Energy Saving By Using Solar Panels Engineering Essay

Energy Saving By Using Solar Panels Engineering Essay Climate change concerns, coupled with high oil prices, peak oil, and increasing government support, are driving increasing renewable energy legislation, incentives and commercialization. New government spending, regulation and policies helped the industry weather the global financial crisis better than many other sectors. Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat, which are renewable because they are naturally replenished at a constant rate. About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from hydroelectricity. New renewables (small hydro, modern biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels) accounted for another 3% and are growing very rapidly. The share of renewables in electricity generation is around 19%, with 16% of global electricity coming from hydroelectricity and 3% from new renewables. Si nce its emergence; renewable energy has come a long way. In was not until the 1970s that environmentalists promoted the development of alternative energy both as a replacement for the eventual depletion of oil, as well as for an escape from dependence on oil; it was at that stage that the first wind turbines appeared. On the other hand, solar had always been used for heating and cooling, but solar panels were too costly to build solar farms, until 1980. The reason why have chosen the topic of solar heating systems; solar energy for my dissertation is because among the various renewable energy sources, solar energy is one of the crucial energy sources, if not the most crucial. According to a 2011 projection by the International Energy Agency, solar power generators may produce most of the worlds electricity within 50 years, dramatically reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases that harm the environment. Before doing this report, I have to admit that the knowledge that I had regarding solar energy or solar energy systems was minimal. But since starting working on this report, I think, I have come a long way; yet, I have to admit, there has been done so much research in this field, in the past couple of decade that I would still have to go a long way before I would consider myself a specialist. This report should cater towards any individual who had heard of the solar energy, solar energy systems and how they could benefit from it. T his report also gives a brief insight into, where solar energy system (solar energy) is headed in the future. A far as the structure of my report is concerned, I will be looking into the history of solar energy, the solar energy itself, solar energy collectors solar panels; Furthermore, I would also be looking at the benefits of solar energy systems for us and the consequences, if any. On the other hand, I would also be analysing economic issues related to solar energy systems such as: the cost of heating a house or a building by the means of solar energy contra to contemporary means. Last but not the least I would be summarizing the advantages that I have discussed as well as look at some disadvantages, if there are any. I will sum up the whole report with a conclusion, thanks beforehand. History of solar energy Before we delve into the discussion of why solar energy is so needed in the world today, well first look into what solar energy really is. By definition, solar energy is that beaming light and heat that is generated from the sun. Solar energy has been used by human beings since time immemorial. The radiation that comes from solar energy along with the resultant solar energized resources such as wave power, wind, biomass and hydroelectricity all give an explanation for most of the accessible renewable energy that is present on earth. However, only an infinitesimal portion of the existing solar energy is used. Solar energy has been used by humans for thousands of years. For example, ancient cultures used energy from the sun to keep warm by starting fires with it. Ancient Egyptians built places to live that allowed stored energy from the sun during the day, and a heat release during the night. This kind of architecture: heated homes at night while keeping the temperature low during the day; buildings were designed so that, walls and floors collected solar heat during the day, that was released at night to keep them warm. If you have ever stood in the sun to get warm then you too have utilized solar thermal energy. Egyptians also used the sun as part of their mummification process, using the sun to dry dead bodies. The Egyptians used a form of passive solar power. 3rd Century B.C., Greek soldiers with the help of Archimedes, focused light on a Roman fleet by using mirrors. The Romans were invading a port city that did not have defenses ready for the attack. The mirrors were used to concentrate the energy of the sun, and cause the fleets sails to burn. The Romans retreated and the Greeks were able to prevent the invasion. The Greeks used passive solar power. 100 A.D. a historical writer by the name of Pliny the Younger, built a house in the northern part of Italy that had mica windows in one room. This one particular room demonstrated solar heating in that its mica windows stored heat, and later gave it off. This room was useful because the added heat it generated lessened the amount of wood that had to be burnt, to maintain heat. Roman bath houses had famous south facing windows that heated the rooms. Native Americans also built houses that used passive solar power. Houses were built into the side of cliffs or hills to allow storage of heat during the day, and a release of heat at night. In 1767, the worlds first solar collector was built by Swiss scientist Horace de Saussare. They also kept their homes warm through passive solar energy designs The discovery of photovoltaic happened in 1839 when the French physicist Edmond Becquerel first showed photovoltaic activity. Edmond had found that electrical current in certain materials could be increased when exposed to light. 66 years later, in 1905, we gained an understanding of Edmonds work, when the famous physicist Albert Einstein clearly described the photoelectric effect, the principle on which photovoltaic are based. In 1921 Einstein received the Nobel Prize for his theories on the photoelectric effect. Solar cells of practical use have been available since the mid 1950s when ATT Labs first developed 6% efficient silicon solar cells. By 1960 Hoffman Electronics increased commercial solar cell efficiencies to as much as 14% and today, researchers have developed cells with more than 20% efficiencies. 