Statistical Thermodynamics and Kinetics System †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Statistical Thermodynamics and Kinetics System. Answer: Intoduction: A sample of Benzoic acid of 1 to 1.2 grams was weighted. The sample cap was pre-weighted. The instructions given below was followed using the figure 5.1; The die was set over the receiving cap with three parts resting on the base of the press. The plug was dropped into the die.The die, cup, and plug were transferred onto the anvil while holding one finger against the bottom of the cup to keep it and the plug in place. The die was filled with the roughly weighed sample. The charge was compressed by pushing the lever down. The die was raised or lowered by screwing the anvil up or down until firm pressure was acquired to push the lever through its full stroke (Paula, J. 2010). The lever was raised, the die was slid from the anvil and the cup and plug removed. The cup and die were returned to their original position on the anvil and the plug was gently dropped into the top of the anvil above the pellet.The level was brought down gently to eject the pellet into the cup. Care was taken not to move the level through a full stroke to avoid crushing of the pellet. The lever was raised and parts slid from the anvil. The pellet cup was taken and weighed accurately on balances. Handling of the cup with fingers was avoided as much as possible.The cycle was repeated starting at step 1 for each pellet required. The huge knurled cap was taken out of the bomb and the inside part of the bomb was carefully extracted and put on the special holder provided.The already weighed-sample and cup were placed in the yoke.An ignition wire that had already been cut was used to securely tie each arm of the electrodes allowing a loop between that ensured the wire touched the surface of the pellet. Caution was taken or ensure it did not touch the sides of the metal cup. All parts assembled were put on the lower part of the bomb and pressed down ensuring that the O-ring had fitted well (Bettelheim.F.A. 1971). The knurled cup was tightened making it hand tight.NOTE: it was inevitable for the electrode connections to be placed at 90 from the holes in the cap to facilitate clearance of the electrodes by means of the transport clamp after connection. The hose was attached from the regulator on the oxygen tank to the head of the bomb.The safety valve on the bomb was opened by turning the knurled knob to the left 1-2 times. The cylinder was opened by turning the cylinder valve. The valve was not opened completely. The small knob on the regulator that was black was turned to allow gas movement into the bomb very slowly. The large gauge on the regulator was watched.The bomb was supplied with oxygen for about 15 seconds. The knurled knob was turned down on the safety valve and pressure in the bomb was allowed to build up to about 25 atmospheres. The regulator knob was quickly closed. It was necessary that the pressure in the bomb did not exceed 30 atmospheres.The black lever found below the regulator knob was depressed and any pressure in the line of the bomb was released. A one-way valve in the bomb prevented pressure loss (Reid, P. (2013.)). The hose connection to the bomb was unscrewed and the bomb was carefully placed out of the way of the bench top. The hot and cold water taps were fully turned. At the top of the Calorimeter. The balance knob was turned to O position. The jacket temperature control was turned to minimum. The switch was turned to run position. The power switch was turned on. The controller was run for about 5 minutes to realize some extent of equilibrium. When stabilizing the controller, the stainless still container was filled with deionized water: The weight of the dry container was tarred off and recorded. 