Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer - 3297 Words

Into the Wild – RRS Title: Into the Wild Author: Jon Krakauer Publication Date: 1996 Nationality: American Author’s Birth/Death Date: April 12, 1954 – present Distinguishing Traits of Author: Jon Krakauer is an American writer known for his writings about the great outdoors. After being introduced to mountaineering as a child, Krakauer devoted much of his life to mountain climbing, leading up to his 1996 expedition to Mt. Everest. In his Into Thin Air, Krakauer recounts the dangerous journey, in which four of his teammates had died. Krakauer’s love for adventure significantly impacted many of his literary works, including Into the Wild, which focuses on the value of life and death, especially when one ventures into the great outdoors. Setting: In the beginning of the novel, Into the Wild takes place on the road just outside of Fairbanks, Alaska, heading towards the Denali National Park. As Gallien drives to a stop to drop Alex off, â€Å"the first few miles [of] the Stampede Trail was well graded and led past cabins scattered among weedy stands of spruce and aspen [but,] rapidly deteriorated† into a â€Å"rough, unmaintained track† covered by a â€Å"foot and a half of mushy spring snow† (6). A weathered bus, left by Yutan Construction in 1961, is located â€Å"just beyond the boundary of Denali National Park† (10). McCandless also journeys along the Colorado River, where he encounters hazardous waterfalls and high winds. After returning from Mexico, McCandless stays in an emptyShow MoreRelatedInto the Wild by Jon Krakauer563 Words   |  2 PagesJon Krakauer presents Into The Wild a tragic tale of a young ambitious man who is motivated to go into the wilderness and discover his true identity.Jon krakauer conveys many messages to his readers through Chris McCandless, and his messages often offer a warning to society.we will furture idenitfy how the author delievers the warning to society and what effect it can have upon society today.Three of the very important messages he empatizes on are the societies influence on people,the essence ofRead MoreThe Wild By Jon Krakauer1096 Words   |  5 PagesAllyssa Mikes July 2012 Into the Wild Mr. Fertmann Throughout the non-fictional novel Into the Wild, the author Jon Krakauer catches the reader’s interest early on in the book. Krakauer takes us on a journey, telling the story of young Chris McCandless’ adventures after abandoning everything he owned. Krakauer fully emerged himself into the study of McCandless’ life’s adventures and soon developed a deep understanding of who he was and how he impacted to world. Krakauer connected with McCandless in anRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer946 Words   |  4 Pagescompelling novel â€Å"Into The Wild† by Jon Krakauer the character and intelligence of the youth in men is questioned. Through the pieced together 200 page novel we are introduced to Christopher Johnson McCandless also known as â€Å"Alex Supertramp†. A ripe 24 years of age he chose to question our reality and his meaning of life that is given to us by hitchhiking across America to the Alaskan wilderness, where after four months in the last frontier he is found dead. Krakauer throughout the novel shows thatRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer1330 Words   |  6 Pagesshared.† - Jon Krakauer Into the wild. Jon Krakauer, the author of Into the Wild told the story of Chris McCandless. Chris escaped reality and went to go live off the land in Alaska, hoping to live a simpler life. In the novel, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless shared a similar philosophy with Jack London, as they both have a strong passion for Alaska, they both appreciated they beauty of nature, and both wanted to be reborn. In the novel, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandlessRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer1349 Words   |  6 PagesSummary Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is a true story about Chris McCandless who is found dead in the Alaskan wild during September 1992. After discovering that his father had a secret secondary family when Chris was young, Chris pushes away his friends and family and eventually isolates himself. He obtains $25,000 from his parents by lying about attending law school and drives away from home, deserting his real name. He later leaves his car in Georgia after an engine breakdown due to rain damageRead MoreThe Wild By Jon Krakauer1522 Words   |  7 Pagesvictories.† (Richard M. Nixon). In his investigative biography, Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer, expresses that even though young people can be ignorant and take treacherous risks, these can be used as knowledge enhancers and can be life changers. Krakauer gives us insight by giving examples of what risk really are, how people take them, and how it actually affects those people. Throughout the whole book there are instances where krakauer uses real life examples of things that have happened where people haveRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pages Jon Krakauer s novel â€Å"Into the wild†, Is a story about a young man named Christopher McCandless or â€Å"Alex Supertramp† who went on a self discovering odyssey in which he had traveled around the U.S. The story surrounds Chris and his travels and what he had done at the time, leading to his death in August 1992. Thus the story takes a direction in the viewpoints of the people Alex has come across through in his travels. It speaks about what he had done at the time of his journey before he hadRead MoreInto The Wild By Jon Krakauer1013 Words   |  5 Pages Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, narrates the life of adventurer and free spirit Christopher McCandless, who died August 1992 in the Alaskan wilderness; however, his journey still remains relevant in today’s pop culture due to the unresolved controversy of whether he is a saintly role model or hubristic fool. Krakauer openly states that he â€Å"won’t claim to be an impartial biographer† (Author’s Note) due to the parallels he struck with McCandless, and provides a more idealistic approach to the biographyRead MoreInto the Wild by Jon Krakauer1516 Words   |  7 PagesRosselini, John Waterman and Carl McCunn. They all went to Alaska, just like Chris and died. After that Chris continued to canoe and got caught by the US officers when he was trying to get back into the US from Mexico. So he spent a night in jail. Krakauer then compared Chris to Everett Reuss. They both changed their names and they both disappeared. Chris applied for an ID as Alex Supertramp and found a job in Los Angeles. New York Times published about Alex’s death. Jim Gallien and Wayne WesterbergRead MoreInto the Wild: by Jon Krakauer1186 Words   |  5 Pagessense Krakauers natural liking for McCandless. He was sympathetic to McCandless, based on Krakauers sense of a shared experience in their youth and up until McCandless eventual death and Krakauers perceived near death experience on the Devils Thumb. I believe the author’s main point and perspective was formed from his own experience and relationship with his father. While the situations were basically reversed with Chris not approving of his father and Lewis Krakauer disappointed in Jon for not

The Debate Of Emotional Sex - 1385 Words

Emotional Sex Ed As the United States becomes increasingly progressive, the age in which adolescents perform sexual activity is becoming younger. Education in the United States encourages abstinence to students in middle school and high school, but the resistance against adolescent sexual intercourse is futile because adolescents are historically rebellious at nature. Abstinence courses do not trigger any emotional response in adolescents nor do they personalize the situation for students, making them essentially futile. Students are not going to care about the dangers of sexual intercourse unless it directly affects them as an individual. In order for the resistance against adolescent sexual intercourse to be effective, abstinence†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, abstinence courses in the United States tend to target individuals in fifth and sixth grade and then in high school. The age at which students learn about sex is not the issue, it is the method that teachers use to convey the information. Since sexual education uses poor teaching methods in the United States, it dominates in the number of pregnancies. In fact, abstinence-only programs show a positive correlation with pregnancy (Stanger-Hall et. al 2011) For instance, per every one thousand females ranging from the ages of fifteen to nineteen there are seventy-two pregnancies and forty-one births in the United States (Stanger-Hall et. al 2011). In comparison, the United Kingdom had forty-one pregnancies per one thousand females ranging from ages fifteen to eighteen which was the second highest number compared to other developed countries (Stanger-Hall et. al 2011). These results show that the United States abstinence-only programs are ineffective, especially compared to those of other developed countries, which have half the amount of pregnancies per one thousand females compared to the United States. This is because the United Kingdom uses a program called SHARE, in which teachers are specially traine d for five days prior to giving sexual education classes to their students (Wight 2011). These teachers teach all aspects of intercourse such as:

