd verse of the song begins with the lover showing the sacrifices he can make in order to ensure that the love of his life is in comfort and ease. He states “let the sorrows be cast on me” and “let me tackle with the restlessness” as if he has the ability to handle not only his, but her problems as well. He informs her that if anything hurts her, she can let it “befall” on him. His words seem fancy and make him seem like a heroic Romeo who is ready to rescue his Juliet. With that said; the female lover responses by stating that her heart just wanted someone to claim and she wanted no secrets to exist between the two. She compares what she’s experiencing to a dream and tries not to wake up. Once again, the female is in a utopian environment where she feels content enough to compare it to being in a dream.
Such phrases seem to take the listeners to a fantasy story-line where two lovers are in a world of their own where nothing else matters. The male lover supposedly is some heroic man who can bare any trouble that comes his way and the female lover is in some sort of dream land, strangled in a net of what else, but happiness. It seems pretty obvious to the readers that the two have excessive love for one another. The song reminds listeners about theatrical plays such as “Romeo and Juliet” and “MacBeth” where dramatic aspects of a relationship are emphasized greatly. Unlike Realism, the lovers aren’t focusing on matters that could benefit them in a relationship. Instead, they are talking about the sun, skies, and dreams. The chorus states how wherever one of them is, the other one will be there, which is obviously impossible. Emphasis on the emotional and expressive lyrics of this song categorizes it to fall under Romanticism.

Utilitarian & Kantian Analysis

Laayla Muhammad
Ethics – Philo 241
Utilitarian & Kantian Analysis
The morally right action to take in everyday life experiences can be determined using various methods such as Utilitarian and Kantian analysis. Each of these methods help one arrive at a predicament in how to act accordingly to given situations. In this case, Tip and Top, both detectives, are dealing with a situation where they are thinking of acting a certain way but aren’t sure if it will provide the most utility at the end. They wish to get Zip, a dangerous criminal off the street; because they are convinced he is guilty. The only problem is that if they follow the legal rules they are to follow and provide Zip with a lawyer, they will not get a conviction out of him and therefore, will lose the case. Zip will be back on the street and will be selling drugs to children once again. Coercing a confession seems like a right decision, but also a wrong thing to do. Using Utilitarian and Kantian analysis, Tip and Top can arrive at a solution that produces the most utility.
The utilitarian analysis consists of one considering all the options one has and also acknowledging the consequences for all the choices. Each consequence helps determine the utility and the probability, which helps the person make the right decision at the end. Tip and Top’s options in this situation consists of summoning a lawyer and not coercing a confession, or not summoning a lawyer and coercing a confession. If Tip and Top decide to summon a lawyer, the consequences of that action will be either that Zip is back on the streets or that Zip is still found guilty. Not summoning up a lawyer will result in either locking up Zip in prison or getting caught if Zip does end up making a report about such harassment. Every consequence produces a certain amount of utility, but the main component lies in the probability of those consequences ever taking place. When summoning a lawyer, the utility of Zip being back on the streets is low while the probability of that happening is near certainty. In contrast, if Zip is still found guilty, the utility would be higher than high because they did the “right thing” and were able to get what they wanted, yet the probability of this consequence is lower than low. When not summoning a lawyer for Zip, the consequence of locking up Zip and the drug ring has high amount of utility and probability while Zip reporting them to another authority produces a low utility and has low probability. Therefore, according to the Utilitarianism analysis, the right thing to do would be to not summon up a lawyer and most likely, Zip will be locked up and the drug ring will finally end.
The Kantian Analysis helps one execute the right decision through the categorical imperative procedure, known as the CI procedure. It consists of certain steps that one needs to take in order to get to arrive at a solution. Tip and Top will need to create a maxim and fill out the form, “I am to do x in circumstances y in order to promote z.” In this case, they are to refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. Next step involves generalizing the maxim so that everyone is to do x in circumstances y in order to promote z. In this case, everyone is to refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. Third step states that the maxim should be transformed into a law of nature so everyone always does x in circumstances y in order to promote Z. Therefore, everyone should refuse the request to summon a lawyer and coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote the goal of decreasing violence and drug abuse in society. The next step involves figuring out the perturbed social world in where one asks himself the question, “what would the world be like with the new law of nature?” In this step, the new law is common knowledge. In this case, if everyone knew that detectives would not summon a lawyer and instead would coerce a confession in circumstances that it will enable them to get a dangerous criminal off the street and break up a drug ring, in order to promote decreasing of violence and drug abuse, they would not even have lawyers to begin with and innocent people would be found guilty regardless of any evidence. One of the two main questions to ask afterwards is, “Could I rationally act on my maxim in the PSW?” This is where Tip and Top would consider that in the PSW, refusing to summon up a lawyer and coercing a confession in circumstances where it will enable them to get a criminal off the street and break up a drug ring will be effective in order to decrease violence and drug abuse in society. If effective, they should move on to the next consideration in which they should ask themselves, “Could I rationally choose to live in the PSW?” The answer to this would be “no” because Tip and Top would not choose to live in a world where they could be innocent and yet would be forced into confessing something they haven’t done without any legal help from their lawyer because if they did so, it would not be rational.

Difference in Carbon Dioxide Production

Laayla Muhammad

Differences in Carbon Dioxide Production

Problem: Do the variations in levels of physical activity alter the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by a person?