20000.2g of deionized water was added to the container (Reid, P. 2013.). The temperature was checked with a lab thermometer so that it lied between 19.5 g to 21C. This was placed in a calorimeter so that it sat on the proper pins in the bottom of the cavity. The special wire holder was used to lower the bomb part way into the water. The leads were attached to the electrodes and slowly lowered the bomb into the water so that it settled on the raised portion of the container. The clamp was removed from the bomb and any water droplets that would have adhered into the clamp were shaken off. The thorough scrutiny was done to ensure there were no bubbles, an indicator that there would have been a leak in the bomb assembly. The cover of the calorimeter was closed and the thermometer was lowered and stirred into position. The solution was allowed to attain equilibrium for about 5 minutes. The temperature on the bucket thermometer was read to discover fluctuation. After the temperature had stabilized, the balance knob was adjusted until the jacket temperature was exactly the same as the container. This had to be done slowly to avoid overshooting the jacket temperature. As the two temperatures approached each other, the white and orange lights interchanged on and off. When the container and jacket temperatures were same, the balance knob was locked and read with the magnifier. The container temperature was measured to the nearest thousandth degree (Nibler.J.W. 1989.). The ignite button was depressed at the front of the calorimeter. After ignition, the container and jacket temperatures begin to rise. Two methods could be used in carrying out standardization and determination. Allowing temperature of the container to rise to the highest. Allowing temperature to rise for a specific time and reading the temperature after this time. For laboratory purposes, this is proffered over the other. The calorimeter was allowed to run for strictly 10 minutes and the temperature rose on the container thermometer. The calorimeter was opened and the stainless still tank was removed. The balance knob was turned back to one and the switch was put at plunge position. The knurled knob on the top of the bomb was slowly turned to allow the pressure inside the bomb is released. The large retaining ring was removed and the bomb open. Remove the small pieces of wire that have not been burned in the bomb and record the total length. The procedure was repeated with benzoic acid and twice with naphthalene. The following were off before leaving; Taps, The calorimeter, Valve on the oxygen tank, Emptying of the oxygen bomb, Denver 5kg balance. The calorimeter is a device used in measuring the amount of heat involved in a physical or chemical process. For instance, when an exothermic reaction occurs in a calorimeter, the heat produced by the reaction is absorbed by the solution which increases its temperature. When the amount of heat involved in a chemical reaction is to be determined in Benzoic acid, the Benzoic acid is burnt in a calorimeter. Benzoic acid is a colorless crystalline solid and simple aromatic carboxylic acid.Its name is derived from its only source known as the gun Benzoic. The chemical formula for Benzoic acid is C7H5O2 =specific heat capacity (Refers to the amount of heat needed to raise the mass by 1 Kelvin or simply the heat capacity per unit mass of a material). The calculated value is -3226.999.The equation relating energy to specific heat capacity is E=m. Where the m= mass of the substance in kg, C= the specific heat capacity in J/, = The temperature change in degrees Celsius. Resonance energy for Naphthalene is 61kCal/mol this value is shifted by around five times -28.6 which is equal to -143.0 kCal/mol. During calculation of the resonance energy of Naphthalene, the enthalpy from the experiment is measured by combustion reaction. The enthalpy of formation for Naphthalene is not measured. The combustion reaction is represented by the equation; In the calculation of the resonance energy, the enthalpy of formation of Naphthalene can be compared with that of bond energies. When using bond energy, for instance, the calculations are done in the gaseous state, therefore, the gaseous state of Naphthalene is; (g) The data below were used to draw the graph of the average conductivity against concentration. No Concentration Average conductivity 1 0.5 622.5 2 1 12.4 3 5 60.3 4 10 1.185 5 20 2.322 References. Atkins, P.; de Paula , J. (2010). Physical Chemistry. W.H Freeman and Company. Bettelheim.F.A. (1971). Experimental Physical Chemistry. Saunders golden series. Engel, T; Reid, P. (2013.). Thermodynamics, Statistical, Thermodynamics, and kinetics. Pearson Education Inc. Shoemaker, D.P, Garland,.C.W.; Nibler.J.W. (1989.). Experiments in Physical Chemistry. McGraw Hill Inc.

