20 Facts About the Chemical Element Silver

20 Facts About the Chemical Element Silver Silver is a precious metal that has been known since ancient time. This is a list of interesting facts about the element silver. 1. The word silver comes from the  Anglo-Saxon word  seolfor.  There is no word that rhymes with the English word silver. It is a transition metal element, with symbol Ag, atomic number 47, and atomic weight of 107.8682. 2. Silver is exceptionally shiny! It is the most reflective element, which makes it useful in mirrors, telescopes, microscopes and solar cells. Polished silver reflects 95% of the visible light spectrum. However, silver is a poor reflector of ultraviolet light. Stocktrek Images/Getty Images 3. Silver can exist in its native state. In other words, nuggets or crystals of pure silver exist in nature. Silver also occurs as a natural alloy with gold that is called electrum. Silver commonly occurs in copper, lead, and zinc ores. 4. Silver metal is not toxic to humans. In fact, it can be used as a food decoration. However, most silver salts are toxic. Silver is germicidal, meaning it kills bacteria and other lower organisms. 5. Silver is the best electric conductor of the elements. It is used as the standard by which other conductors are measured. On a scale of  0 to 100, silver ranks 100 in terms of electrical conductivity. Copper ranks 97 and gold ranks 76. 6. Silver has been known since antiquity. It was one of the first five metals to be discovered. Mankind learned to separate silver from lead back in 3000 BC. Silver  objects have been found dating back before 4000 BC. It is believed the element was discovered around 5000 BC. Early Saxon coins, 5th-6th century. Silver pennies known as sceattas, found in excavations in London area.   Heritage Spanish/Getty Images 7. Only gold is more ductile than silver. An ounce of silver can be drawn into a wire 8,000 feet long. 8. The most commonly encountered form of silver is sterling silver. Sterling silver consists of 92.5% silver, with the balance consists of other metals, usually copper. 9. The chemical symbol for silver, Ag, comes from the  Latin word for silver, argentum, which in turn derives from the Sanskit word  argunas, which mean shining. 10. A single grain of silver (~65 mg) can be pressed into a sheet 150 times thinner than the average sheet of paper. 11. Silver is the best thermal conductor of any metal. The lines you see in the rear window of a car consist of silver, used to defrost ice in the winter. 12. The words for silver and money are the same in fourteen languages or more. 13. The primary source of silver today is the New World. Mexico is the leading producer, followed by Peru. The United States, Canada, Russia, and Australia also produce silver.  Around two-thirds of the silver obtained today is a by-product of copper, lead, and zinc mining. Silver mines in Mexico, such as this now-abandoned one, provided Spain, in the 18th century, with over one third of the silver sent out of the New World.   Danny Lehman/Getty Images 14. Coins minted in the United States prior to 1965 consists of about 90% silver. Kennedy half dollars  minted in the United States  between 1965 to 1969 contained 40% silver.   15. The compound silver iodide has been used for cloud seeding, to cause clouds to produce rain and try to control hurricanes. 16. The price of silver presently is less than that of gold, varying according to demand, discovery of sources and the invention of methods of separating the metal from other elements. In ancient Egypt and Medieval European countries, silver was valued more highly than gold. 17. Some silver compounds are highly explosive. Examples include silver fulminate, silver azide, silver(II) oxide, silver amide, silver acetylide, and silver oxalate. These are compounds in which silver forms a bond with nitrogen or oxygen. Although heat, drying, or pressure often ignite these compounds, sometimes all it takes is exposure to light. They may even explode spontaneously. 18. Silvers atomic number is 47, with an atomic weight of 107.8682. 19. Silver is stable in oxygen and water, but it  tarnishes in air because of a reaction with sulfur compounds to form a black sulfide layer. 20. Uses of silver metal include currency, silverware, jewelry, and dentistry. Its antimicrobial properties make it useful for air conditioning and water filtration. It is used to make mirror coatings, for solar energy applications, in electronics, and for photography. Sources Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.Hammond, C. R. (2004). The Elements, in Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (81st ed.). CRC press. ISBN 978-0-8493-0485-9.Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