Hypothesis: If a person who’s physically active has a higher pulse due to his/her heart pumping faster; then the different levels of physical activity do play a role in altering the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by that person because an active individual will require more oxygen and therefore, produce more carbon dioxide.

Procedure (including materials):
1. Gather all materials, which in this experiment are: a 125 mL flask, bromthymol blue, a 50 mL beaker, water, 2 straws, a stop watch, and two individuals (for testing reasons).
2. Fill a 125 mL flask with bromthymol blue
3. Fill a beaker with about 20-40 mL of water
4. Using a straw, exhale air (carbon dioxide) into a flask containing the bromthymol blue.
5. Use a stop watch o record the amount of time it takes to change the solution to green (a point it becomes acidic).
6. Record (by observation) the color of the solution, which is the end point for that trial.
7. Now change the acidic solution back to basic by adding drops of water (as needed). Record the number of drops.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 using a different person, and a different straw.
9. Now do trials 3 and 4 using the same people, but after they have stayed active for about 1 minute.
10. Record all data.

Data:

Trials Physically Active? Time it took for solution to become acidic (minutes) Average time it took for solution to become acidic (minutes) Drops of water it took the solution to become basic again
1
No
5:14

4:62 20

2
No
4:10
18

3
Yes
2:24

1.63 15

4
Yes 1:02 11

Conclusion:

To experimentally find out if a person who’s physically active has a higher pulse due to his/her heart pumping faster; it was hypothesized that the different levels of physical activity do play a role in altering the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by that person because an active individual will require more oxygen and therefore, produce more carbon dioxide. According to the data collected from the numerous trials during the experiment, the hypothesis was discovered to be correct. This can be proven by scrutinizing the trials by comparing them. Both individuals, when inactive, took more time changing the basic solution to acidic with the average time of 4 minutes and 62 seconds. Yet, when the same individuals became active for about 1 minute, it took them only about average of 1 minute and 63 seconds to change the solution to acidic. The difference of time between the two types of collected data is 3 minutes and 59 seconds. This shows that an active person will produce about 4 times the carbon dioxide than an inactive person.
There could have been several errors made while performing this experiment. One of the errors includes the fact that not all trials had the same end point when it came to observing when the solution was completely acidic. Maybe at one point, the solution was claimed to be acidic as it turned light green while some other time, it was claimed acidic when turning yellow. This could have prevented us from recording an accurate data, where the time taken for the color changes could not be reliable. Another error that could have taken place was that we did not count for the number of breaks a person took while blowing. The first person could have taken 14 short breaks while the other person could have taken 14 long ones. When active, a person would probably take more frequent breaks. Another error that could have altered the solutions was the drops of water used to change the solution back to basic. Maybe there were not enough drops put into the beaker that would cause the solution to still remain a bit acidic, and change to a light greenish color very quickly. An error that could have been easily prevented was that one of the persons was chewing Winter Fresh gum while performing the experiment. That could have altered the acidity of the carbon dioxide going in the solution, which could have caused the solution to become acidic slower. All these errors could have affected the time it took for the solution to become acidic.
I have learned that an active person undergoes a higher amount of heart pulses, which causes him/her to intake oxygen more frequently, and therefore, release more carbon dioxide. It would be interesting to figure out whether the types of active workout affect how much carbon dioxide will be produced and also if a person with an active life has the ability to control his/her heart pulse in a “resting” stage and therefore, be able to produce less carbon dioxide.

Corrections for Exam 2 - Bio 203

Laayla Muhammad
Corrections for Exam 2

Question 3:
Arrange the following in the proper order from the deepest (1) to most superficial (4).

The deepest layer (1) is the endomysium since it surrounds the skeletal muscle cell (muscle fiber) and allows room for blood capillaries and nerve fibers to reach each muscle fiber. The second deepest layer is the perimysium, a thicker connective tissue sheath, as it separates each fascicle from neighboring ones. The third deepest layer is called the Epimysium since it actually covers the muscle as a whole. Therefore, the deep fascia (4) would have to be the least deep or most superficial layer of the muscle since it surrounds the actual muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels of the body.

Question 4:
Which three of the following descriptions apply to the dermal papillae?

The three of the following descriptions that apply to the dermal papillae are: a) they prevent slippage at dermal-epidermal boundary, d) they allow nerves and capillaries to come closer to the external surface of the body in some areas, and f) they allow regeneration of the stratum granulosum. All of these choices are true due to certain factual reasons. The boundary between the epidermis and the dermis is histologically conspicuous and usually wavy. The upward waves are fingerlike extensions of the dermis known as dermal papillae. The dermal and epidermal boundaries interlock like corrugated cardboard, which is an arrangement that resists slippage of the epidermis across the dermis. In highly sensitive areas such as the lips and the genitals, tall dermal papillae allow nerve fibers to reach close to the surface.

Question 13:
Match the muscle names with the naming criterion.

The muscle name known as transverses is not a location, but rather falls into the criterion of an orientation (5). The term itself means transverse, or in other words, situated or lying across. This term for example, is used in the muscle known as transverses abdominis.

Question 21:
Put the following events of endochrondral bone formation in the proper order.