Vale in the Brazilian Government

Analysis of the Non-Market Environment Political forces The leadership of the Brazilian government under President Luiz Inacio da Silva adopted an explicit policy that intervened on the strategic operations of business enterprises in the country. The government was putting immense pressure on Vale to increase its investments within the home country. The political leadership was in total opposition of the company’s international diversification strategy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Vale in the Brazilian Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More With the global economic crisis’ effects biting hard, Vale had moved to safeguard its business performance by laying-off 1,200 Brazilian workers on top of slashing the investment budget. The government, however, was in opposition of such a move and looked at it as a failure on the part of the company to help Brazil tackle the global economic crisisâ€⠄¢ effects. Vale was also facing pressure from Para state governor to increase its investment in the region. Part of the demands included initiating a steel mill worth $3.2 billion. President da Silva wanted Vale to give priority to Brazilian firms, particularly after the firm indicated its plans of purchasing carrier vessels from a Chinese merchant. Economic forces The global economic crisis that began in 2008 had its effects increasingly hampering business operations at Vale. The crisis affected demand levels and the company encountered poor revenues. Vale, thus, decided to cut down on its overall operation cost by laying-off 1,200 workers from its labour force. With the rising cost of business, there was need for Vale to achieve economies of scale in its business operations, particularly on the delivery of products to its main market in Asia. Given Brazil’s geographic location, it was becoming less economical for the company to deliver goods to China compared to its main c ompetitors in Australia, which is comparably near Asia than Brazil. As such, Vale was forced to acquire large vessels that would help in the transportation of large volumes of its products. The pricing mechanism for Vale’s main commodity, iron ore, changed in the market from a practice of benchmark prices to spot market prices. This was influenced by the growing bargaining power of Chinese buyers of the product.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The benchmark price mechanism that was of advantage to the firm, owing to the strong bargaining position that it afforded the company, was abandoned for the spot market mechanism, which gave buyers more leeway. As such, Vale had to contend with diminishing margins as the buyers’ bargaining power in the Asian market increased. Social forces Vale was being considered as a heritage of the Brazilian people, culture, and tradi tion. Given Vale’s magnitude and success in business, most Brazilians felt attached to it. However, the strong attachment affected the company’s competitive position in business. Most people felt the company was doing little to improve on the quality of life of Brazilians by engaging with international companies and business. There was pressure on the company to give priority to Brazil even where practicality and feasibility of such actions would prove detrimental to the firm. Technological forces Technological changes offered a challenge to the operations and performance of Vale. With the fast advancement in the global technological front, demand for minerals that are rare, as well as complex alloys has been on the increase. Demand for such minerals as silver, nickel, and platinum has been on the rise. As such, Vale faces the challenge of keeping pace with the changing demand in order to remain viable in its business. Vale also needed to acquire technology that would enable its operations to be less costly and, thus, increase its competitive edge. Environmental forces The operations of Vale have been the subject of opposition from environmental watch groups, which cite adverse degradation of the environment. In the state of Espirito Santo, for instance, the governor provided land for purposes of enabling Vale to initiate a project on it. However, its proximity to Tubarao harbour was the subject of opposition from the Brazilian environmental agency. An attempt by the company, in partnership with other foreign firms, to develop steel mills in the Maranhao state failed after the governor rejected it because of the environmental repercussions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Vale in the Brazilian Government specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Legal forces Vale has faced several legal cases owing to its business operations, particularly in Brazil. Irregularities in land deals that i nvolve the county governments has seen its planned projects delay, thus affecting business. The state government in Maranhao offered Vale land upon which the firm had intended to put up steel mills. There were legal ramifications, however, which delayed the initiative from taking place as it had been anticipated. An Integrated Global Strategy for Vale Vale can consider diversifying its business by increasing its investment in different business sectors in Brazil. The company can invest more in such domestic sectors as banking or transport, and spread its risk in different areas. This will help the company address the pressure from government for failing to invest more in Brazil. It will also enable the company to address the pressure from the political class of building still mines in virtually all the states in the country, which might not be viable in the first place. Once the political class gets contented with an increased domestic investment, Vale can comfortably invest in othe r foreign businesses with little interference from the government. The firm can also consider establishing subsidiaries in other foreign countries where it has interest, such as Mozambique, but maintain its original name rather than adopt a different one (Porter, 1990, p. 73). Vale should take the initiative of establishing its physical presence and operations in countries that contain mineral resources because mining business can only take place where there are mineral resources. Such a move would help the company address the risk of being stationed at only one location or country, such as Brazil. Expansion of business to other locations will increase Vale’s business scope and improve on its revenue. It would eventually result in increased profits, which the company can in turn use to invest more in the local economy and win back the confidence of the Brazilian people. Additionally, establishing