10 Ways to Maximize Research at the Courthouse or Archives

10 Ways to Maximize Research at the Courthouse or Archives The process of researching your family tree will eventually lead you to a courthouse, library, archives or other repository of original documents and published sources. The day-to-day joys and hardships of your ancestors’ lives can often be found documented among the numerous original records of the local court, while the library may contain a wealth of information on their community, neighbors and friends. Marriage certificates, family histories, land grants, military rosters and a wealth of other genealogical clues are tucked away in folders, boxes, and books just waiting to be discovered. Before heading for the courthouse or library, however, it helps to prepare. Try these 10 tips for planning your visit and maximizing your results. 1. Scout the Location The first, and most important, step in onsite genealogy research is learning which government most likely had jurisdiction over the area in which your ancestors lived during the time they lived there. In many places, especially in the United States, this is the county or county equivalent (e.g. parish, shire). In other areas, the records may be found housed in town halls, probate districts or other jurisdictional authorities. Youll also have to bone up on changing political and geographical boundaries to know who actually had jurisdiction over the area where your ancestor lived for the time period youre researching, and who has current possession of those records. If your ancestors lived near the county line, you may find them documented among the records of the adjoining county. While a bit uncommon, I actually have an ancestor whose land straddled the county lines of three counties, making it necessary for me to routinely check the records of all three counties (and their parent co unties!) when researching that particular family. 2. Who Has the Records? Many of the records youll need, from vital records to land transactions, are likely to be found at the local courthouse. In some cases, however, the older records may have been transferred to a state archives, local historical society, or other repository. Check with members of the local genealogical society, at the local library, or online through resources such as the Family History Research Wiki or GenWeb  to learn where the records for your location and time period of interest might be found. Even within the courthouse, different offices usually hold different types of records, and may maintain different hours and even be located in different buildings. Some records may also be available in multiple locations, as well, in microfilm or printed form. For U.S. research, The Handybook for Genealogists or Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources, both include state-by-state and county-by-county lists of which offices hold which records. You may also want to explore WPA Hist orical Records Survey inventories, if available for your locality, to identify other potential records. 3. Are the Records Available? You dont want to plan a trip halfway across the country only to find that the records you seek were destroyed in a courthouse fire in 1865. Or that the office stores the marriage records in an offsite location, and they need to be requested in advance of your visit. Or that some of the county record books are being repaired, microfilmed, or are otherwise temporarily unavailable. Once youve determined the repository and records you plan to research, it is definitely worth the time to call to make sure the records are available for research. If the original record you seek is no longer extant, check the Family History Library Catalog to see if the record is available on microfilm. When I was told by a North Carolina county deed office that Deed Book A had been missing for some time, I was still able to access a microfilmed copy of the book through my local Family History Center. 4. Create a Research Plan As you enter the doors of a courthouse or library, its tempting to want to jump into everything at once. There usually arent enough hours in the day, however, to research all records for all of your ancestors in one short trip. Plan your research before you go, and youll be less tempted by distractions and less likely to miss important details. Create a checklist with names, dates and details for each record you plan to research in advance of your visit, and then check them off as you go. By focusing your search on just a few ancestors or a few record types, youll be more likely to achieve your research goals. 5. Time Your Trip Before you visit, you should always contact the courthouse, library or archives to see if there are any access restrictions or closures which may affect your visit. Even if their website includes operating hours and holiday closures, it is still best to confirm this in person. Ask if there are any limits on the number of researchers, if you have to sign up in advance for microfilm readers, or if any courthouse offices or special library collections maintain separate hours. It also helps to ask if there are certain times which are less busy than others. Next 5 More Tips for Your Courthouse Visit Research Tips 1-5 6. Learn the Lay of the Land Each genealogical repository you visit is going to be slightly different - whether its a different layout or setup, different policies and procedures, different equipment, or a different organizational system. Check the facilitys website, or with other genealogists who utilize the facility, and familiarize yourself with the research process and procedures before you go. Check the card catalog online, if it is available, and compile a list of the records you want to research, along with their call numbers. Ask if there is a reference librarian who specializes in your specific area of interest, and learn what hours he/she will be working. If records youll be researching use a certain type of index system, such as the Russell Index, then it helps to familiarize yourself with it before you go. 7. Prepare for Your Visit Courthouse offices are often small and cramped, so it is best to keep your belongings to a minimum. Pack a single bag with a notepad, pencils, coins for the photocopier and parking, your research plan and checklist, a brief summary of what you already know about the family, and a camera (if allowed). If you plan to take a laptop computer, make sure that you have a charged battery, because many repositories do not provide electrical access (some do not allow laptops). Wear comfortable, flat shoes, as many courthouses don’t offer tables and chairs, and you may spend a lot of time on your feet. 8. Be Courteous Respectful Staff members at archives, courthouses and libraries are generally very helpful, friendly people, but they are also very busy trying to do their job. Respect their time and avoid pestering them with questions not specifically related to research in the facility or hold them hostage with tales about your ancestors. If you have a genealogy how-to question or trouble reading a particular word that just cant wait, it is usually better to ask another researcher (just dont pester them with multiple questions either). Archivists also greatly appreciate researchers who refrain from requesting records or copies just before closing time! 9. Take Good Notes Make Plenty of Copies While you may take the time to reach a few on-site conclusions about the records you find, it is usually best to take everything home with you where you have more time to examine it thoroughly for every last detail. Make photocopies of everything, if possible. If copies arent an option, then take the time to make a transcription or abstract, including misspellings. On each photocopy, make note of the complete source for the document. If you have time, and money for copies, it can also be helpful to make copies of the complete index for your surname(s) of interest for certain records, such as marriages or deeds. One of them may later make an appearance in your research 10. Concentrate on the Unique Unless the facility is one you can easily access on a regular basis, it is often beneficial to begin your research with the parts of its collection that arent easily available elsewhere. Concentrate on original records that havent been microfilmed, family papers, photograph collections, and other unique resources. At the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, for example, many researchers begin with the books as they are generally not available on loan, while the microfilms can be borrowed through your local Family History Center, or sometimes viewed online. Sources Eichholz, Alice (Editor). Red Book: American State, County Town Sources. 3rd Revised edition, Ancestry Publishing, June 1, 2004. Hansen, Holly (Editor). The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America. 11th Edition, Revised edition, Everton Pub, February 28, 2006.