20% efficient means that out of the total energy that hits the surface of a solar cell; about 20% is converted into usable electricity. The first long-term practical application of PV cells was in satellite systems. In 1958 the Vanguard I, was launched into space. It was the first orbiting vehicle to be powered by solar energy. Photovoltaic silicon solar cells provided the electrical power to the satellite until 1964 when the system was shut down. The solar power system was so successful that PVs have been a part of world-wide satellite space programs ever since. The sun provides endless nonpolluting energy to the satellite power systems and demand for solar cells has risen as a result of the telecommunications revolution and need for satellites. The energy crisis and oil embargos of the 1970s made many nations aware of their dependency on controlled non-renewable energy sources and this fueled exploration of alternative energy sources. This included further research into renewable sources such as solar power, wind power and geothermal power. An economic breakthrough occurred in the 1970s when Dr. Elliot Berman was able to design a less expensive solar cell bringing the price down from $100 per watt to $20 per watt. This huge cost savings opened up a large number of applications that were not considered before because of high costs. These applications included railroads, lighthouses, off-shore oil rigs, buoys, and remote homes. For some countries and many applications, solar energy is now considered a primary energy source, not an alternative. Solar energy Solar energy is the energy derived from the sun through the form of solar radiation. Solar powered electrical generation relies on photovoltaic and heat engines. A partial list of other solar applications includes space heating and cooling through solar architecture, day lighting, solar hot water, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes. In my report, I would only be looking into a few of the above mentioned solar power harnessing techniques, due to the fact that there is a limitation towards, how much material I can present in my dissertation. Solar cell A solar cell (also called a photovoltaic cell) is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. It is a form of photoelectric cell (in that its electrical characteristics e.g. current, voltage, or resistance vary when light is incident upon it) which, when exposed to light, can generate and support an electric current without being attached to any external voltage source. Passive solar or active solar Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate. The Earth receives 174 petawatts (PW) of incoming solar radiation (insolation) at the upper atmosphere .Approximately 30% is reflected back to space while the rest is absorbed by clouds, oceans and land masses. The spectrum of solar light at the Earths surface is mostly spread across the visible and near-infrared ranges with a small part in the near-ultraviolet. Earths land surface, oceans and atmosphere absorb solar radiation, and this raises their temperature. Warm air containing evaporated water from the oceans rises, causing atmospheric circulation or convection. When the air reaches a high altitude, where the temperature is low, water vapor condenses into clouds, which rain onto the Earths surface, completing the water cycle. The latent heat of water condensation amplifies convection, producing atmospheric phenomena such as wind, cyclones and anti-cyclones. Sunlight absorbed by the oceans and land masses keeps the surface at an average temperature of 14  °C. By photosynthesis green plants convert solar energy into chemical energy, which produces food, wood and the biomass from which fossil fuels are derived. Yearly Solar fluxes Human Energy Consumption Solar 3,850,000 Wind 2,250 EJ Biomass 3,000 EJ Primary energy use (2005) 487 EJ Electricity (2005) 56.7 EJ The total solar energy absorbed by Earths atmosphere, oceans and land masses is approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year. In 2002, this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year. Photosynthesis captures approximately 3,000 EJ per year in biomass. The amount of solar energy reaching the surface of the planet is so vast that in one year it is about twice as much as will ever be obtained from all of the Earths non-renewable resources of coal, oil, natural gas, and mined uranium combined Solar energy can be harnessed at different levels around the world, mostly depending on distance from the equator. How solar power works Light (photons) striking certain compounds, in particular metals, causes the surface of the material to emit electrons. Light striking other compounds causes the material to accept electrons. It is the combination of these two compounds that can be made use of to cause electrons to flow through a conductor, and thereby create electricity. This phenomenon is called the photo-electric effect. Photovoltaic means sunlight converted into a flow of electrons (electricity). . Passive solar heating In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. This is called passive solar design or climatic design because, unlike active solar heating systems, it doesnt involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. The key to designing a passive solar building is to best take advantage of the local climate. Elements to be considered include window placement and glazing type, thermal insulation, thermal mass, and shading. Passive solar design techniques can be applied most easily to new buildings, but existing buildings can be adapted or retrofitted. http://www.iklimnet.com/save/eco_images/five_elements_passive.gif Passive energy gain Passive solar technologies use sunlight without active mechanical systems (as contrasted to active solar). Such technologies convert sunlight into usable heat (water, air, and thermal mass), cause air-movement for ventilating, or future use, with little use of other energy sources. A common example is a solarium on the equator-side of a building. Passive cooling is the use of the same design principles to reduce summer cooling requirements. Some passive systems use a small amount of conventional energy to control dampers, shutters, night insulation, and other devices that enhance solar energy collection, storage, and use, and reduce undesirable heat transfer. Passive solar technologies include direct and indirect solar gain for space heating, solar water heating systems based on the thermo siphon or geyser pump, use of thermal mass and phase-change materials for slowing indoor air temperature swings, solar cookers, the solar chimney for enhancing natural ventilation, and earth sheltering. More widely, passive solar technologies include the solar furnace and solar forge, but these typically require some external energy for aligning their concentrating mirrors or receivers, and historically have not proven to be practical or cost effective for widespread use. Low-grade energy needs, such as space and water heating, have proven, over time, to be better applications for passive use of solar energy. Pragmatic approach to a productive passive solar energy Many detached suburban houses can achieve reductions in heating expense without obvious changes to their appearance, comfort or usability. This is done using good siting and window positioning, small amounts of thermal mass, with good-but-conventional insulation, weatherization, and an occasional supplementary heat source, such as a central radiator connected to a (solar) water heater. Sunrays may fall on a wall during the daytime and raise the temperature of its thermal mass. This will then radiate heat into the building in the evening. This can be a problem in the summer, especially on western walls in areas with high degree day cooling requirements. External shading, or a radiant barrier plus air gap, may be used to reduce undesirable summer solar gain. Active solar heating systems Active solar technologies are employed to convert solar energy into another more useful form of energy. This would normally be a conversion to heat or electrical energy. Inside a building this energy would be used for heating, cooling, or off-setting other energy use or costs. Active solar uses electrical or mechanical equipment for this conversion. Solar energy collection and utilization systems that do not use external energy, such as a solar chimney, are classified as passive solar technologies. Passive solar relies on the inherent thermo-dynamic properties of the system or materials to operate. They do not need external energy sources. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNCQjSVfJkYVB7M3frpomVuBHx4r-Nb7y9lKhexF1Wb0UDJbyeLGNbOi_YV6L5Ebgr7vML4Ez22XB4470WNEIRqR85Die1raP5cyXzYDia94GCHX6uVNGoKw_z4BZPif8o-QjiX5KOXoA/s1600/active-solar-heating.jpg Solar hot water systems, except those based on the thermo siphon, use pumps or fans to circulate fluid (often a mixture of water and glycol to prevent freezing during winter periods) or air, through solar collectors, and are therefore classified under active solar technology. The basic benefit of active systems is that controls (usually electrical) can be used to maximize their effectiveness. For example a passive solar thermal array which does not rely on pumps and sensors will only start circulating when a certain amount of internal energy has built up in the system. Using sensors and pumps, a relatively small amount of energy (i.e. that used to power a pump and controller) can harvest a far larger amount of available thermal energy by switching on as soon as a useful temperature differential becomes present. Controls also allow a greater variety of choices for utilizing the energy that becomes available. For example a solar thermal array could heat a swimming pool on a relatively cool morning where heating a domestic hot water cylinder was impractical due to the different stored water temperatures. Later in the day as the temperature rises the controls could be used to switch the solar heated water over to the cylinder instead. The downside to Active Solar systems is that the external power sources can fail (probably rendering them useless), and the controls need maintenance. How to buy solar panels solar water heating Shower Solar water heating can meet about a third of your hot water needs, research conducted by a UK research magazine. A solar water heating system (also known as solar thermal system) uses panels fitted to your roof to heat water for use around the home. A typical solar hot water system is able to meet around a third of a households hot water needs a saving of  £55 to  £80 on your annual water-heating bills, based on a three-bedroom semi-detached house. Householders installing solar water heating systems can get  £300 through the governments Renewable Heat Incentive Premium Payment scheme. Choosing a solar water heating system When choosing a solar water heating system, youll need to consider four major factors: your average hot water use the area of south-facing roof available your existing water heating system your budget. Youll need roughly one square meter of collector area per person in the household. Each metre of panel area will need between 30 and 60 litres of water tank volume. If you use a less efficient collector (such as flat-plate solar water heating panels), youll need to cover a larger area than if you use a more efficient collector (such as evacuated tubes). Youll also need to select system components (such as a hot water cylinder, controls and pipe work) and choose the location for your solar panels, considering shade, pipe runs, roof pitch and future access. Solar water heating installation There are plenty of solar panel installers out there, so I recommend that you always collect a range of quotes to compare. Cost effectiveness of solar water heating systems In my opinion developing common industry standards and offering public incentives is important. He emphasizes that creating public awareness programs is the key to having success in this industry, including a cleaner environment and more jobs as a consequence. It is clear that installing the application is easy for households since the technology is less complicated and cheaper than PV. According to The Solar Guide, the payback period for an investment in a solar water heating system is 3 to 5 years, although it may vary a lot in different countries due to national standards and differences in manufacturing quality. The return of investment depends on the system and the current fuel source that is being used to heat the water. It makes more sense to install a combi-system (hot water+space heating) whereby a 12-20 sq-m would completely cover a households water heating demand and a substantial part of its space heating demand in spring and in autumn. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f7/SolarTrackerRoofView300W200H.jpg/220px-SolarTrackerRoofView300W200H.jpg Solar trackers may be driven by active or passive solar technology Most solar collectors are fixed in their array position mounting, but can have a higher performance if they track the path of the sun through the sky (however it is unusual for thermal collectors to be mounted in this way). Solar trackers, used to orient solar arrays may be driven by either passive or active technology, and can have a significant gain in energy yield over the course of a year when compared to a fixed array. Again passive solar tracking would rely on the inherent thermo-dynamic properties of the materials used in the system rather than an external power source to generate its tracking movement. Active Solar Tracking would utilize sensors and motors track the path of the sun across the sky. This action can be caused by geographical and time data being programmed into the controls. However, some systems actually track the brightest point in the sky using light sensors, and manufacturers claim this can add a significant extra yield over and above geographical tracking. How does Solar Thermal work? The basic mechanism of solar thermal energy is to collect the solar radiation and transfer the heat directly or indirectly to its final destination via a heat transfer medium usually a fluid. The most commonly used applications are Domestic Hot water (DHW), Combined DHW and Space Heating, District Heating, Solar Cooling and Air-Conditioning. High Temperature Solar Thermal Electricity Generation is also among solar thermal applications. (e.g. solar tower and parabolic through applications). The key component of the solar thermal systems is the collectors which can be divided into two groups: Unglazed collectors have been used in the industry for a long time, mainly for heating open-air swimming pools. There is no heat exchanger in the system, and the water is flowing directly through long thin tubes. It is cheap and easy to install. Due to the simplicity of unglazed collectors, they cannot fulfill the needs for delivering full-time energy. Unglazed collectors are