Uk Organic Food Free Essays

string(117) " This is also useful for forecasting the direction in which an industry is taking, and the intensity of this change\." Contents 1. Introduction2 1. 1 Why this industry was chosen for analysis2 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Uk Organic Food or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2 Aim2 1. 3 Brief Background of the organic food producing industry2 1. 4 Competitive environment? 3 2. PESTEL analysis5 2. 1 Political factors5 2. 2 Economic factors6 2. 3 Socio-cultural factors7 2. 4 Technological factors8 2. 5 Environmental factors9 2. 6 Legal factors10 3. Porter’s Five Forces analysis12 3. 1 Threat of new entrants12 3. 2 Threat of substitute products14 3. 3 Threat of established rivals14 3. 4 Bargaining power of suppliers16 . 5 Bargaining power of buyers16 4. Conclusion18 4. 1 The industry at present18 4. 2 Future changes19 5. Appendices20 5. 1 Critique of tools and research limitations20 5. 1. 1 PESTEL framework20 5. 1. 2 Porter’s Five Forces20 6. References22 1. INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Why this industry was chosen for analysis The chosen industry for analysis in this report is the organic food producing industry in the United Kingdom. This encompasses groups of firms that produce similar products, in this case, organic food produce. In recent years, there has been a heightened awareness in the media in relation to organically produced food, and a great emphasis has been placed on ‘healthier eating’ and a reduction in the production of genetically modified food. As this awareness increases, it is important to analyse the industry in order to assess whether the industry is favourable to exist in, and to ascertain whether it is likely that it will be penetrated by new competitors. Another reason for choosing to examine this particular industry is due to the lack of an updated Mintel report, or a similar financial report, especially since there has been so much extra attention being placed on this industry of late in the media. In order to get a better picture about the macro- and micro-environment in relation to the UK organic food producing industry, frameworks will be used in order to analyse information about the industry. 1. 2 Aim The aims of this report are to research and assess the nature of the organic food producing industry in the United Kingdom. This will occur by using two different frameworks, a PESTEL analysis and the use of Porter’s Five Forces in order to fully understand the competitive micro- and macro-environment of this industry. When the analysis is complete, it will be determined whether the industry is favourable to enter or not, and future changes in the industry will be predicted. 1. Brief background of the UK Organic Food Producing Industry The term ‘organic’ has been defined by the Organic Trade Association as an ‘ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity†¦ based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony’ [1]. In practice, this means that artificial chemical fertilisers and pesticides are not u sed, and animals are reared without the drugs that are normally routinely used [2]. Protection of the environment is of great importance, and the quality of the soil is what determines whether the produce can be deemed as ‘organic’ or not. Historically, it was common practice to only have relatively few family run farms in which organic food was produced, and this could be purchased in farmers’ markets and smaller stores, such as green grocers. However, since the 1990s, organic food has had growth rates of around 20% per year, and figures from April of this year show that organic food now accounts for 1 to 2% of food sales worldwide [3]. This growth rate has been partly due to large supermarket chains adopting ranges of organic foods, which is reducing the farmer to consumer link, and providing a convenient new way to eat ‘organically’, and also due to an increased interest from the media in this industry. For example, large supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has more than 1000 organic products, had a 14% increase in sales of its organic produce in 2006/2007, sources all its organic meat, fish, poultry, milk, and eggs from the UK and has contracts with farmers to guarantee minimum prices to ensure the long-term supply of organic beef [4]. A quote from Jerry Dryer, who wrote an article called ‘Organic Lessons’ stated, â€Å"Organic is here to stay, not a fad marching by in the night† [5], which is a hopeful suggestion that the market share is set to increase and that new opportunities can be targeted, but this will be confirmed or denied at the end of the report. 1. 4 Competitive environment? The organic food producing industry consists of a large number of small producers, who produce food which can be certified as ‘organic’ by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards and the Soil Association. Due to there being a large number of fragmented producers in the industry, it may be seen as a competitive market who are vying for the attention of large or small supermarket chains and stores, green grocers, and individual purchasers of organic food. Organic produce in itself is reasonably homogeneous, so all producers in this industry will be trying to sell similar products which are largely undifferentiated. This increases competition between the producers as to how they are going to get their goods sold over the goods of a competitor. There is also the option of individuals growing their own organic produce, which may reduce the demand for the purchase of produce. The competitiveness of the environment will be discussed in more detail when an analysis is carried out using the Porter’s 5 Forces framework [6]. ? 2. PESTEL Uncontrollable, external forces that influence decision making, which thus affect the performance of an industry is known as the macro-environment. The macro-environment consists of political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental, and legal forces, which can be referred to as ‘PESTEL’ forces [7]. A good definition of this framework for analysis is given by Kotler [8], which is â€Å"PEST analysis is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations†. This is also useful for forecasting the direction in which an industry is taking, and the intensity of this change. You read "Uk Organic Food" in category "Essay examples" Factors can be assessed and placed in order of importance, so it is clear to see what external factors are the most pressing issues in an industry. In order to find out information for each of the factors, reliable secondary data sources shall we used, such as newspapers, periodicals, books, trade organisations, Government agencies information, and industry analysts results. Once this kind of analysis is complete, it is clearer to see how to take advantage of arising opportunities, and plan to prevent potential threats that may occur in the industry. The sections below break down the macro-environment into six parts. 2. 1 Political factors Government legislation may dictate what is considered to be organic in a particular country. This report looks at organic food producers in the UK, and this is regulated by the Organic Farmers and Growers Organic Standards [9], and the Soil Association [10]. The Department for Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states many outlines of what how produce should be grown and the feeding of livestock, in order for in to meet UK Government standards [11]. These standards vary from country to country, within and outside of the EU. This can have a profound impact on the exporting of produce by UK farmers, as what may be deemed as organic in this country, may not be so in another. Relations with politicians need to be upheld, as legislation is subject to change at any given time. For example, it recently has been decided to ban battery hen cages starting in the year 2009 [12]. 