subsidiary companies abroad with the same company name will make Brazilians feel proud about their heritage. Given the extent to which Vale is attached to the Brazilian people, exporting such a heritage would most likely receive approval from the people and endear them even further to the company. A consideration of influencing foreign related businesses to invest in Brazil and establish their presence there would be a positive move in enhancing Vale’s performance (Porter, 1990, p. 80). Apart from mining, Vale also deals with other industries that, together, help in value addition. Such industries include shipbuilding, technology firms, and other transport sector firms such as railway manufacturers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since Vale relies more on Chinese ship builders to service its need for vessels, the firm should influence the vessel builders to establish their operations in Brazil. A closer proximity will enable the shipbuilding merchants to have a clear understanding on some of the challenges that are faced by their client in their business operations, and would in turn increase customisation. On the other hand, such a move would create employment opportunities to local Brazilians and enable the government to get increased taxes. As such, the pressure on Vale particularly from the political class that it is doing little to add value to Brazilians will decrease. It would also allow Vale the opportunity to grasp the technological changes taking place, thus helping the firm to lower its cost of doing business. Whether Vale should buy Vessels for Transportation There is need for Vale to buy vessels for purposes of transporting its mined iron ores to China. Every business involves value addition, wh ich is particularly important for enhancing and consolidating a firm’s overall trade operations. In the case of Vale, transportation is one of its most important value-addition activities. This mainly draws from the fact that the iron ore consumers or the market is far placed from the minefields. For instance, Vale’s main market for its iron ore is in Asia, particularly in China, as well as in Europe. Iron ore is a bulk commodity that can only be transported in the most efficient way by use of water vessels. In essence, the only perfect way through which Vale can service the market satisfactorily is by using large vessels for transportation. Owning the vessels would enable the firm to manage its distribution channel in a convenient manner than if the same were owned by a different company. Pros Owning ships for transpiration purposes will increase Vale’s direct control over its business. There will be convenience in servicing the market because of the direct own ership of the vessels. There are several challenges that often affect businesses, including variation in demand and other external interferences, such as government intervention. When a firm such as Vale is directly in control of its transport mechanism, it will be easier for it to address such conveniences for purposes of achieving efficiency. Ships are expensive to acquire and maintain. It is, therefore, a big challenge for individuals or smaller firms to own large fleets of ship that would be capable of servicing a huge capacity like the one that Vale requires. Expecting to outsource such services from a third party would affect Vale’s business. Apart from requiring a large fleet, Vale’s type of business also requires that each of the vessels be bigger in size to be able to transport large quantities at once. This would in turn enable the company to achieve economies of scale. Very few companies can be in a position to raise enough capital to own a fleet of ships wi th these characteristics. However, Vale is a big company with adequate resources that can meet these demands comfortably. It would be appropriate for Vale to acquire the fleet of ships and maintain them for increasing value to its business because this is the company’s prime business. Vale is also expanding its production by including other minefields that are not necessarily in Brazil. For instance, the firm has a coal minefield in Mozambique, in Africa, and contemplates to add other international minefields. This means that the company will have numerous transport routes throughout the world for purposes of enhancing transportation of its commodities from the minefields to the market. Coordinating such a vast and complex distribution network may not be an easy task, particularly if the company is to rely on outsourced transportation. Thus, owning its vessels will enable the company to improve on the quality of its overall performance, as well as increase on its own efficien cy. Owning large fleets of ship will present an open opportunity for Vale to diversify its business. During low season periods or where demand for iron ore grows lesser, Vale can outsource its fleets to be used for transportation of other commodities. This will in turn provide the company with added revenues and help it maintain high profits. The diversification of business portfolio, thus, helps in spreading risk evenly and cushioning the company from the dangers of fluctuating business conditions in one area. Most of the small-scale consumers in China do not have organised transportation. Instead, they rely more on the supplier to cater for transportation needs. Thus, Vale has to acquire its own fleet of vessels to cater for the needs of such consumer groups. Owning vessels for Vale means the firm is also capable of achieving forward integration. This, in turn, potentially enhances its bargaining position, while it also lowers the buyers’ bargaining power. The enhanced barg aining position would eventually result in higher asking prices and translate to increased profit margins. Cons Sea vessels are expensive to acquire and maintain. This is a huge disadvantage for Vale, particularly given that the firm requires an expansive fleet of vessels to be able to service its distribution network effectively. Raising the required amount of money to sustain the purchase would require the company to seek for external financing. This option is expensive in the end because of the accrued interests. Owning a fleet of ships will interfere with the core business operation of the firm. In other words, it will result in divided management attention, thus affecting on the quality of performance. For instance, the fleet of ships will require regular servicing to maintain them in perfect order. Its operators, or the crew, will require special human resource management that is different from the workers who are based at the minefields in Brazil and other countries