mainly used in the USA and in Australia. Glazed collectors are much more efficient in supplying continuous heating and achieving higher temperatures than unglazed ones. Glazed collectors are usually rectangular boxes covered by glass, containing little pipes and tubes and a heat absorbing material inside. There are different types of collectors for different means of use. Glazed collectors are commonly used in China, Europe and the Middle East. Solar thermal collector A solar thermal collector is a solar collector designed to collect heat by absorbing sunlight. The term is applied to solar hot water panels, but may also be used to denote more complex installations such as solar parabolic, solar trough and solar towers or simpler installations such as solar air heat. The more complex collectors are generally used in solar power plants where solar heat is used to generate electricity by heating water to produce steam which drives a turbine connected to an electrical generator. The simpler collectors are typically used for supplemental space heating in residential and commercial buildings. A collector is a device for converting the energy in solar radiation into a more usable or storable form. The energy in sunlight is in the form of electromagnetic radiation from the infrared (long) to the ultraviolet (short) wavelengths. The solar energy striking the Earths surface depends on weather conditions, as well as location and orientation of the surface, b ut overall, it averages about 1,000 watts per square meter under clear skies with the surface directly perpendicular to the suns rays. A solar collector works to convert and concentrate solar energy into a more usable form. For example, a thermal collector may use a parabolic array of mirrors to focus, direct, and reflect the light of the sun to a smaller point where the heat can be used to drive some sort of turbine engine by heating the driving fluid. Another type of collector may use a flat panel array of solar photovoltaic cells to convert solar energy directly into electricity. Some metals exhibit a photoelectric property whereby when the metal is exposed to light, it causes electrons to be emitted. These metals may be arranged in a valence-covalence band configuration which generates the actual voltage within the array. Types of solar collectors for heat Solar collectors fall into two general categories: non-concentrating and concentrating. In the non-concentrating type, the collector area (i.e., the area that intercepts the solar radiation) is the same as the absorber area (i.e., the area absorbing the radiation). In these types the whole solar panel absorbs the light. Flat-plate and evacuated-tube solar collectors are used to collect heat for space heating, domestic hot water or cooling with an absorption chiller. Types of solar collectors for electricity generation Parabolic troughs, dishes and towers described in this section are used almost exclusively in solar power generating stations or for research purposes. Although simple, these solar concentrators are quite far from the theoretical maximum concentration. For example, the parabolic trough concentration is about 1/3 of the theoretical maximum for the same acceptance angle, that is, for the same overall tolerances for the system. Approaching the theoretical maximum may be achieved by using more elaborate concentrators based on non-imaging optics. Parabolic trough http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Parabolic_trough.svg/250px-Parabolic_trough.svg.png Parabolic torough This type of collector is generally used in solar power plants. A trough-shaped parabolic reflector is used to concentrate sunlight on an insulated tube (Dewar tube) or heat pipe, placed at the focal point, containing coolant which transfers heat from the collectors to the boilers in the power station. Parabolic dish http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Parabolic-dish.jpg/220px-Parabolic-dish.jpg http://bits.wikimedia.org/static-1.21wmf3/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png Solar Parabolic dish It is the most powerful type of collector. One or more parabolic dishes concentrate solar energy at a single focal point, -similar to a reflecting telescope which focuses starlight, or to a dish antenna used to focus radio waves. This geometry may be used in solar furnaces and solar power plants. There are two key phenomena to understand in order to comprehend the design of a parabolic dish. One is that the shape of a parabola is defined such that incoming rays which are parallel to the dishs axis will be reflected toward the focus, no matter where on the dish they arrive. The second key is that the light rays from the sun arriving at the Earths surface are almost completely parallel. So if the dish can be aligned with its axis pointing at the sun, almost all of the incoming radiation will be reflected towards the focal point of the dish-most losses are due to imperfections in the parabolic shape and imperfect reflection. Losses due to atmosphere between the dish and its focal point are minimal, as the dish is generally designed specifically to be small enough that this factor is insignificant on a clear, sunny day. Compare this though with some other designs, and you will see that this could be an important factor, and if the local weather is hazy, or foggy, it may reduce the efficiency of a parabolic dish significantly. In dish-stirling power plant designs, a Stirling engine coupled to a dynamo is placed at the focus of the dish, which absorbs the heat of the incident solar radiation, and converts it into electricity. (Solar) Power tower A power tower is a large tower surrounded by tracking mirrors called heliostats. These mirrors align themselves and focus sunlight on the receiver at the top of tower, collected heat is transferred to a power station below. Advantages Very high temperatures reached. High temperatures are suitable for electricity generation using conventional methods like steam turbine or some direct high temperature chemical reaction. Good efficiency. By concentrating sunlight current systems can get better efficiency than simple solar cells. A larger area can be covered by using relatively inexpensive mirrors rather than using expensive. Concentrated light can be redirected to a suitable location via. For example illuminating buildings. Heat storage for power production during cloudy and overnight conditions can be accomplished, often by underground tank storage of heated fluids. Molten salts have been used to good effect. Disadvantages Concentrating systems require sun tracking to maintain Sunlight focus at the collector. Inability to provide power in diffused light conditions. Solar Cells are able to provide some output even if the sky becomes a little bit cloudy, but power output from concentrating systems drop drastically in cloudy conditions as diffused light cannot be concentrated passively. Solar panel A solar panel (also solar module, photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel) is a packaged, connected assembly of photovoltaic cells. The solar panel can be used as a component of a larger photovoltaic system to generate and supply electricity in commercial