93% of eggs in the UK market come from battery hens, so once the legislation is fully in place, this will not occur. This will increase competition in the market, as all eggs will now be from free range hens, which may affect the poultry side of the organic food industry. By adapting to meet the new laws now, favourable relations will be kept with politicians, and current organic egg producers will need to find new ways in which to gain market share in what may be an increasingly saturated market. The Government currently provides farmers’ subsidies, but current news from May 2008 shows that the EU is looking to cut the money it provides, and reinvest it with incentives on looking after agricultural land, rather than giving money to help produce more food [13]. This may benefit farmers wishing to enter the organic food producing market, as they have extra incentives to convert their land to organic soil, but may hinder those already in the market due to the increased competition, and the lack of money to produce extra food needed to meet demand. 2. 2 Economic factors The organic food producing industry can be largely affected by the UK economy, such as interest rates, exchange rates, buyer power, and consumer confidence, which will all now be discussed in turn. The current ongoing credit crunch, and high inflation has reduced chances of any interest rate cuts, and a real threat of a downturn is present [14]. Mervyn King, the governor of the Bank of England, has previously reported that UK inflation will rise above its target and the economy will sharply slow down [15], which does not mean good things for an industry such as this, which relies on people buying premium quality products. If interest rates are high, then it costs more money to borrow from banks, which deters investment, and may make it harder for farmers to convert their land to organic soil and methods of production, as this is a costly business [16]. This inflation may cause any employees working in the industry to demand higher wages in order to cover any losses that they are making, which can cause a problem for employers, especially if the industry declines if there is a recession. The credit crunch has also affected housing prices, which have fallen, and a ollapse in these sales have been predicted to cut consumer spending by 8% [17], which will affect the industry. Exchange rates can affect the way UK organic food producers’ export their products, as a strong currency can make exporting difficult, if foreign buyers cannot get a lot of produce for their money. Buyer power can have a strong economical hold over the industry, as disposable income and willingness to spend can affect the sale s of premium quality produce, especially as there are cheaper alternatives. The state of the economy affects spending, as if there is a recession, or currently with the credit crunch in the UK, spending falls. Organic food may be seen by some users and non-users as a premium product, so when disposable income is reduced, this may be something which is cut back on in order to use the extra money elsewhere. If people are being more price conscious, new motivations to purchase the produce need to be discovered aside from price. However, many purchasers of organic food do so because of what it stands for, and is a lifestyle choice which may not be affected by a bad economy. Consumer confidence may be dented if willingness to spend decreases. The more affluent a person is, i. e. he higher wages and better lifestyle someone has, the more likely they are to start or continue to purchase organic food [18]. 2. 3 Socio-cultural factors A major socio-cultural factor affecting the industry is the media. A recent heightened awareness of organic food issues in the media has prompted an increase in organic food sales, with a 70% increase since 2002 to ? 1. 5billion in 2007 [19]. There is currently a bit from the media to use the upcoming 2012 Olympic games to promote organic eating, in order to avoid an obesity crisis and to appear a fit and healthy country. This increase awareness of the importance of healthy eating and protecting the country by reducing its carbon footprint can have an effect on consumer attitudes. The effect of the media may change attitudes of people towards organic food, such as the more impetus placed on this industry in the media, means more people are aware of the benefits of eating organically. People may then change their attitudes about the way they eat, and believe that it is worth paying more for the food, even if the economy is not as strong as it could be. Figures from a recent Mintel report [20] show that attitudes towards rganic food show that people believe firstly that the food is healthier, secondly that it tastes better, and thirdly that it is better for the environment. With these belief systems becoming widely in place, the opportunity for the growth of the industry in people’s minds is increased. However, the media may too have a detrimental effect on the industry in two ways. Firstly, ther e has been bad press saying that the industry is losing its values, and that the industry itself is ‘out of control’ due to an increased demand and people not knowing the real reasons behind why they are choosing ‘organic’ [21]. Secondly, increased advertising spend (even though it is relatively low [22]) can draw too much attention to the industry which is not prepared to supply the increased demand. A typical shopper of organic food has been outlined in a survey taken from the Organic Monitor website [23], which identifies them to usually live in an urban area in a big city, consider quality and provenance in decision making when choosing which foods to purchase, being well-educated and of a middle to high social class, and to belong to a medium to high income household. These factors have been determined of the types of people who normally purchase these premium products, and usually fall into the AB consumer base, due to a larger disposable income [24]. Further analysis of recent demographic trends show that the London and the South of the UK are more willing to accept the introduction of organic produce, compared to the rest of the UK [25]. With this in mind, it may be deduced that these areas are more prone for targeting, and further consideration needs to be given to where the industry should go next should these places become saturated with producers. . 4 Technological factors Technological advances in transportation means that the ease of moving produce around the UK is increased. Better roads and an increase in motorways have advantages for farmers to get their produce into busier cities. Transport has however been scrutinised in this industry in recent years if air freighting is used for the moving of food or livestock, but this will be furt her discussed under the environmental factors section of the PESTEL analysis. The internet has provided new methods of selling organic produce, such as online shopping, and electronic sourcing of produce to find local organic food suppliers [26]. Looking at figures from a 2007 Mintel report on organic food, box schemes and mail order have had the biggest percentage increase of usage between 2005 and 2007 (109. 2% change in this time period). The ‘box scheme’ comprises of the delivery of fresh organic produce which is chosen because it is in season in the UK at the time of ordering, and many farms have used the internet in order to allow this scheme to take place. For example, Riverford Organic Vegetables [27] allow people to choose different size boxes, and also give information about how much CO2 emissions are given off from the transport of their produce from door to door. This shows the potential for how the increase in usage of the internet can be applied to the organic food industry. 2. 5 Environmental factors National and Global environmental issues can greatly affect the UK organic food producing industry, such as weather and climate change respectively. Without the right growing conditions for some organic produce, i. . having good, well-nourished soil, harvesting may not reap many rewards. Last year in 2007, the wettest weather for more than 240 years was recorded in the summer by the Met Office, which obviously had adverse effects on this particular industry [28]. Following this particular summer, it was reported that organic food prices would rise even further than the already premium costs that they have, partly due to the weather reducing the amount of land fit for cultivation in order to grow and harvest organic produce [29]. If adverse weather conditions do occur, the supply or organic goods will be reduced further still, which may strongly affect an industry that already has increased demand and not enough produce to meet this. Climate change has gained increasing coverage in the media, convincing more people than action needs to be taken in order to protect the earth, in particular, the notion of a ‘carbon footprint’. A ‘carbon footprint’ can be described as ‘a measure of the impact of human activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced’ [30]. This affects the organic food producing industry when organically grown produce is air freighted into the UK. The Soil Association is threatening to remove its stamp of approval from organic food which has been imported by air, as they believe this to be increasing the carbon footprint, and going against the morals that organic food stands for [31]. This change may benefit UK organic food producers, as there will be less competition coming from overseas, but may be of detriment for internal UK flights, if this is how they normally transport their goods around the country. The danger here is that people who already purchase organic food may instead switch to locally sourced produce, be it organic or not, in order to help the local community, and to do their bit to reduce the carbon footprint. There may be an opportunity here for organic food producers to also trade locally, so that people can get the best of both worlds. A benefit of organic produce is that it attempts to ensure that minimal amounts of pesticides and fewer artificial methods are used in the growing of the food. Only 25% of organic food carries pesticide residues, compared to 77% of conventionally grown food [32]. This reduces harm to any soil or wildlife in the area, and is reported to have added health benefits, all contributing to less of a bad impact on the environment from harmful chemicals. 