Pyrotechnics, The Art Of Fire :: essays research papers

Pyrotechnics is defined as the art of manufacturing or setting of fireworks. There are many different forms of pyrotechnics. Some consider fireworks dangerous, obnoxious bursts of noise; others consider them beautiful, artful displays of light. Either way you look at it, pyrotechnics is an interesting and dangerous hobby. Many colors and designs may be created by the placement of different compounds in distinct areas of the fireworks, either projectile or stationary ones. Some of the many different colors of the visible spectrum that can be easily recreated are; yellow, orange, red, green, and blue. The shades of yellow and orange can be easily recreated by the use of sodium or calcium chlorate. Red is easily attainable by the burning of SrCl. The burning of BaCl creates a very bright green. The burning of copper chlorate creates the blues. It would be extremely easy if we could just place these in the fireworks and have them work, however, the emitting molecules, especially SrCl and BaCl, are so reactive that they cannot be packed directly into a firework. To generate them, we need pyrotechnic compositions designed to generate the above molecules, to evaporate them into the flame and to keep them at as high temperature as possible to achieve maximum light output. To get good colors, there must be substantial amounts of emitters present in the flame. The emitters are not alone: in order to achieve the high temperature, a fuel - oxidizer system is also needed, as well as some additional ingredients. The colors of aerial fireworks come invariably from stars, small pellets of firework composition which contain all the necessary ingredients for generating colored light or other special effects. They may be as tiny as peas or as large as strawberries. A typical red star might contain Potassium perchlorate,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  67% by weight Strontium carbonate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.5% Pine root pitch (fuel)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.5% Rice starch (binder)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6% In order to launch these beautiful displays into the sky, one must shoot them by means of a mortar or a rocket attached to the firework. To use a mortar, you must pack a propellant into the mortar and then place your firework inside. The subsequent explosion luanchs the mortar ball (your firework) into the sky, where it is free to explode in a 360 degree display of chemistry. Some fireworks are stationary, where all that is desired is a loud bang. Some of the best stationary fireworks are just straight, packed black powder in a small, sealed container (i.