and residential applications. Each panel is rated by its DC output power under standard test conditions, and typically ranges from 100 to 320 watts. The efficiency of a panel determines the area of a panel given the same rated output an 8% efficient 230 watt panel will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230 watt panel. Because a single solar panel can produce only a limited amount of power, most installations contain multiple panels. A photovoltaic system typically includes an array of solar panels, an inverter, and sometimes a battery and or solar tracker and interconnection wiring. Theory and construction Solar panels use light energy (photons) from the sun to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect. The majority of modules use wafer-based crystalline silicon cells or thin-film cells based on cadmium telluride or silicon. The structural (load carrying) member of a module can either be the top layer or the back layer. Cells must also be protected from mechanical damage and moisture. Most solar panels are rigid, but semi-flexible ones are available, based on thin-film cells. Electrical connections are made in series to achieve a desired output voltage and/or in parallel to provide a desired current capability. The conducting wires that take the current off the panels may contain silver, copper or other non-magnetic conductive transition metals. The cells must be connected electrically to one another and to the rest of the system. Externally, popular terrestrial usage photovoltaic panels use MC3 (older) or MC4 connectors to facilitate easy weatherproof connections to the rest of the system. Bypass diodes may be incorporated or used externally, in case of partial panel shading, to

Drugs and Medicine Options Report Essay

Medicine and drugs have been used throughout history in order to improve upon the well being of the world’s population. Both are used most commonly as a way to improve health by altering the physiological state, sensory sensations, and emotions which in some cases could all be the result of the placebo effect. Nonetheless, these drugs and medicines offer a unique advantage to our societies because of the ways that they can offer so much support to our bodies. An important thing to remember about these drugs and medicines is how unique each particular one is to a specific function of the body, meaning the chemistry behind it is also very unique for the many different functions. What makes medicines and drugs so unique in our particular society is their use as pain relievers, deficiency supplements, as well as their use to balance systems and organs in the body. However, in order for any of these uses to actually take effect it requires for that medicine or drug to somehow be ingested into the bloodstream so that it can travel to its necessary location in the body. One of the most common ways that this is done is through oral ingestion with tablets, syrups, or drops. These oral methods are much slower than the rest because of how much slower the rate of absorption into the bloodstream from the stomach is. A more common way as far as more extreme medicines go is something like an IV, where a needle is stuck directly into a vein so that the medicine is immediately worked into the bloodstream. However, the oral methods will most likely remain the most common because of how comfortably and easily they can be ingested by people. Prior to ever considering working a medicine or drug into the bloodstream, a long and extensive set of procedures must be carried out. This first begins with the isolation of the new product from other variables that could alter the testing. This new drug is then prescribed to laboratory testing where its effects can be observed and measured. If these established effects from the experimentation prove to be significant, a market is observed as a possible window for the drug to be sold in. Once the window has been considered, more of the final tests begin on actual humans where a placebo effect has been considered as well. After these final tests have been finished, the medicine must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration as either an over the counter drug or one that requires a prescription. Antacids are bases that neutralize the excess acidity and thus relieve the pain associated with heartburn and peptic ulcers (Brown). The most commonly used bases for the reduction of excess acidity in the stomach are those that are weak since strong bases would offer a support that would be much too corrosive to the body tissue. The most effective of these commonly used bases is aluminum hydroxide because of the fact that it can completely neutralize three moles of hydrochloric acid for every one mole of aluminum hydroxide that is used. Another common metal oxide that is used is magnesium oxide because of how quickly it reacts and thus offers relief, however since it reacts so quickly the relief does not last for as long as it does with the other bases. The metal carbonates used as bases offer an alternative to the metal oxides but they also react to create carbon dioxide which results in antifoaming agents being required as well to make sure that the users are not throwing up. As discussed above, there are specific types of drugs that can be known to help with pain relief; these drugs are known as analgesics. There are really two different type of analgesics, strong ones that are more commonly known as narcotics, and milder analgesics that are typically the over the counter pain relievers. The stronger analgesics work by binding with the actual pain receptors in the brain to block the transmission of the pain signals between brain cells (Jordan). These stronger analgesics are also able to trick the body’s brain cells by producing analgesia to produce a false sense of well being. The most common of the stronger analgesics are ones such as heroin, codeine, and morphine. In contrast to the stronger analgesics, the mild ones actually work by attacking the source of pain at that same location by helping to slow down with the production of prostaglandins, which are the actual chemicals that cause pain. The other way that these milder analgesics more commonly reduce pain is my reducing the inflammation by constricting the blood vessels near the pain source. The more frequently used of these milder analgesics are ones such as aspirin and ibuprofen that are typically in every household. Depressants are drugs prescribed by a doctor that affect the central nervous system by changing the concentration of neurotransmitters causing a decrease in brain activity and breathing rate (Jordan). There are three main types of depressants being barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and alcohol. Alcohol is probably the most well known of all three because of the large dependencies on it in our society today. While under the influence of alcohol, a person’s judgment and decision making becomes severely impaired which is what can so commonly lead to so many incidents involving alcohol. Aside from being temporarily impaired from alcohol, it can also lead to permanent brain damage as well as a high level of dependency on the alcohol which can