2. 6 Legal factors Legal changes in the United Kingdom may affect the behaviour of firms and producers within this particular industry. Back in 1984, the Food Act was introduced, which outlined the description and purity of foodstuffs, and affected the way in which food could be produced [33]. This legal act is still completely applicable today, and is regularly updated, notably affecting organic food producers in how they can describe and label their food. As well as an organic product having to meet UK organic standards, it also must abide by this Food Act when selling to respective buyers, so as not to mislead customers, i. e. it must be what they claim it to be, in this case, organic. A European ruling in 2007 states that for food to be labelled free of genetically modified ingredients, it must contain 0. 9% or less of such elements, which may in turn affect the price of organic food [34]. Producers need to factor these sorts of legal requirements into pricing how much they are going to sell their food for. For the past few years, recorded minimum wage has risen, with October 2007 being the last review at ? 5. 52 per hour for workers aged 22 and over, ? 4. 60 per hour for workers aged 18-21 inclusive, and ? 3. 40 per hour for all workers under the age of 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age [35]. These increases may pose problems for producers who cannot afford to meet these payments, especially if inflation ontinues to rise, and the credit crunch continues to beckon a recession in the financial market. If the producers cannot afford workers to help them look after livestock or harvest crops, this may pose to be a big threat as to whether they can afford to meet the requirements of customers. ? 3. PORTER’S FIVE FORCES The micro-environment is a set of forces that directly impacts the ability of an industry to serve its customers, which were described by Michael E. Porter in an analytical framework as five forces that determine the competitive intensity of a market. This can also be described as the ‘attractiveness’ of an industry [36]. It must be remembered here that even if a market is determined to be ‘attractive, this does not mean that every firm in the industry will yield the same profitability. Only by having uniqueness in resources or a distinctive business model can help to achieve greater profits. The five forces suggested by Porter are the threat of new entrants, threat of substitute products, and threat of established rivals from horizontal competition, and the bargaining power of suppliers, and bargaining power of buyers from vertical competition [37]. The strength of these forces combined determines how competitive the industry is, and can determine whether it is favourable to enter. In reference to Porter’s Five Forces, the term ‘industry’ will be used to describe any products which are similar, and are close substitutes for each other. These five forces that affect how competitive the industry is will be discussed below. 3. 1 Threat of new entrants In order to assess the threat of new entrants in the industry, it needs to be assessed whether the barriers to entry in the UK organic food producing industry are high or low. This will be looked at in relation to economies of scale, product differentiation, cost disadvantages in relation to the capital required, and access to distribution channels, in relation to UK organic legislation. Economies of scale occur when the costs of producing are reduced from making more units, as it is more efficient to increase output. Some organic food producers may benefit from the fact their purchasers may be large supermarket chains, who have the ability to buy in bulk due to the benefits of their economies of scale. Organic food producers an then sell their goods to these chains, who realise that their customers are becoming increasingly aware about the benefits of this quality produce. However, due to these chains being in a position to buy bulk, in order to compete in this market, organic farmers may have to sell their goods at a cut price if the supermarkets want to sell it on to turn a profit. In this case, new entrants may be put off from entering the market if th ey cannot afford to compete with already established providers of organic food to these main players. Product differentiation is an issue, as the organic products in this industry are largely homogenous. If new entrants wanted to penetrate the market, they would have to think of innovative new ways for buyers to choose their products over another product which is the same as the one they are offering. This does however mean that producers already in the market may have less competition enter alongside them, as long as the existing producers offer fair prices and top quality food, with well established networks. Cost disadvantages may pose a threat to new entrants, as a large amount of capital is required in order to enter the market. Firstly, modern agri-technology is expensive to purchase, and the largest cost of deciding to produce organic food is the conversion of land [38]. In order to convert land so that it meets the UK Organic standards requires a great capital investment, which is one of the reasons why the supply is still short. This may put off potential entrants to the market if they believe they cannot afford to make their land meet national requirements. These national requirements are subject to change, so barriers to entry can be heightened or lowered at given times, depending on what is decided by the ruling bodies. This may also affect international entrants, as national standards vary in different countries. What is seen as organic in one country, may not meet the requirements in the UK, so producers may be protected from further competition in that respect. For example, new regulations in Japan caused the majority of products to lose their organic status [39]. This also ties in with access to distribution channels, as UK producers may be fighting for space on supermarket shelves or stalls in a local farmers’ market, and only the best will survive. Even though supply is short, a limited amount of space is still given to organic produce, which on one hand may deter entrants into the industry, but equally may give some producers wishing to enter the market a bigger incentive to increase awareness about organic produce, and try to meet that supply in innovative new ways. 3. 2 Threat of substitute products Substitute products are products which can fulfil the same function, but from a different industry. In the case of the organic food industry, substitutes can occur in the form of different kinds of eating, or fad diets, such as calorie-counting healthy eating, and or locally sourced conventional produce. First to be discussed is reduced-fat and reduced-calorie food, which may appeal to the organic food shopper. If people are buying organic food as a misunderstanding of what it really is, and do so for the health benefits, then they may switch to specific ‘healthier eating’ options, rather than organic food. This threat however has been reported to be minimal at the moment, as figures in a Mintel report from 2007 on organic food show that organic food is experiencing a much greater growth than reduced calorie options [40]. The reduced-calorie options, as well as functional foods, still continue however to rise in popularity. Locally sourced conventional produce also poses a threat to the organic food industry, as some people may choose to support local farmers rather than to choose organic produce. This is especially difficult on the organic food industry, as more farmers may decide not to convert their land to organic if people are more willing just to buy conventional locally produced food [41]. This threat may encourage organic farmers however to sell produce locally, so they are covering both segments of their target market. An example of this threat is posed by milk, as demand for organic milk far exceeds the supply, so people are facing the dilemma of having to buy non-organic locally sourced milk, as this is a necessary substitute for people buying milk in the premium market [42]. Organic food may be seen as necessity to some, but to most it is a luxury, and conventional foods can replace the premium priced, undersupplied organic food. 3. 