Perceptions of African American Women Essay

I am taking some classes that will eventually qualify me to major in Astro – Physics, or Chemical engineering, I also want to work with NASA and train as an astronaut. It was amazing to know that Dr. Mae C. Jemison who happens to be the youngest of three children born to a middle class African American family, Charlie Jemison, a maintenance worker and his wife, Dorothy, a teacher. Dr. Mae C. Jemison was the first black woman astronaut to be in space in an era filled with segregation and racism, she is a Chemical engineer, scientist, physician, teacher and astronaut, she has a wide range of experience in technology, engineering, and medical research. In addition to her extensive background in science, she is well-versed in African and African-American Studies, speaks fluent Russian, Japanese, and Swahili, as well as English and is trained in dance and choreography. Dr. Mae C. Jamison was an inspiration to me, and probably to many African American women. She was full of resilience and determination especially to have reached and achieved success in an unusual field of endeavor for many African American women, I applaud her determination to make a difference among the African American women and blacks in Diaspora. After graduating from Morgan Park High School in 1973 at the age of 16, Dr. Mae Jemison earned a BS in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University, while also fulfilling the requirements for a BA in African-American Studies. After earning these degrees in 1977, she attended Cornell University and received a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1981. During medical school she traveled to Cuba, Kenya and Thailand, providing primary medical care to people living there. This is an indication of her humanitarian efforts and eagerness to reach out to the less privileged population. Having a desire to do more with her life, she enrolled in graduate classes in engineering and applied to NASA for admission to the astronaut program. She was turned down on her first application, maybe because she is a black woman, but she persevered and in 1987 was accepted on her second application. She became one of the fifteen candidates accepted from over 2,000 applicants. When Dr. Mae Jemison successfully completed her astronaut training program in August 1988, she became the fifth black astronaut and the first black female astronaut in NASA history. In completing her first space flight, Dr. Mae Jemison logged 190 hours, 30 minutes, 23 seconds in space, making her the first African-American woman in space. She says, â€Å"I had to learn very early not to limit myself due to others’ limited imaginations. I have learned these days never to limit anyone else due to my limited imagination. † This is an inspiration to other blacks in general who normally assume a second class citizen and believe that they will never do well or will be appreciated in whatever they do. This is a wake-up call, and manifestation of the saying â€Å"Determination is the mother of invention†. In 1993, Dr. Mae Jemison resigned from NASA and founded the Jemison Group, Inc. to research, develop and implement advanced technologies suited to the social, political, cultural and economic context of the individual, especially for the developing world. Current projects include: Alpha, (TM) a satellite based telecommunication system to improve health care in West Africa; and The Earth We Share, (TM) an international science camp for students ages 12 to 16, that utilizes an experiential curriculum. Among her current projects are several that focus on improving healthcare in Africa. She is also a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College. Dr. Mae Jamison made a name for herself and name for blacks in general; Her entrepreneurial spirit put her in the limelight and acts as a boost to determined black men and women in Diaspora. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. It was quite surprising to read about Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, I know almost nothing about this â€Å"giant and queen of modern Africa† who is presently the current president of Liberia. According to what I have read so far about this â€Å"queen of Africa† she was born In Monrovia, the capital of Liberia on October 29, 1938. During this period, Liberians had no clue that the First female president of an African country had been born into their mist. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is a daughter to descendents of original colonists of Liberia (ex-African slaves from America, who promptly on arrival set about enslaving the indigenous people using the social system of their old American masters as a basis for their new society). These descendents are known in Liberia as Americo-Liberians. From what I read, I noticed that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was truly an intellectual power house, a charismatic leader and destined to make a change in Liberia and contribute her quota in Africa. From 1948 to 1955 Ellen Johnson studied accounts and economics at the College of West Africa in Monrovia. After marriage at the age of 17 to James Sirleaf, she travelled to America (in 1961) and continued her studies, achieving a degree from the University of Colorado. From 1969 to 1971 she read economics at Harvard, gaining a masters degree in public administration. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf then returned to Liberia and began working in William Tolbert’s (True Whig Party) government. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf also served as Minister of Finance from 1972 to 73, but left after a disagreement over public spending, this is an indication of her prudence and will power. As the 70s progressed, life under Liberia’s one-party state became more polarized to the benefit of the Americo-Liberian elite. On 12 April 1980 Master Sergeant Samuel Kayon Doe, a member of the indigenous Krahn ethnic group, seized power in a military coup. With the People’s Redemption Council now in power, Samuel Doe began a purge of government. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf narrowly escaped – choosing exile in Kenya. From 1983 to 1985 she served as Director of Citibank in Nairobi. I will say that Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had a lot of courage, because it was quite unusual for a woman to challenge a dictatorial incumbent president in Africa without being kidnapped, tortured or killed in the process, although She was later sentenced to ten years in prison. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf spent just a short time incarcerated, before being allowed to leave the country once again as an exile. During the 1980s she served as Vice President of both the African Regional Office of Citibank, in Nairobi, and of (HSCB) Equator Bank, in Washington. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf played an active role in the transitional government as the country prepared for the 2005 elections, and eventually stood for president against her rival the ex-international footballer, George Manneh Weah. Despite the elections being called fair and orderly, Weah repudiated the result, which gave a majority to Johnson-Sirleaf, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf eventually became Liberia’s first elected female president, as well as the first elected female president in the continent Africa. . In 2005 She established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with a mandate to â€Å"promote national peace, security, unity and reconciliation† by investigating more than 20 years of civil conflict in the country and in November 2007, she received the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom, the U. S. government’s highest civilian award. She is truly a giant and â€Å"queen of modern Africa†. References: 1. http://space. about. com/cs/formerastronauts/a/jemisonbio. htm 2. http://www. k-grayengineeringeducation. com/blog/index. php/2008/09/12/first-african-american-women-in-space. 3. http://www. joinafrica. com/africa_of_the_week/ellenjohnsonliberia. htm.