Endochrondral bone formation involves several steps that occur in an order. (1) The first step involves chondrocyte hypertrophy and the formation of supportive bony collar. The osteoblast secretes osteoid against the shaft of the cartilage model, serving as support for the new bone. (2) The next step involves the invasion by blood vessels and creation of primary marrow space. Basically, a periosteal bud invades the cavity left by the chondrocytes and the vascularization carries osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and hemopoietic cells, which turn into bone marrow later inside. (3) Later, blood vessels grow into secondary marrow space in epiphyses. As growth develops, the proliferation of cartilage cells in the epiphyseal plate slows and stops. (4) After obliteration of the epiphyseal plate and mix of compact and trabecular bone, articular cartilage remains.

Question 22:
Match each of the joints in the following list to the joint type.

Interphalangeal joints are not condyloid joints, and in fact, are hinge joints (2). This is because the articular surfaces are moulded to each other to permit motion only in one plane, which is forward and backward; movements being extension and flexion. Altantoaxial is actually a pivot joint (4), since there is a pivot articulation between the odontoid process of the axis and the ring formed by the anterior arch and the transverse ligament of the atlas. Radiocarpal joint (wrist-joint) is a condyloid articulation (6) and allows three degrees of freedom. Movements that are permitted from this joint are flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, and circumduction, which the radiocarpal joint permits as well.

Question 26:
Which type of joint is found in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the vertebral column?

The type of joint that is found in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the vertebral column is symphyses (d), where two bones are joined by fibrocartilage. The joint between the bodies of two vertebrae, united by an intervertebral disc is an example of this type of joint. Therefore, each intervertebral disc permits only slight movement between adjacent vertebrae.

Question 27:
The tissues illustrated in the periphery of this cross-section of the esophagus are ...

The tissues illustrated in the periphery of this cross-section of the esophagus are a circular layer of smooth muscle surrounded by a longitudinal layer of smooth muscle (a). This is a single-unit smooth muscle and in many of the hollow viscera, it forms two or more layers, typically an inner circular layer, in which the myocytes encircle the organ and an outer longitudinal layer in which the myocytes run lengthwise along the organ. The myoctes of this type of muscle are electrically coupled to each other by gap junctions.

Question 33:
This image illustrates the relationship between nerve stimulus and muscle response. Which of the following statements is the best description of the relationship illustrated by the four graphs contained in this image?

The relationship illustrated by the four graphs contained in this image is represented by choice b) the strength of the contraction is increased when the frequency of stimulation by the nerve increases to the point where the muscle fiber cannot relax completely between twitches. The force of each twitch builds on the previous one. At high stimulus frequency, the muscle does not have time to relax at all between stimuli and exhibits a state of continual contraction with about four times as much tension as a single twitch. Therefore, tension declines as the muscle fatigues.

Question 36:
What is the functional advantage of a lack of a spinous process in C1?

The functional advantage of a lack of a spinous process in C1 is that the lateral movement of the spinous process is usually restricted by its articulation with the dorsal arch of the vertebra below it. Without it, the atlas is free to rotate (c). The spinous process provides points of attachment for ligaments and spinal muscles. Yet, the atlas does not have a body due to the fact that its body has fused with that of the next vertebra. Therefore, the atlas supports the globe of the head and is specialized to allow a greater range of motion than normal vertebrae. It allows one to nod his/her head to indicate “yes” for example.

Question 39:
Dermal papillae are numerous and form relatively high peaks in the palmar and plantar skin, but are more rare in the skin of the face and abdomen. Which of the following is an appropriate interpretation of this difference (check the 2 best answers)?

Dermal papillae form relatively high peaks in the palmar and planter skin when compared to the skin of the face and abdomen due to several reasons. The soles and palms are likely to be under shearing stress, so there is a great need to prevent slippage of the epidermis (a). The dermal and epidermal boundaries interlock like corrugated cardboard, which resists slippage of the epidermis across the dermis. There are also delicate furrows that divide the skin into tiny rectangular to rhomboid areas on hands and wrists that the dermal papillae is responsible of. In highly sensitive areas lips and genitals, tall dermal papillae allow nerve fibers to reach close to the surface. Therefore, it is important to have the papillae close to the surface to allow for a dense covering of body hair on these structures (d).

KANT Scholarship ESSAY!