3 Threat of established rivals The simplest rival in this industry may be seen as people who grow their own organic produce in their garden or local allotment. This reduces the need for organic farmers to sell their produce to consumers, and this has the potential to reduce the need for them to sell, as it may be cheaper for people to grow their own. Aside from this threat, there are other forms of competition within the industry. Rivals in the industry have different ways of competing against each other, including varied forms of price, marketing strategies, and innovation techniques. Firstly, a sustainable competitive advantage can be gained through the innovation from producers in the industry. For example, organic farmers may decide to provide their goods only to local outlets and consumers, which increases the likelihood of people wishing to buy products which are organic and sourced locally. This can provide a competitive advantage over organic producers in the UK who have a larger carbon footprint by delivering their products across the country. Competitive rivalry may continue here as more competitors enter the market to satisfy the growing demand for organic produce. As new entrants penetrate the market, it needs to be increasingly thought of new ways to differentiate products, as the nature of the produce in this industry is largely homogenous. There is not a large diversity of competitors, as organic produce is the same from one farmer’s land to another, so competition will be high in order to get people to choose one farmer’s particular produce. This is also true when considering who will purchase this food, as supermarkets are increasing their ranges of organic food, so competition to get produce chosen to be sold in these will be high [43]. If a supermarket already purchases a particular farmer’s produce, it may be difficult for other competitors to penetrate the market if customer loyalty already exists, so new ways of doing so will need to be thought of, such as competing on price. This, however, will only be possible to a certain extent, as a profit still needs to be made by the producers in order to continue their business. Existing firms may compete in this industry through diversification of how the produce is offered, as some farmer’s may set up a market stall or store in order to deliver their produce to the consumer. An advantage of this is the added convenience to consumers of having a place they know they can go to in order to source locally produced organic food. An example of this is the ever increasing popularity of the chain ‘Planet Organic’, which is continuing to expand upon its outlets in urban areas in London, so that people don’t have to live in rural areas in order to get there organic food [44]. 3. Bargaining power of suppliers There is an estimated 4630 producers in the organic market who have converted their land to organic soil, and this is ever increasing [45]. Even though this is still increasing, it is expensive to convert conventional land, so this may be one of the reasons for a relatively low number of suppliers in this industry. This section focuses on whether suppliers in the organic food producing industry have high or low amounts of power over the happenings in the industry. The brand of organic food may be seen as powerful, as there is a high consumer demand for these products. This gives the suppliers the added advantage of being able to choose how and where to supply their produce. However, even though this increases supplier power, the customers for their produce are fragmented, so there may be a reduced bargaining power over price, as there is only so low that producers are able to offer their goods for. Organic food in itself is a unique offering, which gives an alternative to conventionally produced food, and can satisfy the needs of particular consumer groups who crave quality and are concerned with the provenance of what they eat. This allows suppliers to have a greater power over the conventional or locally sourced produce, as organic food is seen as a lifestyle choice and not just one of convenience or necessity. Figures from Mintel show that 65% of people shop in supermarkets where the food is of high quality and is fresh [46]. This choice from consumers gives suppliers the added advantage of being able to provide a service that people actually want. 3. 5 Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of buyers in the market can have a great effect on the industry itself, which will now be outlined in terms of how much power they have over the industry. Buying power may be deemed to be relatively low in some respects, but high in others in this industry for a number of reasons. With an increase in demand for organic produce, a large amount of buyers are competing for a relatively short supply of food. This may mean they are willing to pay higher prices for the produce, due to its availability being decreased. This supply shortage was outlined in The Grocer, which shows sales were up to ? 3. 1billion when they reported in March 2007 [47]. However, few large buyers, such as large chains of supermarkets, may have an increased buyer power due to suppliers wanting their goods to be sold in these stores, as they can ensure produce is sold via a contract for a certain period of time. This reduces uncertainty for suppliers, and ensures less food is spoiled. The fact that this industry contains a large number of undifferentiated suppliers may mean that buyers have more power over who to choose to supply their produce if there is a large amou nt of suppliers in that particular area. The cost for buyers of switching suppliers for produce is very low, which further still increases their power, assuming that there is an appropriate amount of supply existing. Buyers are aware that there is a shortage of supply of organic produce, so this may give them less power over suppliers, and over the industry in general. It has been previously mentioned about the increased demand over supply, so buyers may have to pay the prices being offered to them by suppliers if they want this non-conventionally grown produce. Buyers may also have higher power in some respects due to existing substitute products, which have previously been discussed. There is an opportunity in some cases for people to switch to locally sourced conventional food, rather than organic food. This can increase buyer power, if they decide to refrain buying organic food altogether, which may force producers to reduce their prices, or just to exit the market. ? 4. CONCLUSION 4. 1 The industry at present Looking at the information which has been discussed in the 2nd and 3rd sections of this report, deductions and analysis can be made about the industry at present. In its simplest form, the UK market for organic food is reported to be worth ? 1. 5 billion in 2007 [48], and this is continually growing. Issues affecting the macro-environment include current Government legislation managed by the Soil Association and the Organic Farmers and Growers Association, buyer power and spending habits in the organic food industry, effects of the growing media attention on the industry itself, new ways to sell produce, and environmental concerns facing producers. Issues ffecting the micro-environment include the threat of new entrants joining the industry due to a lack of supply and an increase demand, substitute products being present such as locally sourced produce, established rivals having better distribution links, suppliers having increase amounts of power due to the increased demand from consumers, and the buyers having relatively low power due to the lack of supply. This is a small summary of how the industry can be seen at present, and from looking at the information collected, there are various reasons why it may or may not be a favourable market to enter. The fact that demand is high but supply is low is a good reason for wanting to enter the market. This would imply that any produce made would be easily sold, and suppliers would be in a better position to bargain on higher prices, as they are well aware of this demand. However, there are issues in being able to enter this industry. The initial outlay costs are high, as it is expensive to convert land into what is considered to be organic, to buy new technology required to grow and harvest produce in the methods stated by the necessary authorities. It may then be difficult to sell produce in certain areas if people do not agree with the transportation used to get the produce there in the first place. These are factors that need to be taken into consideration when looking at the industry at present, but with expansion set to continue, if the capital is available, it seems favourable to enter. 