such as M ozambique. The logistical office will also need experts in the field to help in the scheduling and overall planning of the distribution. Other expensive acquisitions will also be needed to sustain the operations, such as large cranes at the seaport to enhance the loading and offloading of the commodity. Servicing such a complex logistical network will call for additional responsibility from virtually all the levels of the organisation. There are additional costs that come with owning large fleets of ship. Such additional costs will reduce the profit margins of Vale and end up limiting its profit margins. For instance, the insurance costs of such a magnitude of fleets will definitely be high. Vale will be forced to raise its prices for the final product in order to cater for the added costs. On the other hand, other producers that rely on outsourced transportation or those who sell directly to the buyers will benefit from the price advantage and, thus, increase the demand for their c ommodity. There is a possibility for the demand levels of iron ore minerals to grow lesser in the market. This may be because of other external forces that could be beyond the control of the firm. For instance, the global economic crisis reduced the market demand for virtually every commodity in the world. Mineral reserves get depleted following years of continued mining activities. Such scenarios would subject Vale to lost opportunities and ground the large fleet of ships. Sea transport faces numerous challenges, which may result in losses to the transport company. There is increased terrorism in the world that has in turn given birth to rising cases of piracy. Piracy carries numerous risks to the company as well as any other business relying on the sea for transport of raw material or finished products. Apart from the ransom figures demanded by such terror gangs being high, piracy may cause delayed delivery and result in losses to the firm. It may also affect trade relations betwe en Vale and the buying companies. The shipbuilding industry in Brazil is less developed and lacks the capacity to service high demand levels such as the one created by Vale. This would definitely force the firm to purchase its needs from foreign suppliers with better services. In essence, Vale will be forced to acquire its fleet of ships from foreign-based manufacturers. However, such a move will be met with opposition and resistance in Brazil. The political class has already raised its objection of Vale’s move to purchase vessels from foreign suppliers, terming it as ignoring the local ship industry. List of References Porter, M 1990 ‘The competitive advantage of nations,’ Harvard Business Review, vol. 68, no. 2, pp. 73-93 This essay on Vale in the Brazilian Government was written and submitted by user Angelo C. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Frankenstein and Blade Runner Essays

Frankenstein and Blade Runner Essays Frankenstein and Blade Runner Paper Frankenstein and Blade Runner Paper Essay Topic: Frankenstein Mary Shelley’s iconic novel, Frankenstein, and Ridley Scott’s cinematographic masterpiece, Blade Runner, are, on the surface, remarkably dissimilar, not solely in terms of medium, but in absolute contextual disparity. They are, of course, very much products of their time, affected and inspired by the conundrums and pessimistic predictions of their own cultural and societal contexts; condemnations of each respective composers predictions for humanity. It is interesting to note, therefore, that both texts are alike in their thematic complexity, however differently these timeless themes are expressed, and that the textual techniques of both only serve to heighten the inevitable character, plot and thematic comparisons which have inevitably occurred, as is to be expected of a film whole prophetic quality and social significance are timeless, and a novel which was to become an irrefutable literary classic. It is important to note that the world of Mary Shelley in 1818 bore a striking resemblance to that of Ridley Scott in the early 1980’s, and indeed, this is the underlying catalyst for the contemporary cultural significance of the texts. The 1800’s for example, was a time of Revolution and Industrialism; a time in which scientific advances by the likes of Erasmus Darwin and Andrew Crosse, as well as a general ascent of idealistic romanticism, had colossal influence upon not only society; but upon Shelley’s pathetic fallacy and sensory imagery-laden writing style. : One must recognise the stark analogy amidst such a time of scientific ambition and the 1980’s, a time when, similarly, rampant computerisation threatened to render the labour of man irrelevant, as scientific experimentation in genetic engineering and globalisation shook the very foundations of morality and ethical thought. Within Blade Runner too, irrefutably a condemnation of the future implications of such a time, Scott utilises establishing shots and neon, filtered lighting to intimidate; to illuminate a litany of Asian faces, whilst technology, and of course the replicants themselves, are created without second thought, and ultimately, with disastrous implications for those concerned; â€Å"Commerce is our goal here at Tyrell, more human than human is our motto. Rachel is an experiment, nothing less and nothing more. † Which, of course, brings to the fore the undeniable and universal thematic complexity of both Frankenstein and Blade Runner; the predominant catalyst for their newfound cultural significance. First and foremost is the theme upon which the texts are fundamentally built, that of emulating the divine, as well as its ramifications. Mary Shelley herself, in fact, states in the preface to her novel, â€Å"frightful must it be; for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous Creator of the world†, and indeed, Victor Frankenstein himself essentially serves as an analogy, almost a deterrent, of the unbridled scientific advances of Shelley’s time. Despite Frankenstein’s extreme intelligence, being â€Å"the envy of [his] peers† and the fact that he â€Å"became capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter†, his lack of compassion for his creation, â€Å"the miserable monster whom I had created†, in conjunction with his desired abandonment of it, â€Å"I sincerely hope, that all these employments are now at an end, that I am at length free†, has catastrophic consequences. Essentially, Shelley’s characterisation symbolises man as a fallible creature, one who will by no means possess the characteristics of God, despite the insurmountable increases in technological advancement which today are the norm.