An action that truly displays moral worth is one done solely from duty. This
action done from duty must also be one motivated in the right way and one that displays the good will. This action that displays moral worth is one done with respect for the moral law, and is done in the absence of any inclination. To further understand this claim, we must first investigate the definition of the good will. Philosopher Immanuel Kant believes that the good will is the only intrinsically good thing in our world. He argues that things like “courage, heroism, and resolve” can be used wrongly; and we know that happiness can’t be the foundation of morality as it is only good if it is gotten in a moral way. An example happiness being reach in an immoral way is a terrorist getting pleasure by murdering civilians. While this act may have produced to most happiness for the person, his happiness surely could not have been legitimate, as murdering someone is immoral. The “will” itself, is the ability of a person to make their own plans and decisions, and set their ends. A straightforward example of this is someone making the statement that, “I am going to be an engineer.” What makes this will “good” is not the end that it achieves but rather the intention, or motivation of the person using it. We can further state that a morally good intention is one in respect to duty alone, not one that might satisfy any desire. Kant exposes the good will and an example of an action that deserves moral praise through the investigation of a series of different situations.
In the series of situations set forth by Kant, we are dealing with a shopkeeper
selling candy to a young child. In the first situation, the shopkeeper overcharges the young lad, acting completely contrary to his duty. His actions neither comply with what is required of him nor display the good will. The second scenario presents the case in which the shopkeeper charges the boy the set price, but only because of some irrational self-interest. According to Kant, this action does not deserve moral praise because while the shopkeeper did perform the morally right action, he had immoral motives leading him to act in such a manner. In the third scenario, the shopkeeper is in an extra happy mood, and knows that acting out of good nature will only increase is own pleasure, so he charges the boy the set price. Although this shopkeeper’s actions did conform to duty, his personal inclinations led him to act in the manner that he did; giving us reason to state that his actions are of no moral worth. In the final scenario, the shopkeeper is in the most terrible of moods, as the jovial boy’s bounce in his step brings genuine pain to the shopkeeper. As the boy puts the money on the counter, the shopkeeper puts all inclinations aside and lets his good will shine by charging the child the set price. In this situation, we can see the good will in action, as the man was able to do the right thing
because it was the right thing to do, all hindrances aside. This, Kant would say, is an action done from duty.
This idea of acting from duty versus acting in conformity with duty is one that
Kant believes plays a pivotal role in whether or not an action is morally praiseworthy. According to Kant, an action done in accordance with duty is one in agreement with the requirements of duty, but not necessarily motivated in the right way. While this action may present itself as the morally good thing to do, it may still be done for the morally wrong reasons. An example of someone acting in accordance with duty but not from duty is a parent enrolling their child into school because he/she does not want other parents questioning his/her parenting practices. In this instance, while the parent is doing the right thing by giving their child the chance to an education, their action is backed by selfish motives. Kant claims that had the parents merely enrolled their kids because it was the right thing to do, their actions would have had some sort of moral worth.
An action done from duty is one that not only conforms to what duty requires of them, but is also motivated in the right sort of way. Kant suggests that an action done from duty not only merits “approval,” but “esteem,” as the person is using his resources to be beneficial but is not influenced by any inclinations. One example of one acting from duty is a completely distressed mother getting up at three in the morning to tend to her crying child. Recognizing the fact that the exhausted mother could have just as easily kept sleeping, she gets up nevertheless because she knows that her taking care of the child is the right thing to do. Another example of someone acting from duty is an exhausted husband taking his wife to the hospital after she goes into labor in the late hours of the night. Having just worked construction for twelve hours that day, the man is extremely tired and definitely not thrilled about getting up, but he nevertheless gets dressed and rushes his wife to the hospital as it is the right thing to do. Acting on no inclination, but rather out of respect for the moral law, Kant would say that these actions are actions done from duty.
Kant believes that we only deserve moral praise when we act from duty because
when we act from duty, we are using reason to dictate our actions. Along with using
reason, we are displaying a sense of autonomy in that we are capable of self-governing in moral matters and fully capable of doing the right thing. Upon using this autonomy, we are able to discover the moral law, and in turn act out of respect for it. Kant elaborates on this idea of acting out of respect by stating, “Only that which is connected with my will merely as a ground, never as an effect… can be an object of respect.” (pg. 16) This statement helps to further persuade us that the good will wants to follow moral law because of its respect for it. Kant believes that we can’t simply respect something because we want to, but rather, we must use reason to discover why we respect something. We can conclude that when an action is done in respect for the moral law, it not only displays the good will, but it is also done from duty.
Kant believes that respect for the moral law is completely separate from an
inclination like hunger or lust. He believes that acting on inclination is part of one’s animal instincts in that one acts because of a specific desire or motive. The difference that Kant attempts to expose between this and the respect for the moral law is that when acting in respect for the moral law, one is acting from duty and doesn’t necessarily want to do the action but does it simply because it is the right thing to do. We must also recognize Kant’s definition of acting in respect to something (as previously discussed); taking note that it involves using reason while acting on an inclination is purely psychological. Kant, therefore would disagree with the claim that one’s respect for the moral law is just another inclination.

Analysis of Alum KAl (SO4) 2 . 12H2O

Analysis of Alum KAl (SO4)2 . 12H2O

Laayla Muhammad
10/31/06 -11/01/06


Purpose: To do several tests to determine if the resulting crystals are really alum, to use a Thiele melting point tube to determine the melting point of synthesized sample of alum and to determine the amount of water in a synthesized sample of alum and also the percent sulfate in a synthesized sample of alum.

Procedure/Method: First I have to find the melting point of alum and to do that, I have to pulverize the small amount (0.5g) of dry alum. Then I’ll pack the alum in a capillary tube (1 cm) and cut a 1mm length of rubber tubing and fasten the capillary tube to a thermometer. Then I’ll fasten that to a ring stand. Next step is to immerse bottom of capillary and thermometer in a beaker of H2O and heat. I will have to remember to heat slowly as closer to the melting point to get an accurate value. Then I’ll record the temperature at which my alum crystals melt. I will compare the experimental & published values. Next I have to determine the amount of water of hydration in alum crystals. Then I’ll find the mass of crucible with the cover on a sensitive balance. I will add two grams of alum crystals to the crucible and then find the mass of crucible, the cover, and the crystal alums. I will heat and the alum crystals will melt and water of hydration will vaporize. After heating it for 5 minutes, I will cool and find the mass of crucible, cover, and anhydrous alum. I will calculate the mass driven off. Next step is to find the moles of anhydrous KAl (SO4)2 and the moles of H2O. Then I will calculate the ratio of moles H2O: moles KAl (SO4)2 and give the calculate formula of alum, KAl (SO4)2 * X H2O, where X = the ratio of moles H2O: moles KAl (SO4)2. I will compare the values with that of alum. Then I will determine the percent sulfate in alum by doing the following. I will use suction to pull distilled water through filter pad and dry it in oven. I will determine mass by a sensitive balance and measure the mass of filter paper. I will weigh 1 gram of alum into a 250 mL beaker and dissolve 50 mL of distilled water. Calculate volume of 0.2M Ba(NO3)2 and add twice this volume of Ba(NO3)2, stirring. I will heat and cool it over night. I will filter precipitate and use rubber policeman so that every particle is transferred from beaker into crucible. I will wash beaker and precipitate several times with small quantities of water and transfer filter crucible to beaker and dry in oven (at 500C so it doesn’t char). I will let it cool and mass it. That is how I will calculate the percent sulfate in alum and compare it to the value of its formula.