4. 2 Future changes Increased acceptance of organic food means that the future of the industry looks good for the moment. People are beginning to accept organic produce into their everyday lives, and with reported health benefits of switching to these products, sales are increasing, with analysts predicting that sales will double before the end of this decade [49]. Increased awareness in the media and new studies into the goodness of organic produce is driving sales and increasing demand. The notion of ‘eating well’ is of key importance to the Government in what they suggest to avoid an obesity crisis in the UK, and organic food may be seen as a way of doing this. However, it must be remembered that the future, as with any industry, can be uncertain. Factors that must be faced and planned for in the future include bad press in the media, substitute product switching, and a change in legislation. If the media publishes bad press about whether there are really any extra health benefits from paying extra for organic food instead of conventionally grown food, the demand may fall and substitute products used instead. Products such as locally sourced food are fighting for advertisement space in the media also, so people may switch to this in the future in order to protect the earth, and reduce their carbon footprint. This can all be affected by the hype that is created in the media at that particular time. Standards in legislation are also subject to change, and if this is to change in the future, it may be the case that fewer farmers can afford to convert their land into organic soil, which will reduce the supply of organic food further. If this occurs, the popularity and publicity of this industry may decline. These are issues that need to be kept in the forefront of the industry’s mind, and plans to avoid this, such as proving the benefits of switching to organic produce, need to be made. ? 5. APPENDICES 5. 1 Critique of tools and research limitations 5. 2. 1 PESTEL framework Advantages are listed below: †¢Allows the analyst to remove themselves from the industry and look at it more objectively by adapting to the new environment †¢Can avoid taking actions that will lead to failure Can see the context of the industry Limitations are listed below: †¢Time consuming †¢Is done by an individual, so important factors can be missed †¢May be difficult to know what to include under each heading, so hard to follow by other people reading the report †¢Industries are constantly changing, so once it is written, it may have already changed †¢PESTEL analysis only covers the remote environm ent 5. 2. 2 Porter’s 5 Forces Advantages are listed below: Can effectively analyse competition in an industry, and help decide how to beat competitors †¢Develop strategies for action from the information found and apply them to gain market share in an industry †¢Looks beyond obvious immediate competitors, and focuses on substitutes to the organic produce being offered – wider market view Limitations are listed below: †¢Also is carried out by an individual, so things relating to competition in the micro-environment may go unlooked †¢This analysis is a static framework, and the industry is constantly changing, so it may not be applicable immediately after it has been written These limitations imply that a strategy cannot be made just by looking at this report alone. This point may the most important research limitation, as this cannot be taken as to what the industry is like presently. New research is constantly being carried out, and figures continuously change, so up-to-date information is required for marketing strategy development. ? 6. REFERENCES [1]NOSB Definition, http://www. ota. com/definition/nosb. html, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [2]What Is Organic? , http://www. soilassociation. org/web/sa/saweb. nsf, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [3]Organic Food, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Organic_food, [Accessed 16/4/08]. 4]Channels to market, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [5]Industry Statistics and Projected Growth, http://www. ota. com/organic/mt/business. html, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [6]Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Comp etitors (The Structural Analysis of Industries), . Macmillan: UK, pp. 3-33. [7]Davies, M. (1998). Understanding Marketing. Prentice Hall: Hemel Hempstead, p. 35. [8]Kotler, P. (1998) (9th ed. ). Marketing Management – Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. [9]Organic Certification, www. organicfarmers. org. uk, [Accessed 10/4/08]. [10]Soil Association, www. soilassociation. org, [Accessed 10/4/08]. [11]DEFRA, www. defra. gov. uk/farm/organic/standards/index. htm#ukstandards, [Accessed 10/4/08]. [12]EU Bans Battery Hen Cages, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/uk/264607. stm, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [13]EU Looks to Cut Farming Subsidies, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/Europe/7409739. stm, [Accessed 20/5/08]. [14]Inflation and Credit Crunch prompts Pessimism over Growth Prospects, http://www. independent. co. k/news/business/news/inflation-and-credit-crunch-prompts-pessimism-over-growth-prospects-830644. html, [Accessed 19/5/08]. [15]Global Credit Crunch – facts and figures, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/business/7302341. stm, [Accessed 18/4/08]. [16]Organic Conversion, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [17]Hi gh Street will feel Shock of House Sales Collapse, http://www. guardian. co. uk/money/2008/may/19/houseprice. creditcrunch, [Accessed 19/5/08]. [18]Provenance is Prized, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [19]Organics, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [20]Consumer 2 – Attitude Towards Organic Foods, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [21]Organic Food Industry Out of Control, http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/UK_politics/1134285. stm, [Accessed 24/4/08]. [22]Key Points, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [23]Globalisation of the Organic Food Industry, http://www. organicmonitor. com/r1407. htm, [Accessed 16/4/08]. [24]Demographic Changes, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [25]Women and AB’s Shop Organically, Mintel Marketing Intelligence, 2007, Organics: Mintel Marketing Report. London: Mintel International Group, [Accessed 25/4/08]. [26]Davies, M. (1998). Understanding Marketing. Prentice Hall: Hemel Hempstead, p. 35. How to cite Uk Organic Food, Essay examples

The Effect of Myelination

Question: Explain the effect of Myelination on the rate of nerve Impulse Conduction? Answer: Conduction of nerve impulse: Nerve impulse is carried through neuron which is regarded as s cell in human nervous system. Respond to any stimulus is done through nerve impulse through neurons. Stimuli may be any kind of touch, sound, light etc and in this way communicate with each other. Calcium and sodium ions are responsible for conduction of nerve impulse. Sodium ions are responsible for membrane potential across the nerve membrane. Membrane potential helps in transfer of signal through active sodium potassium pump. Sodium ions move outside from inside the nerve and potassium ions move inside from outside creating an action potential which carries the nerve impulse. Calcium ions are released from voltage gated channels of calcium at the synapse of one neuron to another and trigger the release of neurotransmitter molecules (2). Neurotransmitter molecules are responsible for activation of post synaptic neuron which causes transfer of responses from one neuron to another. E.g. of a neurotransmitter is acetylcholine. Receptors are the membrane units which are required to identify the receptive molecules. For e.g. acetylcholine receptor at post synaptic neuron which receives signal after receipting acetylcholine molecules. Enzymes are responsible for conduction of nerv e response as they help in movement of sodium and potassium ions across membrane, helps in release of calcium ions and neurotransmitter. Effect of myelination on rate of nerve impulse: Myelin sheath is present surrounding the axon of neuron and is secreted by glial cells. It helps in fast conduction of nerve impulse as myelin is made up of fat and fat acts as insulator so do not conduct impulse. Sodium channels which are present at high concentration at nodes help in faster conduction as impulse will jump from node to node and transfer signal faster (1). References Gutkin, B. and G. B. Ermentrout. 2006. Neuroscience: spikes too kinky in the cortex? Nature 440: 999-1000. Schikorski, T. and C. F. Stevens. 2010. Morphological correlates of functionally defined synaptic vesicle populations. Nature Neuroscience 4: 391-395.