cloning5 essays

cloning5 essays The rapid development of the technology for cloning has led to moral debates around the world on whether or not to ban creating human clones. With the advancement of clone technology two states, California and Michigan have already banned the cloning of humans. "Everybody who thought it would proceed slowly and could be stopped was wrong, said Lee Silver, a professor from the University of Princeton (McFarling 1) . . ." Without proper research on behalf of the politicians of California and Michigan, the premature ban should be reconsidered and appealed. Cloning could provide a way for infertile couples to produce children genetically similar to themselves, a method of creating spare organs for transplants, and a cure for genetic disease. Human cloning may provide numerous benefits to mankind and should not be banned. Cloning is the Creation of another person that is an exact copy of another person (Clarke 1); this leaves too much to the imagination and leads to misunderstanding of the methods scientists use in cloning. In more clear terms, cloning is the process in which DNA of a female egg is replaced with different DNA from another cell. This process is referred to as the Nuclear Transfer or Nuclear Substitution. DNA molecules are the strings of protein that hold genetic coding. In this operation, the nucleus, which is the part of the cell that contains the DNA, are carefully removed from an unfertilized female egg then replaced with the DNA from the cell of another person (Harris 4). The egg with the DNA from another person is then manipulated into believing it has been fertilized and is implanted into the womb of the mother just as is done in the process of vitro fertilization. Afterwards the fetus develops and is born after nine months, just like a natural baby (Dumesic 1). What this means is that the clone shares only the same DNA as the person from which it was cloned. It shares none of the same memories, knows none of the sam...

Final worksheet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Final worksheet - Essay Example The project will strive to touch on everything learnt throughout the term although it will focus more on the aspect of male gaze and how it is related to today’s media from my own perspective. It will be unique in the sense that it will focus on male gaze in today’s world unlike how we only discussed past history over the term. What steps are/will you take to complete the project? How will you record your steps? (We can only evaluate what you present to us. For example, you may work for weeks on the creation and analysis of a coed football game. However, if by the end of the term all you share is that you held the game, we don’t see the fullness of your commitment. Images, interviews, journaling, and post analysis are all good ways to document what you did.) Explain in detail all the process and procedure you are intending to complete to create, implement, and complete your research project. My major focus will be to create an art piece and to keep a journal of all my project activities, why I undertake the activities, and what they stand for, in order to document all the experiences during the project work. I will also focus on creating rough drafts and sketches to show how the piece of art changes during the entire experience. List which readings, lectures, and activities you have completed in class that are leading you to designing your final project the way you are currently thinking? Remember that a minimum of three readings must be cited. Other sources, lectures, activity examples and the like may also be referenced and are highly encouraged. The major reading learnt in class that my project will be based on is â€Å"Bergers Ways of seeing†, although I will also borrow a few ideas from â€Å"Horowitz† readings. The other reading that I plan to borrow some information is the reading titled â€Å"Gender and Art†, by Gill Perry, which we learnt in class in the beginning of the term. The readings will form the foundation of the

Post Employment Benefits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Post Employment Benefits - Essay Example 2. We have been provided with what would be "amortized" this year (2007) towards Unrecognized Prior Service Costs, but we have not been provided with what is the actual amount pending towards UPSC. 3. We have been told that the employer's contribution would be 3% of payroll. But we do not know as to what are the company's expenses on salaries and wages. 