Data:

Melting Point (temperature in degrees Celsius) of alum crystals:

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average


90.0



90.1



90.3



90.13

The published data value for alum crystals melting point is 92.5 meaning our melting point was about 2.37 degrees Celsius off.

Massed Objects Mass (g)
Massed out crystals 2 grams
Crucible + Cover 30.1105 g
Crucible + Cover + Alum Crystals 32.1105 g
Crucible + Cover + Anhydrous Alum 31.1591 g
Calculated Anhydrous Alum .9514 g
Calculated Water driven off 1.0486 g
Gooch Crucible + Filter Paper 15.8050 g
Gooch Crucible + Filter Paper + Dried Precipitate 16.0230 g
Calculated Dried Precipitate .218 g



Calculations:

Calculations made to find out the amount of Ba(NO3)2 needed to totally precipitate all of the sulfate ion present in the solution plus twice this volume:

1 gram alum X 1 mol alum X 1 mol SO42- X 1 mol Ba2+ X 1 mol Ba(NO3)2
474.4 g alum 1 mol alum 2 mol SO42- 1 mol Ba2+

X 5 L Ba(NO3)2 = About 21 mL ( multiplied by 2) = 42 mL needed
1 mol Ba2+





(Other Calculations)
32.1105-30.1105 = 2 grams of crystals
32.1105-31.1591 = .9514 anhydrous alum
2.000-.9514=1.0486 grams of hydrated H2O


.9514g anhydrous alum X 1 mol anhydrous alum = .003628 mol anhydrous alum
262.22 g anhydrous alum

1.0486g hydrated H2O X 1 mol H2O = .05825 mol H2O
18g H2O

.05828 mol H2O = 16.056 mol (About 16) = X
.003628 mol anhydrous alum

KAl(SO4)2 * 16 H2O




1.0145g BaSO4 X 1 mol of BaSO4 X 2 mol SO4 X 96.066 g SO4 = .4176 g SO4
233.393g BaSO4 1 mol BaSO4 2 mol SO4

100 X .4176g SO4 = 41.2% SO4 present in the alum
1.0145g alum



Questions/Answers:
1. Objects must be cooled before their mass is found on a sensitive balance because their accurate mass when still warm could alter the result in finding out the actual mass of the object. This could be due to the fact that when heated, objects have more energy so they weigh more and have a higher mass than the cold objects.

2. The different tests used to verify that the substance tested was alum was the melting point at which we knew that the crystal alum would melt at 92.5 degrees Celsius.

3. Other tests could be made to verify the compositions of alum. For example, we can use the percentage of the sulfate in the alum and use it to find its mole ratio and figure out how much water is in the synthesized alum.

Conclusions: To conclude, the precipitate that came out in as a result were alum crystals according to many tests we took. For example, its melting point was average 90.13 and we know that alum crystals published melting point is 92.5. We figured out by calculation that there needs to be total of 42 mL of Ba(NO3)2 to filter the precipitate completely. There is about 16 mol of H2O, as calculated, in the synthesized alum. After calculating, we also figured out that there was about 41.2 percent of sulfate in the synthesized alum.

Experimental Sources of Error: There could have been several errors made while performing this experiment. While figuring out the melting point for the alum crystals, I could have not analyzed when the alum crystals started melting exactly, leading me to maybe assume it was the first temperature that my eyes noticed. Another error could have been made while massing out the crucible, the cover, or the anhydrous alum, which would throw off my calculations when figuring out the mol to mol ratio of the given formulas. I could have also made an error filtering the precipitate Ba(NO3)2, in a way where not all the precipitate was filtered thoroughly from the beaker to the gooch crucible. Such imprecise and maybe even inaccurate measurements could be responsible for altering the following results for figuring out the exact percentage of sulfate in the alum.

Sleep.

Your Sleep Test Results
You show symptoms of sleep apnea, a potentially serious sleep disorder. People with sleep apnea quit breathing repeatedly, often hundreds of times during their nights sleep.


You show symptoms of insomnia, which is defined as a persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep.


You show symptoms of narcolepsy, a life-long disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks during normal waking hours.


You show symptoms of periodic limb movement disorder, a disorder resulting in uncontrollable leg or arm movements during sleep

Soulmate.

Have you found your soulmate?

Soulmates for life You two are completely in tune with each other. You know their thoughts without them uttering a single word. You both do all the simple things that many people over look and go above and beyond for each other. You have both realized that love is a two way street and you are cruising along at this point to your destination. Forever.

Quizzes, myspace surveys, Love Quizzes, Relationship Quizzes, About Me Quizzes , Fun Quizzes,  by quizcat.com

Mad World.

What love is.