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Financial Accounting coursework - Essay Example Thus the accrual method of accounting measures the position and performance of the company based on the transactions made in the course of business irrespective of the cash receipts and payments done for the business transaction. The accrual method of accounting combines the current and expected cash inflows and outflows to determine the consolidated financial position of the company (Sofat and Hiro, 2008, p.36). Marks and Spencer has used the accrual method to determine the expected value of the cash flows based on the historical sales returns so that the accrued figures could be allocated accurately in the financial statements. Assumptions related to Going-Concern for preparing financial statements The assumptions related to going concern for preparing financial statements are that the company would continue its business in near future unless the management decides to liquidate the company or decides to stop operations. When the financial statements are prepared by assuming the goi ng concern of a business entity, the assets and liabilities are allocated with the assumption that if the company continues its operations, it would be able to acquire the same amount of assets or would be able to service the same amount of liabilities (Bhattacharyya, 2011, p.48). Ex. Marks and Spencer have prepared their financial statements with the assumption of going concern after considering the risk and uncertainties of the business. The assessment of the assets and liabilities for the foreseeable future has been done based on projections after consideration of risk. Key accounting concepts used in preparation of financial statements The accounting method is a tool based on which the financial statements are prepared and the information given in the financial statements are meant for the users. Thus the preparation of financial statements involves key accounting concepts which are standardized for the companies. The key accounting concepts are combined together to form the gen erally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The accounting concepts that are used in the preparation of the financial statements are such as money measurement, entity, cost, going concern, objectivity, dual aspect, time period, realization, conservatism, consistency, matching, materiality. The consideration of an entity and its distinction from the owners is important for preparation of the financial statements. The business, sales and receipts in accounting are done in terms of money measurement. The business is considered to carry on its economic activities for a sustainable period of time unless the operations cease to exist on the basis of decision of owners. This concept forms the basis of a going concern that is used in accounting method (Crosson and  Needles, 2010, p.52). The accounting measurements takes into consideration the cost incurred by the company for running the business. This includes the cost of capital, cost of goods sold, etc. The dual aspect in accounting s tates that the assets are equal to the liabilities of the company. The objectivity in accounting met

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Experiment on Amount of Dissolved Oxygen in Water

Experiment on Amount of Dissolved Oxygen in Water Research: Water covers 70 percent of the earth and made up of 55% to 78% of the human body; it is the most abundant compound on the planet. It’s exists in liquid, solid, and gaseous states in nature; at room temperature, it’s a tasteless, odorless and colorless liquid (Water structure and behaviour, 2014). Water in chemical formula is H2O, two hydrogen atoms each share one electron with the oxygen atom to form two covalent bonds and make a water molecule. The outer shell of oxygen is now full with 8 electrons and remains stable; thereby it won’t further react with other hydrogen or oxygen atoms (graph 1). One of the important features of water molecule is that it forms and angle with hydrogen atoms at the tips and the oxygen atom at the vertex. The angle formed by oxygen and hydrogen atoms isn’t a typical tetrahedral angle of 109 degrees, because the presence of two lone pairs on the oxygen molecule pushes the hydrogen molecules closer together away from the lone pa irs. This results in a smaller bond angle of 104.5 degree (Graph 2). The reason that water is primarily a liquid under standard condition is because that oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen; hydrogen is attracted strongly by oxygen results in the side of the oxygen atom is partial negative charge, while the hydrogen end is partially positive. This kind of molecule with a separation of electrical charges is called a dipole meaning two poles. The charge difference allows water molecules to be attracted to each other and difficult to be separated, forming one single body of liquid. Each water molecules bond to maximum of four other water molecules with two hydrogen atoms accepted and donates another two hydrogen atoms to others (Graph 3). This type of bond is identified as hydrogen bond occurs when hydrogen atom bonds with oxygen, fluorine or nitrogen atom. Hydrogen bonding functions as two magnets stick together due to the opposite pole attraction. It is stronger than normal dipole forces between molecules. The force is categorized as intermolecular force, a force act between neighboring particles (Hydrogen Bonding, 2013). The extensive hydrogen bonding between water molecules is responsible for physical properties in water, including property of high melting point, boiling point since more energy is required to break hydrogen bonds between molecules. Water will be in gas, if the intermolecular force (force that holds water molecules together) is less than the thermal force that pushing the molecules apart; while, the boiling point is determined as a point between behaving as a liquid and gas (Intramolecular Force, 2013). Another relevant property is that water has a very high specific heat capacity, due to the presence of extensive hydrogen bonding between water molecules; a large amount of energy (heat) is absorbed in breaking the bond (Specific Heat Capacity of Water, 2014). Water has a high solubility, due to its a polar molecule with both positive and negative charges. Dissolving occurs when water bonds and separates the anion and cation of a substance. Consider putting an ionic compound into water, the individual ions react with the opposite polarity regions of the water molecules with their ionic bonds broken. This process is called dissociation, where ions are formed with atoms breaking down from a molecule. The positively charged end of the water (H+) surrounds the negative ion of the ionic compound and the negatively charged end of the water (O2-) surrounds the positive ion of the ionic compound, this is called as a sphere of hydration, which separates the particles. This is the reason why water cannot dissolve non-polar molecule, because the polarity has no effect on a non-polar molecule (solubility, 2000). Abstract: In this experiment, potassium thiosulfate was used to titrate water sample collected in wetland at school; in order to simulate and determine the amount of oxygen dissolved in a normal river. The method used is called as Winkler Method, which involves iodometric titration; the amount of oxygen in the sample is determined indirectly via iodine. The method is considered to be the most reliable and precise method for DO analysis. DO presents in the river is relevant to the industry, river aquaculture, for the sake of keeping the oxygen level in a suitable range for aquatic animals to survive. There are a number of variables that affect DO presents in the river, temperature is the most crucial factor that should be taken into account. Since river’s temperature varies throughout the year with the change in the weathers or seasons. The temperature difference between summer and winter can be up to 10 degrees Celsius. Hence the experiment will focus on the effect of different temperat ures on the amount of DO in the water sample. Theoretically, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water is inversely proportional to the water temperature (table1). It’s clearly shown in the graph that as the temperature rises, the solubility of oxygen in the water decreases (graph 4). It’s recommended that DO analysis experiment should be done within the same day. DO level in the water source, where sample water is collected, may alter dramatically at different time. It then consequently becomes a factor that affects the final result. Introduction: Dissolved oxygen in water is defines as the amount of oxygen molecules that physically distributed in water. Notice that oxygen does not chemically react with water, since oxygen is a non-polar gas; the intermolecular force of hydrogen bond in water molecule itself is stronger than the induced dipole attraction between the polar bond in water and the nonpolar bond gas, oxygen. Water molecules will rather remain hydrogen bonded to each other, then to allow a non-polar molecule (oxygen) to come between them (Aquaculture, 2000). There are three ways that oxygen gets in the water. First of all, it’s the difference of the concentration of oxygen in the air and the concentration of oxygen in the water causes diffusion to occur. Oxygen flows from high concentration (air) to low concentration (water). Secondly, it’s the partial pressure and surface area that causes oxygen to shift through the water. For instance, in a river that flows rapidly, water turbulence increases the surface area of water for oxygen to diffuse