completely alter one’s behavior. Stimulants are the type of medicine or drug that seems to have the complete opposite effect of the depressants. The most common of these stimulants are drugs such as amphetamine, adrenaline, nicotine, and caffeine. Adrenaline and amphetamine have many similarities as far as how they actually stimulate the body but they are different in the sense that adrenaline can be naturally produced by the body where as amphetamines are solely synthetically produced. Nicotine being another stimulant is best known for its role in the addiction of smokers to their cigarettes. Nicotine can be very harmful to the body however as it can lead to cancer and it is very difficult to stop using after it has first been used. Looking back on the drugs and medicine in our culture today it can easily be seen that they do have a very positive role in our society but because of the power that they possess they can also be dangerous when not used properly. It is sometimes heard on the news of people dying from drug overdoses that involve heroin or codeine but the only reason that these occurrences are even a problem at all is because of the personal abuse from those using those drugs. When used properly and only when suggested to by a doctor, the drugs and medicine that are in our culture today provide a huge advantage for us as we try to improve upon how well we live our lives today. The important thing to remember here is that it is nearly always necessary to regulate the changes in medicine and drugs in our society despite how well we may seem to have it under control.

French and Russian Revolution Essay

The years 1789 and 1917 held similarity in the fact that they were the beginning of years of utter chaos in Europe. In 1789, France was at the beginning of what was to be known as the French Revolution. And coincidentally so was Russia in 1917. These revolutions changed Europe in many ways, especially politically; the aftershocks were felt for decades after. Resemblances were held in the initiation execution, and follow-up; some differences did exist as well in the process. The wars of 1789 and 1917 held mainly social and political similarities as well as a few differences. The French revolution in 1789 evolved out of a state of fiscal crisis. France had lost copious amounts of money supporting the American Revolution. There was famine across the country; the peasants were unhappy. France had no money, and Louis XVI consulted an advisor on the issue. In the end, the Estates-General, a form of parliament, was born. The third estate, ordinary people, became frustrated and vowed at the Tennis Court Oath on June 20th, 1789; it can be considered a bottom-up revolution, beginning from the lower class. The Russian revolution emerged out of a similar scenario. There was widespread famine and poverty across Russia. Bloody Sunday in 1905, a demonstration marched towards the Winter Palace, was orchestrated by peasants, similarly another bottom-up case. In its wake, Tsar Nicholas II implemented the Duma, a form of parliament, in an attempt to solve the crisis. Demonstrations continued until full revolution broke out in 1917. Also, Tsar Nicholas II, in an attempt to unite his country, placed Russia at war during WWI in 1914. This broke the state up even further; civilians found it humiliating because of the battles lost, famine continued to spread, and many people were dying. Similarities prior to the revolutions of France and Russia include financial crisis, implementation of a body of parliament in an attempt to solve the pending revolutionary crisis (both bodies are biased and end in dissolution), famine and/or bread riots, poverty, dissatisfaction among peasants, strain on resources because of involvement in other wars, initiation from the lower class (with unrest directed at nobility), and a monarchy controlled state. Another uncanny resemblance between the two beginnings of revolution would be the influence of literature. France had Voltaire and his contributions about the separation of church and state. Russia gained influence from Karl Marx and his ideas on Socialism in the Communist Manifesto. Similarities of the revolutions while they played out exist heavily as well. Foreign intervention occurred in both scenarios. In the Declaration of Pillnitz in 1791, Prussia and the Holy Roman Empire declared their support for Louis XVI by demanding his return to the throne. This resulted in France declaring war upon Prussia. In the Russian Revolution, Great Britain, America and France (Allied powers) intervened by joining the white side in opposition to communism. In both scenarios there is class tension. The revolutions were a split between parliament and street. In France, the Third Estate was against the monarchy after being shafted in the Estates-General. In Russia, the Soviets were not in favor of the Duma. The revolutions were not just a movement within parliament but within the public as well. The storming of Bastille on July 14, 1789 was an attack by the public on the state prison. The monarchy’s vulnerability is exposed for the first time. The storming of the Winter Palace in 1917 also demonstrates the public’s intervention on the monarchy. The period after the revolutions held similarities and differences. In the end, both monarchies were sentenced to death in France and Russia. King Louis XVI and his family are put to death; Tsar Nicholas II and his family are put to death. Both revolutions degenerated into civil war, a period of chaos. In France, the Reign of Terror resulted in thousands of civilians being killed. In Russia, after the war in the 1920’s, more civilians died because of poverty and famine than the First World War and the revolution combined. Both revolutions end in totalitarian governmental control. Napoleon emerged as the dictator in France. And Lenin came to power in Russia, which eventually the power went to Stalin. However, the differences that lie between these two revolutions are the goals. France was in search for a capitalistic democratic state and to abolish the current totalitarian one. On the other hand, Russia wanted a socialistic regime. They wanted communism. Ironically, the immedia te aftermath left both France and Russia with totalitarian governments, like their previous states. Eventually  however, the Soviet Union emerged as the first socialist state, while France eventually became a democracy. It is also important to note that in the aftermath of both these revolutions, each country entered center stage world politics. France became an important factor in WWI, and Russia became a major power on the globe, especially during the Cold War. While Russia and France pursued a revolution in pursuit of two very different goals- communism and democracy respectively, they both managed to create a totalitarian government again in the end. The revolutions hold mainly similarities amongst how they were initiated and executed. They even hold some similarities as well in the aftermath. Despite their minimal differences, they held a lot of the same ideas and problems. Both revolutions were events that changed Europe and the world in ways not only political, but social and economic as well.