I'm pretty conceited. I am. Really. Actually... anyone who owns a blog is as well. They want to rant, complain, let others be aware.... etc... they're the source right? Its their blog people are looking at. It's them they are acknowledging.

And as a conceited person, if I'm admitting that there is someone else who truly loves and cares about me, then that should count for something right? So there, I've finally discovered it.

Love is when the most conceited person feels challenged... and fails.

Everywhere by Michelle Branch

Divorces as justifications.

Divorces. They are evil. Evil...evil things. They break up a marriage. No. They don't break up a marriage. They justify the break ups. Divorces make a bad marriage seem normal. You know what they truly break up? Unity. As soon as the term comes up, it's all division.... like it's a 4th grade math class. Children use the term to justify their bad habits. Divorce is justified through people, and it justifies the evil things people do in order to find "full contentment." There is no balance. Even if the other parent is still there, it's still not right. It feels out of place. It feels... so not normal. Divorce is seen as normal though. Splitting up. Giving it a time out. Things didn't work out. It wasn't meant to be. It ended up in the wrong path. It was too much to handle. It wasn't the right time. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. Reasons. Consequences. I don't care.

All I know is that the divorce rate in the U.S. is over 55%.... OVER... trust me... way over. That's terrible. And so people don't even bother getting married anymore. See what you did Mr. Divorce? You put fear in people. You threatened to enter and you made them step away and get cold feet...forever.

I hate you divorce. I hate you evil people who can't seem to work a marriage. I hate evil people... who put their so called loved ones in so much trouble that they have to resort to a divorce in order to save a family. But the family? It's ruined before divorce even enters. It's destroyed the second the evil one decides to ruin the family from his/her evil actions.

STFU Brian. Wait, you don't even speak.

"Brian O'Brian

Silence is Golden
Brian Stepanek, better known as Arwin from 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody', stars in the new short comedy series 'Brian O'Brian.' He plays a clever, problem-solving guy who turns everyday events into comedy mishaps. Whether it is trying to swim at the pool, or mocking the opera singer, Brian O'Brian will have you LOL. Each episode is silent, but just watching the crazy physical comedy is enough to keep you entertained. Catch it on Disney Channel."

--- Quoted from the site itself.


My comments:

How fucking stupid. This show is a waste of time and it is NOT comical at all. Some witty advertisement as a replacement should be considered. Seriously. There's sense of humor and then there's this. This is obviously entertaining to those who lack sense of humor. I watched about 2-3 episodes of this and I could swear I had an "angry frown" on my face the whole time. What's the world coming to? Come on. Do something about it.