across. Churning also allows air to hit water at a high pressure, allowing more oxygen to diffuse into the water. At last the presence of water plants produce oxygen in the water by doing the process of photosynthesis (How does oxygen get into the water?, 1999). Nowadays, commercial aquaculture is growing worldwide except in Africa. Fish and other aquatic organisms are a source of protein for human to intake. However, continues to harvest wild sources of fish will result in overfishing or even the loss of those aquatic species entirely. Aquaculture not only meets the human demand, but also allows wild species to breed and maintain the number of the wild aquatic species. There are a couple of aspects to look at in the aquaculture industry. The amount of dissolved oxygen in the water is relevant to maintain the water quality for fish and aquatic species to grow. Oxygen is important in respiration and metabolism processes in any animal. Particularly for fish, the metabolic rate is highly related to the oxygen concentration in water. For cold-water fish, the minimum DO requirement is 6mg per litre; for both tropical freshwater fish and tropical marine fish, it’s 5mg per litre. Once the level of DO is lower than the minimum requirement, fi sh may be affected by tissue hypoxia, their swimming activities will decrease and their immunity to diseases will also reduce (Aquaculture, 2000). It’s obvious that fish and aquatic species rely on the DO level in the water to survive. Fish farmers should realize all the factors that affect the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water; temperature is one of the main factors. The solubility of any gases is dependent on the temperature. At a high temperature, the solubility of a gas in the water is low, while at a lower temperature the gas solubility in the water is relatively higher (graph5) (The Effects of Temperature on the Solubility of Gases in the Universal Solvent (Water), 2009). As the temperature rises, the kinetic energy of the gas particles physically distributed in the water increases. This results in a more intensive gas particles’ motion, which allows intermolecular bonds between water molecules and gas molecules to be broken causing gas to escape into the atmosphere (Temperature and Pressure Effects on Solubility , 2003). The experiment consists of three parts, potassium iodate standardization, reagent blank determination and sample analysis. Begin with the KIO3 standardization, the exact concentration of potassium iodate is unknown, hence it’s titrated by sulfuric acid solution to determine it’s actual concentration. Reagent blank determination is done in order to minimize the error in the experiment. During the experiment, due to environment factors and contaminations, the result may be affected. Water is often used as a blank reagent and its responsible for determining the side effects on the final result. When doing the blank determination, water undergoes the same process as the sample. The value acquired is the blank value; it is then subtracted from the sample’s result. Once the processes of standardization and blank determination have been done, water sample can now be analyzed. The chemical reactions are as follows: 1) Manganese chloride reacts with sodium hydroxide to give a white perciptate of manganous hydroxide. MnCl2 + 2NaOH –> Mn(OH)2 + 2NaCl 2) The presence of oxygen in the water sample reacts with manganous hydroxide, manganic basic oxide is then formed. 2Mn(OH)2 + O2 –> 2 MnO(OH)2 3) Manganic basic oxide is dissolved by sulfuric acid, and immediately reacts with sodium iodide to yield iodine. 2MnO(OH)2 + 4 H2SO4 –> 2Mn(SO4)2 + 6H2O 2Mn(SO4)2 + 4 NaI –> 2Mn SO4 + 2Na2SO4 + 2I2 4) Sodium thiosulfate is used to titrate iodine with the indicator, starch, to the end point. 4Na2S2O3 + 2I2 ->2Na2S4O6 + 4NaI The titer determines the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water sample with one mole of O2 reacts with 4 moles of sodium thiosulfate. The amount of oxygen concentration can be calculated from the above analysis with the following formula: Dissolved oxygen = (mL/L) Notice that the unit is one milliliter of oxygen per litre of water, which can also be transferred into mg per litre. Hypothesis: It’s predicted that the lower temperature will result in a higher solubility of oxygen in water. Under the condition of high temperature, oxygen gas forms weak molecular bonds with the water molecules. As a result, oxygen molecules will rise towards the surface and escape to the atmosphere, consequently reducing the amount of oxygen gas dissolved in the water. The solubility of oxygen is compared between cold river water and heated river water within this experiment, whilst other variables are kept constant; including the size of the beaker, the location where river water is retrieved from and the solution used for titration. Materials: BOD bottle Deionised water Standard Potassium Iodate Sulfuric acid solution Sodium iodide-sodium hydroxide reagent Manganese chloride reagent Method: KIO3 Standardization (Titration) Label a BOD bottle with â€Å"KIO3 Standard† 15ml of deionised water added into the BOD bottle 10ml of standard potassium iodate with concentration of 0.00167M added into the BOD bottle with a pipette Swirl to mix 1 ml of 50% sulphuric acid solution added into the BOD bottle 1ml of sodium iodide-sodium hydroxide reagent added into the BOD bottle and swirl 1ml of manganese chloride reagent added into the BOD bottle and mix thoroughly Fill the BOD bottle with deionised water to the neck, and mix the solution by inverting the bottle a few times (BOD bottle now contains KIO3 standard solution, it’s identified as KIO3 standard bottle) Discard 50mL of KIO3 standard solution by using a 50mL volumetric pipette Add 50mL of KIO3 standard solution into a clean 100ml conical flask by using a 50mL volumetric pipette Set up the burette and fill it with sodium thiosulfate working solution Place a white tile under the burette with the conical flask that contains KIO3 standard solution on top Start titrating sodium thiosulfate into the conical flask until the solution turns a pale yellow colour, stop titrating Three drops of starch solution added to the flask, then continues to titrate until the solution turns colourless Volume of sodium thiosulfate added recorded Repeat the process until three readings within 0.05mL of each other acquired Reagent Blank determination – Titration Add 15mL of deionised water into a 250mL conical flask 1mL of KIO3 standard solution added to the conical flask 1mL of 50% sulphuric acid added to the flask 1mL of sodium iodide-sodium hydroxide added to the flask 1mL of manganese chloride reagent added to the flask Appendix Table1: (The Winkler Method Measuring Dissolved Oxygen, 2013) Graph 1: (Waters Influence on Temperature, 2013) Graph 2: (WATER: DESIGNED FOR LIFE, 2013) Graph 3: (Hydrogen bond, 2014) Graph4: (Lecture Water Chemistry Dissolved Gases Oxygen) Graph5: (Why oxygen dissolved in water is important , 1998)

Victim in Hardys Tess of the dUrbervilles Essay -- Tess dUrbervil

Victim in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles      Ã‚   Tess Durbeyfield is a victim of external and uncomprehended forces. Passive and yielding, unsuspicious and fundamentally pure, she suffers a weakness of will and reason, struggling against a fate that is too strong for her. Tess is the easiest victim of circumstance, society and male idealism, who fights the hardest fight yet is destroyed by her ravaging self-destructive sense of guilt, life denial and the cruelty of two men.      Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is primarily the death of the horse, Prince, the DurbeyfieldÕs main source of livelihood, that commences the web of circumstance that envelops Tess. Tess views herself as the cause of her families economic downfall, however she also believes that she is parallel to a murderess. The imagery at this point in the novel shows how distraught and guilt ridden Tess is as she places her hand upon PrinceÕs wound in a futile attempt to prevent the blood loss that cannot be prevented. This imagery is equivalent to a photographic proof - a lead-up to the events that will shape TessÕs life and the inevitable Ã’evilÓ that also, like the crimson blood that spouts from PrinceÕs wound, cannot be stopped. The symbolic fact that Tess perceives herself to be comparable to a murderess is an insight into the murder that she will eventually commit and is also a reference to the level of guilt that now consumes her. Ã’Nobody blamed Tess as she blamed herself... she regarded herself in the light of a murderess.Ó Â   Her parents, aware of her beauty, view Tess as an opportunity for future wealth and coupled with the unfortunate circumstance of Prince's death urge Tess to... ...ill and reason are undermined by her sensuality. Tess herself sums up her own blighted life best; "Once a victim, always a victim - that's the law!"    Works Cited Casagrande, Peter J. Tess of the d'Urbervilles: Unorthodox Beauty. New York: Twayne, 1992. Claridge, Laura. "Tess: A Less Than Pure Woman Ambivalently Presented." Texas Studies in Literature and Language 28 (1986): 324-38. Hall, Donald. Afterward. Tess of the d'Urbervilles. By Thomas Hardy. New York: Signet, 1980. 417-27. Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the d'Urbervilles. 1891. New York: Signet Classic, 1980. McMurtry, Jo. Victorian Life and Victorian Fiction. Hamden: Shoe String, 1979. Mickelson, Anne Z. Thomas Hardy's Women and Men: The Defeat of Nature. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1976. Weissman, Judith. Half Savage and Hardy and Free. Middletown: Wesleyan UP, 1987.