4. We have no information regarding the number of employees involved in the scheme, their retirement dates, etc. All this information can influence the answer. So, where ever required, we have made suitable assumptions relating the above missing information. Answer 1: From the given information, if the company decides to go on with its existing (DBP) post employment benefits plan, from the information available, we can draw up an approximate pension worksheet, as follows: Items General Journal Entries Memo Record Annual Pension Expense Cash (Prepaid) / Accrued Cost Projected Benefit Obligation Plan Assets Unrecognized Prior Service Cost Balance, Dec. 31, 2006 810,000 Cr 340,000Dr (a) Unrecognized Prior Service Cost Balance, Jan. 1, 2007 --- (810,000+) Cr 340,000 Dr (b) Service Cost 88,000 Dr 88,000Cr (c) Interest Cost 81,000 Dr 81,000 Cr (d) Actual Return 34,000 Cr 34,000 Dr (e) Amortization of UPSC 21,000 Dr 21,000 Cr (f) Contributions X Cr X Dr Journal Entry for 2007 156,000 Dr X Cr (156,000 - X) Cr Balance, Dec. 31, 2007 0 (374,000 + X) Dr Note: In the above table, 1. Interest / Discount / Settlement Rate = 10% 2. Opening and closing balance of Unrecognized Prior Service Cost is unknown. (Shown as '') 3. Since the amount contributed by the employer...They do so by letting the company switch over from its existing 'defined benefits plan' to a 'defined contribution plan' to save costs. 3. The employees give up their claim on every other liability, like whatever is pending towards Unrecognized Prior service costs, what ever would be this years service cost, interest burden on what ever is pending towards 'Projected Benefits Obligation', etc. 5. Employer will contribute 3% of the payroll towards the 'retirement fund' or the 'plan assets' hence forth regardless of whatever has been accumulated in the fund, whether it is sufficient, insufficient or in excess. 6. AND hence forth, since the company moves on with a 'defined contribution plan', employer doesn't have any more liability other than payment of his annual contribution towards the fund and what ever post employment benefits are to be derived would be out of the balance in the 'fund' kept aside for that purpose. From the given information, if the company decides to go on with its existing (DBP) post employment benefits plan, from the information available, we can draw up an approximate pension worksheet, as follows: While, if the employer decides to switch over to a 'defined contribution plan' where the employer pays 3% of payroll as his contribution, the agreement being that the employees get to keep what is already in the defined benefit

Information About Strategic Teaching, Strategic Learning and Thinking Skills Essay Example for Free

Information About Strategic Teaching, Strategic Learning and Thinking Skills Essay Teachers, whether brand new to the classroom, or veterans of many years of service, are always looking for ways to make what they do more effective and more efficient. That even goes for students in teacher preparation programs, as well it should. Efficiency is a measure of what is obtained (results) in relation to what was expended (resources). Effectiveness is a bit more elusive. To be sure, effectiveness in anything, including teaching, can be difficult to describe and to measure. The following is a discussion about some fundamental principles that may lead to actual improvement of instruction. Please read on. In order to use any instructional technique effectively, anyone who teaches must, of necessity, understand the fundamental principles and assumptions upon which the specific technique is based. There is certainly no shortage of descriptions or labels for activities that may be classified as pertaining to instruction. From the ever-popular lecture method to complex student-teacher, student-student interactions, instruction encompasses a broad range of teacher behaviors. At one end (the lecture method) the teacher is an imparter of information, and the students are the intended recipients of the information the teacher imparts. At the other end of the range of teacher behaviors are methods in which teachers interact with students in vastly more complex ways. Most researchers and experts in the field are in agreement that the most permanent and meaningful learning takes place at this end of the range. Strategic teaching, and, concomitantly, strategic learning are techniques in which significant student-teacher interaction and resultant learning and thinking are at the high end of the scale. To learn strategic teaching techniques, and to foster the ability of students to engage in strategic learning, it is important to define some terms. In fact, one of the principles of strategic teaching is to define terms. Below are terms that are relevant to this process. Strategic teaching describes instructional processes that focus directly on fostering student thinking, but goes well beyond that. Strategic teaching and strategic learning are inexorably linked. A strategic teacher has an understanding of the variables of instruction and is aware of the cognitive requirements of learning. In such an awareness, comes a sense of timing and a style of management. The strategic teacher is one who: 1. s a thinker and decision maker; 2. possesses a rich knowledge