Chavez; Mexican Immigrants

Laayla Muhammad
November 11, 2008
Anthropology 104
Rites of Passage

1. There are millions of immigrants illegally entering the United States on a daily basis, with many of them being undocumented. Some choose to stay in the U.S. for a short period of time and are known as migrants, while settlers are immigrants that choose to reside permanently. Specifically, Mexican immigration has become a concerning matter with many people not having the knowledge of the experiences of the immigrants. In Shadowed Lives: Undocumented Immigrants in American Society by Leo R. Chavez, Rites of Passage may reveal the “importance of the transitions individuals undergo as they pass from group to group and from one social status to another” (Chavez 1998; 4) yet the transformation of the individuals come to a halt when some struggle in completing all three phases. Crossing the border comes along with complex components, with certain rituals and proceedings that these individuals suddenly become involved with. With new statuses, they also obtain more responsibilities and rights, giving them the option to make a tighter grip around their firm decisions. I will be explaining the three phases that these individuals pass through: “separation from the known social group or society, transition (the “liminal” phase), and incorporation into the new social group or society” (Chavez 1998; 4-5). The analysis of these phases is significant in figuring out why undocumented immigrants choose to behave the way they do and carry on a certain lifestyle that may seem too strange to relate to at first. I will reveal how Chavez uses these three phases to interpret the experiences of the undocumented migrants as they go move from Mexico to San Diego County. Along with revealing the pattern of this model, I will also elaborate on how there is a personal choice for these migrants to either change and prepare themselves for stage or remain the way they are for various reasons, proving the rites of passages to be insufficient at times.
It is important to notice that these undocumented migrants sometimes are unable to carry out all three phases of the passage. For example, most migrants remain as migrants because eventually, they return to Mexico after making a small yet sufficient earning for that period of time in San Diego County. There are reasons such as facing obstacles through the last phase, incorporation, due to fear of getting caught by lawful authorities for being illegal aliens, and being sent home when they are not ready to return. Therefore, they are stuck at the liminal phase, unable to successfully transit through and blend in with the “American society” in the way they eat, dress, work, talk, behave, and so on. Knowing this, one should realize that, “In most rites of passage, incorporation occurs when the participant acquires the appropriate knowledge, experiences, and behaviors, then successfully completes the proper rituals” (Chavez 1998; 5). This phase for undocumented immigrants may include rituals such as appointments to become legal, having enough knowledge to understand the personal rights and even the money to hire a lawyer for obtaining legal residency and not be taken advantage of. Some of the other reasons lay in the fact that most of these undocumented migrants are unable to complete transition and incorporate themselves with the bigger society because they are unable to achieve “secure employment, family formation, the establishment of credit, capital accumulation, competency in English” (Chavez 1998; 5) and therefore, fail to alter their status to becoming settlers in the Unites States.
The first phase, separation, involves various complex decisions that these migrants make, putting them in a situation where they feel as if they have to separate themselves from the environment they are well familiar with and have lived most of their lives in, and move to a strange land up north in order to perhaps change their lives completely. Beatriz and Enrique Valenzuela, a couple that live southeast of downtown San Diego, share their experiences openly with Chavez about their migration. Beatriz admits, “I was afraid because I never had left home before. So when I was on my way here, I was very afraid. All the way from Manzanillo to Tijuana I cried—the whole way” (Chavez 1998; 25). These individuals not only separate themselves from the land they are familiar with, but from their friends, family, even old occupations that they are not satisfied with, and the whole community that holds the customs they are part of. But why? Why do they really want to move to the United States and why do they think that notion should be acted upon? The true reasons lay behind the fact that most of the time, Mexicans notice that “employers sometimes lure workers to the United States,” (Chavez 1998; 25) and that friends and other relatives return and tell great stories about living conditions in San Diego. As an immigrant myself, my family was motivated to come to the United States to provide great career opportunities through a better educational system for all their children. As I read about the rites of passage, I too become familiar with the feelings of these undocumented migrants and can easily understand the hardship they face and even why some of them fail to incorporate and adjust themselves to the living conditions here in the United States.
Taking risks begin in the first phase, separation, and carry out until some of them finally decide not to incorporate themselves and remain stuck in the transition phase. First of all, individuals who leave their family members back in Mexico have to accept the fact that their families will experience lots of complex problems by “experiencing justifiable anxiety about the potential dangers of the journey” (Chavez 1998; 61). Some migrants never even make it to the border because they are hurt, robbed, raped, and/or killed. Since these individuals carry no sort of identification documents, they are easily taken advantage of with because it is highly unlikely for anyone to find out about them or worry about them. My mother for example had to leave her sick mother in Pakistan so she can she move to the U.S. in order for her children to receive better educational opportunities. Only a few years later, her mother passed away from shock concerning the dangerous our family might face while trying to adjust to the American customs with no other relatives or friends to rely on. Instead I must point out that there are lots of angered and worried citizens of the U.S. that are aware and troubled by Mexican immigration and have impulses to hurt anyone that may be involved in that. From an individual’s experience, he heard someone say, “Let’s shoot some aliens” right before firing a hunting rifle toward a hillside where many undocumented migrants were (Chavez 1998; 61).
After experiencing such difficulties, it may not be hard to realize why incorporating into the larger society may become even a greater challenge for these individuals. Having problems learning the English language might make them feel inferior and feel too challenged to carry on normal lives like the rest. It also may be hard to actually find a decent job, and since these undocumented migrants are illegal, employers take advantage of them and hire them for less than minimum to do the dirty work. These migrants have no choice but to take it or leave it because for one, they cannot report any of this to the authorities and second, someone else might take the job instead. Another reason which I remember mentioning is the fact that they choose not to live in fear all their lives of getting caught. If caught in traffic by a police for simply speeding, they could be going back to Mexico consequently. Fear of upsetting anyone else who might report them to INS might also put them in a situation where they are unable to express their feelings and live in fear instead. Migrants who choose to become citizens of the U.S. legally usually give up when they realize the tremendous amount of paperwork they have to read and understand, the money they will need for processes and lawyers, and the time they will have to wait with unlimited restrictions. All the members of my family were able to obtain their greencards and become permanent legal residents of the U.S. except that it took us thousands of dollars, great amounts of patience, and 12 years. Due to 9/11, our applications were put on hold and there was no progress being made until my mother fell in love with my step father, an American citizen, and therefore such a coincident factor helped our case greatly. The point in bringing such a personal experience is that some Mexican migrants may feel that having spouses that are American citizens is the only way to become residents faster. Having children born in the U.S. pints to the problem of calling a family an “illegal alien family” (Chavez 1998; 131). Finding stable working jobs is also an issue, due to not being able to obtain work permits, driving licenses, valid identification documents, understanding the job’s requirements due to language barriers, and so on. Many undocumented migrants who do find jobs experience abuse, such as an 18 year old El Salvadoran named Julia who worked as a maid and was told to save up her income rather than get paid every week. “According to Julia, the woman of the house said they went bankrupt and fired her” (Chavez 1998; 150). Another example includes a Salvadoran who lived with his wife and “exchanged labor for a place to sleep” (Chavez 1998; 150). Undocumented migrants struggle through unlimited hardships even after migrating to the U.S., making the phase of incorporation unable to achieve and therefore, returning home eventually.
Undocumented individuals go through complex steps in order to either stay as migrants and eventually return to their homeland or become settlers after successfully finishing the separation, transition, and incorporation steps of the rites of passages that Chavez reveals. The model itself cannot depict patterns of migration for all the individuals for there are variety of reasons to not advance to the next phase and thus rejecting transformation. From having various motives to live a better life right back in Mexico or in San Diego, these individuals undergo severe hardship in separating themselves from the familiar and engaging in the unknown. As a settler myself, I was able to successfully incorporate myself into the larger society due to the fact that I had not so strong connections overseas in my homeland and that the English language did not become a factor that I had to struggle with. Using that as a benefit, I was able to use my confidence to obtain a better education than the one I was receiving overseas and as a child, I was easily fascinated and therefore, prepared to alter my lifestyle, the way I dress, talk, and do many things in life. At the end, it comes down to achieving the stages of moving to another country and having the ability to hang on and finish the process or breaking the model and returning home to perhaps try again some day. Yet still, one may wonder about the migrants who may not feel accepted in the American society even after having great resources to live a functional life. Shouldn’t satisfying basic needs become the main priority for the migrants? What’s even more important to wonder is if Mexican immigration remains as a controversial topic due to economic issues or personal issues where racism still occurs? Do the incorporated migrants who have become settlers see Mexican immigration from a view different from economic and political reasons? The “Rites of Passages” and its phases that Chavez elaborates on may justify the transitions some migrants take according to the model in order to become settlers of the U.S., but not all. Therefore, the model is not ideal because personal factors come into play, inevitably making it hard for individuals to incorporate themselves in another society with a different status.