Different Views On Life Of Jesus - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2068 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2019/07/01 Category Religion Essay Level High school Tags: Jesus Christ Essay Did you like this example? In Bart Ehrmans Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradiction in the Bible, the author introduces the reader to a variety of discrepancies and contradictions that many people overlook in the canonical Gospels. Bart Ehrman elaborates on the life of Jesus from a theological perspective but points out the flaws from a historical standpoint similar to many of Professor Boccaccinis lectures. I will discuss some events mentioned in the Gospels and analyze the motives for creating such historically implausible narratives. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Different Views On Life Of Jesus" essay for you Create order A question that should be kept in mind throughout this analysis is did Christians take words and scriptures out of context and over exaggerate stories in order to push their agenda of labeling Jesus as the Messiah? While spreading the messages of Jesus after his death, it is possible that Christians added in information and prophecies about the Messiah that did not exist in the Old Testament or in any Jewish sources. For example, Christians have dwelled on the fact the Messiah was supposed to suffer and die for the sins of others and then be raised from the dead (Ehrman 229). It is likely that followers of Jesus who believed he was the Messiah altered the old prophecies in order to tailor these messianic expectations directly to Jesus. According to the Gospels, Jesus life was filled with many miracles ranging from his miraculous birth to his miraculous resurrection from the dead. Unfortunately, there is no historical way to prove that these miracles ever occurred and it is more likely that the miracles did not happen than did. Not that the events told in the Gospels are completely impossible, but as Ehrman says the chances of a miracle occurring are infinitesimal (Ehrman 175). Additionally, there is no mention of Jesus being a divine Messiah or a deity in the Synoptics, but there is in the Gospel of John. Mark, Matthew, and Luke were written much earlier, and while they do not all say the same thing, their similar narratives served as a way to spread the word of Jesus to people who had never heard of him or did not know much about him. According to professor Boccaccini The goal of the Gospel of John is to make Jesus God, using biblical categories, and confirming the biblical concept of creation. Traditional Christian sources never included the divinity of Jesus, so it is fairly safe to assume that this belief was made up by later Christians to emphasize the power and importance of Jesus. The Gospel of John was the latest of the Gospels, so by that time oral stories of Jesus had been passed down for many decades claiming that he was the Messiah. Because Jewish people were not willing to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, John (made for a church of establis hed Christians) wanted to stress that not only was he the Messiah, he was also equal to God in power to promote the Christian agenda. Unfortunately, there are no original writings of any of the books in the bible. We have copies that were translated by scribes. What if the words in the new testament are not accurate because we only have oral traditions that were passed down 30-65 years before they were finally written and hand-copied versions that were translated by scribes? The Gospels are full of very distinctive discrepancies that should be questioned by readers. For example, in chapter 2 of John, we are told that Jesus first and very famous miracle was turning water into wine. A few verses later we are also told that Jesus performed several other miracles that were a part of his many signs proving that he was the Messiah. Two chapters later, after Jesus heals the centurions son the gospel states this was the second sign that Jesus did (John 4:54) How could it be that Jesus did many signs in Jerusalem, but then his second sign in Galilee? The sequence of this event does not chronologically make sense and we will never know if the details in this story were botched because they were untrue or because of a small mishap did by the creators. Moreover, the synoptic gospels say that the Last Supper was the dinner Jesus had with his disciples during Passover. John on other hand does not refer to it as a Passover meal but as the last meal he had with his disciples because Jesus knew his time on earth was over. John says during this meal Judas has left because The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him (John 13:2)(Boccaccini). Jesus then washes the feet of his disciples and says he has to go. Peter asks Jesus Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered, Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward. (John 13:36) A chapter later, Thomas says Lord, we dont know where you are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:5-6) Oddly enough, two chapter later Jesus says I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ?Where are you going? (John 16:4-5) This particular narrative either wants to stress the fact that Jesus had a bad memory or this is a clear example of an unintentional faux pas in the Gospel of John, showing the carelessness of either the creator or scribe. Ehrman makes a suggestion that as a reader of the Bible, people should try reading the stories horizontally. In other words, if you are reading a passage in the Gospel of Mark, you should find that same passage in the Gospels of Luke, Matthew, and John and try to spot the similarities and differences that exist (Ehrman 22). In doing that, we have to acknowledge the fact that the Gospels do not all tell the same stories all the time. For example, neither the Gospel of Mark nor the Gospel of John mentions anything about the nativity of Jesus and they often refer to him as Jesus of Nazareth. According