The Real Lincoln A New Look At Abraham Lincoln - 1868 Words

The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War is written by Thomas J. DiLorenzo. He is the professor of economics at Loyola University Maryland and a member of the senior faculty of the Mises Institute. He has received the George F. Koether Free Market Writing Award and his works have been published in the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. He has written another book titled Hamilton s Curse: How Jefferson’s Archenemy Betrayed the American Revolution — and What It Means for Americans Today. As Dilorenzo states in the first chapter of The Real Lincoln, his purpose of writing it was to help his readers to come to realize that Abraham Lincoln was not a â€Å"Great Emancipator† as many people know him to be. DiLorenzo says that â€Å"[Lincoln] was almost single-mindedly devoted to an economic agenda that Henry Clay labeled â€Å"the American System† (2). The first chapter of The Real Lincoln acts as an introduction in which DiLorenzo introduces questions that he answers in later chapters along with brief descriptions of the content each chapter contains. His first chapter is arranged chronologically based on the order they appear in the book. However, only the first chapter is arranged in this way. The rest of them are arranged thematically. The second chapter of DiLorenzo’s The Real Lincoln is titled â€Å"Lincoln’s Opposition to Racial Equality† (10). In this chapter, DiLorenzo addresses the common belief that Lincoln believed in racial equality. HeShow MoreRelatedThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln1756 Words   |  8 PagesIn Thomas DiLorenzo’s controversial book, The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, a new light is shed upon the historic President Lincoln. It challenges ideas and beliefs that students are taught in grade school, and incorporates a new way of thinking. Above all, this book provides insight into the real life of Lincoln, and remains controversial due to its impeding and harsh criticisms. DiLorenzo, an economic historian, is often questioned about his ethicsRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln1757 Words   |  8 PagesIn Thomas Dilorenzo’s controversial book, The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, a new light is shed upon the historic President Lincoln. It challenges ideas and beliefs that students are taught in grade school, and incorporates a new way of thinking. Above all, this book provides insight into the real life of Lincoln, and remains controversial due to its impeding and harsh criticisms. Dilorenzo, an economic historian, is often questioned about his ethicsRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln1366 Words   |  6 PagesThe Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, he reveals the truth about Abraham Lincoln and attempts to get rid of the myths that many have told. He reveals the agenda of Lincoln and the real purpose behind the Civil War. One question that some have is why did it take a war to end slavery? In the book it is stated that, â€Å"dozens of countries†¦ ended slavery peacefully during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries†(x). Many argue the fact that Lincoln wasRead MoreThe Real Lincoln : A New Look At Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, And An Unnecessary War New1379 Words   |  6 PagesDilorenzo, Thomas J. The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War New York: Three Rivers Press. Thomas J. Dilorenzo is the author of the book The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War. Dr. Dilorenzo is an economics professor at the Sellinge School of Business and management, where he published over eleven books. His focus is mostly on economic history and political economics. It became evident to Thomas that the teachingsRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Boyhood Home From The Age Of 71682 Words   |  7 Pages Indiana, Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home from the age of 7 to 21, has memorialized our 16th president with two statues in its capital city of Indianapolis. Both statues were controversial from the beginning whether because of the amount of money it would take to pay for them or their placement. The first statue was erected in 1934 and simply entitled Abraham Lincoln. This statue was funded by a trust fund established by Henry C. Long, a wealthy lumberman to be used after his wife’s death, the trustRead MoreThe Myth of Abraham Lincoln1304 Words   |  6 Pages The myth of Abraham Lincoln, no myth in American history is more prevailing or enduring. Good old Honest Abe, The Great Emancipator, Defender of the Union. We have come to a crossroad in this country. It is a time of great peril; freedom is in its maximum hour of danger. We must put to rest this myth, which only serves to propagate tyranny and undermine liberty. Abraham Lincoln was not a great man trying to free the slaves; he was a racist, power hungry, tyrant who really fought the civilRead MoreThe Real Lincoln Essay1247 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Lincoln’s presidential career was full of questionable actions. Thomas DiLorenzo author of, The Real Lincoln discusses Lincoln’s actio ns regarding racism, his refusal to emancipate the slaves, his continual tendency to act independently of Congress, and his radical reconstruction after the Civil War. DiLorenzo attacks each of these topics in his book and proves that Lincoln had his own agenda, and was not the picture perfect president everybody thought that he was. The overall theme ofRead MoreAbraham Lincoln: Characteristics of a Hero907 Words   |  4 PagesWe look to legends of great men and women who have accomplished grand tasks in hopes that we, too, may one day be as tremendous as them. Indeed, most of us do; albeit not in the way we imagine. Most of them slip by us unnoticed, overlooked, and will never be the protagonists of epic stories. So what exactly makes a hero? I believe a hero to be anyone who possesses the qualities of a hero: courageous, perseverant and compassionate – all of which Abraham Lincoln perfectly demonstrates. Abraham LincolnRead MoreAbraham Lincoln, Slavery and the American Civil War Essay1716 Words   |  7 Pagesinvestigation will analyze how Abraham Lincolns view on slavery reflected during and after the American Civil War from 1861 to 1865. To analyze exactly how Lincolns position on slavery affected the war overall, this investigation looks at Lincolns moral and religious views as well as his social and political views. Two main sources were used, both dealing with events relevant to his political career and his roots in his career and other important issues including slavery. Lincoln by David Herbert DonaldRead More Abraham Lincoln Essay1550 Words   |  7 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin located in Hodgenville Kentucky on the twelfth of February in the year of 1809. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. Lincoln had one older sister (Sarah) who was born in 1807. Three years after Abraham was born, his mother gave birth to a baby bo y they named Thomas. The family was faced with devastating turmoil when Thomas died while he was still an infant. When Abe was nine years old he was kicked in the head by a