Imran Khan - Singer

He is fine. I like his songs. Really.

Socrates Essay

Laayla Muhammad

There is a massive amount of support behind the idea that Socrates is being inconsistent in his defense when he claims to be sent on a mission by the Oracle at Delphi, when he was being critical towards Eurythphro for appealing to the will of the gods in justification for prosecuting his own father. This paper will argue such misconceptions and state that Socrates is not being contradictory in his defense because of variety of reasons. Socrates’ intentions are pure, for he actually seeks the correct answers and justifies everything with reason. Eurythphro, on the other hand, could not explain why he believed what he did, leaving Socrates to question his decisions. Socrates’ only mentions the gods in his defense because the specific crime that he has been accused of, relates to them.

When Socrates hears that the Oracle at Delphi claimed no man was wiser than him, he began to question what the actual meaning of such a statement was. He states, “I very reluctantly turned to some such investigation as this,” (Plato 24), which shows how he went seeking for answers even though it seemed as if the oracle was a clear message to begin with. Socrates approached every man who was known to be wise, with intentions to refute the oracle and prove that there are men who are wiser than he is. Instead, to Socrates’ surprise, these men were not wise at all even though they claimed to be. Socrates concluded that wise individuals such as authors, poets and craftsmen only possessed the skills needed in the particular field they are successful in. Socrates states, “Each of them, because of his success at his craft, thought himself very wise in other most important pursuits, and this error of theirs overshadowed the wisdom they had” (Plato 26). The fact that Socrates did not claim to know it all when he knew more than anyone else, made him the wisest man, as the oracle had stated. Socrates didn’t just rely on the word of the gods blindly, like Eurythphro did. He tried his best to interpret the oracle and questioned it, which was provided by the gods themselves.

Eurythphro seemed to be entirely convinced that he was committing a pious act by persecuting his own father for a murder of a murderer, just because he believed that the all the gods believed murder to be wrong. When Socrates question what the definition of piety and impiety was, Eurythphro could not give him a satisfying answer. The society claims that Socrates was quick to critique Eurythphro when he used the wills of the gods to justify his action, yet was doing the same thing in his defense in the court. This reason could not be right because Eurythphro could not even provide Socrates with an actual definition of piety. Eurythphro kept on changing his answers from first stating, “What is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious” (Plato 7) to later saying, “The godly and pious is the part of just that is concerned with the care of the gods” (Plato 15). When the answer was being sought, the reason why Eurythphro believed what he did became unclear and unjustified. He claimed to follow actions that would please the gods, yet was not able to convince Socrates of how sure he was. Socrates on the other hand, tested the words of the gods, and did not blindly trust them. With reason, Socrates’ defense that he was on a mission sent by the gods seemed to have a great justification while Eurythphro was confused about what the definition of piety even was. This was ironic, especially when it something he was trying to use as a justification.

The main reason why people believe that Socrates was contradicting himself was because he did not believe in the gods, yet was using their existence to claim to have been on a mission sent by them. This confused the public, and made them assume that Socrates was lying and playing games with the court system. In actuality, Socrates had many reasons to use the gods in his defense, one of them being that the crime itself related to the gods. He had to mention the existence of the gods, because when he questioned these so called wise men, he was trying to find out what the oracle meant. The subject of the case appeals to the gods, so Socrates had to mention them in his defense. It is said that Socrates does not even believe in the gods because he criticized Eurythphro for believing in them. This is not true because Socrates did not question the existence of the gods; he only questioned how one can be sure of what the gods think of as pious and impious. Another reason Socrates appeals to the gods is that citing the highest and oldest authority will be more reliable to the people of the court. For example, between an educated doctor who has his doctorate degree and some random stranger at a grocery store, one will most likely trust the doctor when seeking medical advice. The same rule applies here, for the fact that the gods have been part of these people’s lives for many years and have continued to please them. The gods also have more ability to figure out the truth and possess the most experience.

Mentioning the gods and using them to justify ones actions does cause a controversy because it is impossible to prove such an authority wrong. Considering that, people have to realize that Socrates was not being contradictory in any way when he decided to use the gods in his defense since his critique on Eurythphro’s decision on persecuting his own father was of a different matter. If the murderer wasn’t Eurythphro’s father, the situation would have been less complicated because Eurythphro’s decision on persecuting the murderer would not have included the future death of his father. Socrates was sent on a mission by the gods, which was something he sought and made sure of. If Socrates would not have investigated the oracle, then maybe people would have had a legitimate reason to state that he was contradicting himself. Otherwise, the truth is that Socrates did not contradict himself and actually had justifiable reasons to become critical of Eurythphro’s actions.

Lawl, my eyes.

I think my eyes are so hilarious in that picture. LAWL. Anyways, I'll update about life later. Too much to say, and I'm exhausted.