to the Gospel of Luke and Matthew, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but there are no recorded sayings of Jesus, which refer to his birth at Bethlehem, while Nazareth is commonly mentioned as his home (Boccaccini). Although Matthew and Luke both document where Jesus was born, they give two strikingly different narratives on his birth. Ehrman states that the two gospels are simply trying to emph asize the same two points: that Jesus mother was a virgin and that he was born in Bethlehem (Ehrman 35) Christian tradition originated from Second Temple Judaism but diverged from the Jewish views sometime during the first century of Christianity. Jewish people believed that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem and would be a descendant of King David, a king who was promised an eternal rule over Israel by God. Therefore, to fulfill this prophecy, the creators of the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew had a motive to change Jesus birthplace to the little town of Bethlehem. The flawed part about the genealogy of Jesus we receive from Matthew and Luke is that Jesus is not actually in the line of King David. If Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit and not Joseph, that would mean that he is only Jesus adopted father and therefore Jesus does not satisfy all of the prophecies of the religion, invalidating all claims that he is indeed the Messiah. Jesus cleansed the Temple at the beginning of his ministry in John but at the end of his ministry in Mark Matthew and Luke. It is not very likely that Jesus would not have been arrested at the time or even let back into Jerusalem if he already disrupted the Temple before at the beginning of John. The Synoptics may be more plausible in this case in saying that Jesus only caused one disturbance in the Temple that ultimately led to his crucifixion. The Gospels of Mark and Matthew depict the Trial of Jesus before Pilate in a very similar manner. Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate who then asked him if he was the King of the Jews. When Jesus does not deny this, the crowd full of chief priests demanded Jesus to be crucified. Both Professor Boccaccini and Bart Ehrman believe that Pilate does not seem to see anything wrong in Jesus, and yet, eager to please the crowd, so he has Jesus flogged and crucified (Boccaccini). On the other hand, in Luke and John, Pilate expressly declares that Jesus is innocent, does not deserve to be punished, and ought to be released (Ehrman 45). A possible explanation behind the different details told by the gospels deals a lot with the audience each gospel is targeting. Mark and Matthews main audiences were Christians and followers of Jesus, while Luke was meant for a gentile audience and John was pretty anti-Judaism. For Mark and Matthew, the Romans may be considered responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus because they feared that Jesus was trying to overthrow their rule. It is widely known that Jesus preached that his 12 disciples would rule over the twelve tribes of Israel when the Kingdom of God came. This would mean that Jesus would have power over the entire kingdom if he was to remain alive. Meanwhile, for Luke and John (especially John) because the Roman emperor declared that Jesus was innocent, they suggest that the Jews in the crowd and chief priests are the people who are responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. During the resurrection of Jesus, all four of the canonical texts say that on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene visited the tomb of Jesus only to find it empty. The Gospel of Mark says that Mary Magdalene and a few other women went to Jesus tomb. They saw a man appear and told them that Jesus was raised, but out of fear, the women said nothing to anyone. Luke says they saw two men and told the apostles but no one believed them. Matthew says they saw an angel and John says that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb alone and she saw that there was nothing in the tomb. Afterward, Mary ran and told Peter and another unnamed disciple about her discovery. According to Professor Boccaccini, the finding of the empty tomb by the women is a likely event from the historical point of view (Boccaccini). Realistically, there was probably no man or angels at the tomb site and the narrative of the risen Christ is more than likely told to make Jesus death seem more interesting and powerful to Chris tian believers. Historically, we know very few details about the life of Jesus, but we can strongly infer which components of his life are plausible and which are not. Jesus was Jewish and began his ministry as an apocalyptic prophet after being baptized by the apocalyptic preacher John the Baptist. Rather than agreeing with the ideas of the religious sects such as the Pharisees and Essenes, Jesus adopted his own views on the end of times based on the Torah. Jesus had 12 disciples whom he personally appointed and declared that they would soon become the rulers of the 12 tribes in Israel under the Kingdom of God. Jesus disciples followed him as he urged Jewish people to do what God had commanded in the Jewish law in order to get into Gods imminent kingdom. Jesus was a devoted Jew and was not trying to create a new religion. Christianity happened to be the result of followers deeply believing that Jesus was the Son of Man that they were waiting for. After Jesus died, this new Christianity religion started to become widely popular, something that Jesus most likely did not expect. Bart Ehrman stated that Christianity is the religion about Jesus, not the religion of Jesus (Ehrman 267), yet many will fail to realize the truth behind this statement because of their strong devotion to the theological Jesus. The gospels contain a lot of information that does not match up with the historical studies of him and contradict each other on several occasions. The Bible should be viewed as a Christian theological narrative and not as a factual source about Jesus.