base; 3. is a modeler and a mediator of instruction. Variables of instruction refer to those factors that strategic teachers consider in order to develop instruction. These variables, as the name implies, change, and therefore the teacher must be aware of the nature of change as well as the actual variables themselves. These variables are: 1. characteristics of the learner; 2. material to be learned (curriculum content); 3. the criterial task (the goals and outcomes the teacher and learner designate); 4. earning strategies (goal directed activities in which learners engage). In teaching content at the elementary, middle, or secondary level, the strategic teacher helps guide instruction by focusing on learning strategies that foster thinking skills in relation to the content. In connecting new information to what a student already knows, learning becomes more meaningful, and not simply retained for test-taking purposes. There are numerous strategies that teachers can develop that accomplish this purpose. To give one information is not difficult, but to help one be able to develop the tools to both know what information is relevant and the means to acquire it, is perhaps the most important function of any social studies teacher. There are numerous techniques for engaging students in thinking about content. Besides thinking skills, there are such practical matters as how best to present a lesson on weather, teaching map and globe skills, helping students work together in groups, how to question effectively, and how to answer student questions. The first and foremost criterion is that the teacher thoroughly know the content, the second criterion is that the teacher have a set of rules for classroom management that are understood and implemented, and the third criterion is that the teacher have the resourcefulness and knowledge to rehearse unfamiliar techniques, and more importantly, have the capacity to adjust any lesson plan to maintain academic focus. Many of these tasks are learned on-the-job. Nothing you can learn in any course is more valuable than learning what to do when you dont know what to do. When you can do that, you are well on your way to becoming a great teacher. Strategic Learning Strategic learning is, in effect, a highly probable outcome of effective strategic teaching. Reduced to its essentials, strategic learning is learning in which students construct their own meanings, and in the process, become aware of their own thinking. The link between teaching, thinking, and learning is critical. As a teacher, if you are not causing your students to think about what you are presenting, discussing, demonstrating, mediating, guiding, or directing, then you are not doing an effective job. You must be more than a dispenser of information. You must create conditions and an environment that encourages thinking, deepens and broadens it, and which causes students to become aware of how they think. The process of thinking about how we think is referred to as metacognition. In helping students create knowledge, it is useful to think of knowledge as occupying space that can be thought of as a pyramid. At the bottom of the pyramid is declarative knowledge, or knowledge of what is. Declarative knowledge is akin to awareness. One step up on the pyramid is procedural knowledge, or knowledge of how something works, or functions. At the top of the pyramid is conditional knowledge, or knowledge of when or why a particular procedure will work. Conditional knowledge is closely related to the predictive function of knowledge. When students develop a broad and deep system of conditional knowledge, they are able to predict more accurately, solve problems more efficiently, and in a sense, are more free because they can identify and articulate more options from which to choose. Strategic learning is a valuable system to help your students develop conditional knowledge. Content Connections The creation of knowledge is, in the most practical and profound sense, a primary and direct result of learning. As teachers, we must strive to assist our students to develop intellectual tools by which they can create knowledge. Any knowledge, once created, becomes a part of a larger system that enhances learning and is capable of integrating and accommodating new information with greater efficiency and reliability. Each person creates knowledge in similar, yet uniquely distinct ways. Connecting information provided or described by others in novel and personal ways is a key to learning and developing knowledge. The more one knows, the more one can know. The idea of content links or connections is not exactly new, but offers some unique opportunities to chart your own course, learn, and add to your knowledge system. Enter the idea of Constructivism. Constructivism is a philosophy as well as a psychology of education. Constructivism is about how knowledge is created.