Management of information technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Management of information technology - Essay Example The organisation at the very beginning will need to explore all avenues where electronic information systems are required to manage information better. All departments should be consulted to arrive at common consensus for the need. At various levels the thought process may come to a halt due to various factors. We shall identify and explore a few. Management Issues - An organisation need to answer the question of management of the IT resource if it proceeds with the investment. An IT resource like a supply chain management software is required to be handled by a staff of experienced IT professionals who are also aware of the core business processes of the organisation. Failure to do so will result in incorrect reporting of information and ultimately lead to mismanagement. Organisational Issues - At an organisational level investment in IT could bring out some structural as well as financial issues. An organisation will need to consider its core business requirements, investor interests and well as financial implications while considering a potential investment in IT. Technological Issues - Technological issues if not planned for may derail an entire project at the implementation stage. Overlooking CTQ (critical to quality) parameters can result in doing more harm than good. Let us now look at the various issues that may arise when an organisation may invest into IT. At a management level, there may well be numerous issues. Lets look at a few which might be more common. Administration - While an organisation may want the most sophisticated software available in the market, it however needs to answer management related questions before proceeding. The organisation needs to see if it has the work force capacity to handle such a shift. Does it have the required people with necessary skill set to successfully implement and support the technology If not then who would manage this technology Many technology vendors have come up with their own solution to this issue since it is the most common and is certain to arise. While most vendors would offer specialised training to an organisation's staff, few also offer to provide dedicated staff to the organisation for day to day administration of the product. Organisations also recruit IT staff to manage the acquired product if the data is sensitive. For example an organisation would definitely would want to have an IT employee specializing in the technology in question if it is financial in nature or deals with the organisations product. If the product is unique in the market, maintaining a dedicated resource becomes all the more important. Security Issues - "Managers, consultants, IT professionals and customers believe that they have finally discovered what makes organizations work: knowledge---that invisible force that propels the most successful companies to stock market values which far exceed the visible assets of their financial balance sheet". (Borghoff & Pareschi 1997, p.835) Since technology investment deals with data which in the hands of certain individuals translates into Knowledge, protecting it is very important. An organisation may answer the security management question by restricting access of the technology to individuals on a need to know basis. This will ensure that those

Contemporary HRM perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contemporary HRM perspective - Essay Example I am focusing on management’s role in initiating a change through communication. I will also identify issues faced by employees during change, which can be minimized, and in some cases be eradicated by connecting with employees by creating business intimacies and interpersonal relationships (Paton, 2008). Theoretical Overview I found an article, ‘Strategically Communicating Organizational Change’ by Phillip G. Clampitt and Laurey R. Berk, very interesting and informative. In this article, we get to know how a change can be initiated through communication by a series of plan; Contextual Analysis which identifies reasons for change, Audience Analysis on how employees perceive these changes, and Strategies and tactics to be used by managers in order to introduce a change in an organization (Clampitt & Berk, 1996). In this article, I learnt how important it is that we empower our workforce through effective communication, but I believe the role of Human Resource Depar tment is essential in every organizational setting to determine these communication gaps. The main role of Human Resource Department is to manage the manpower in the organization. ... While going through various studies I have come to notice that, if these employees are showing resistance to change then it will affect the working procedures of the organization and also have a negative influence on meeting their targets or goals. There can be many reasons for this ambivalent attitude. They maybe short of understanding the need for change; they might believe that change could violate organizational goal or working procedures. There could be a lack of trust that change would benefit the individual or organization. This may be due to the fact that most of managers are not very focused on the employee’s reaction towards a change (Burke, 2011). Hence, these fears need to be confronted to the management (Bell & Smith, 2010). Analysis of discussion from experience It is a truth that most organizations only work for their own interests without taking consideration of the behaviors of employees or taking their input or ideas into initiating a change. I believe manage rs should listen to employee grievances. The management needs to be communicative with their employees, especially if any change has to be implemented so that the ambivalent attitudes can be minimized and both parties can work together for better results (Paton, 2008). Even though, while initiating a change, a ground work needs to be done like determining the reasons of the change, the impact of it and other theoretical frameworks that determine a reaction to change but, for me, the most important aspect is being directly involved with the individuals, building a strategy through which both, the management and the employee can attain their maximum potential (Clampitt & Berk,

Interpretations of Slavery Essay -- Slavery Essays

Interpretations of Slavery INTRODUCTION Slavery is known to have existed as early as the 18th century B.C. during the Shang Dynasty of China. Slavery was widely practiced in many other countries, including, Korea, India, Greece, Mexico and Africa. (Britannica 288-89). When most people consider slavery, however, they think of Western slavery in North America because it is well documented and it was such a horrible institution. Even though there is no one definition of slavery, the people who study it (historians, anthropologists and sociologists) agree that certain characteristics are present in all forms of slavery. Slaves were property and objects, not subjects of the law. Slaves had few rights, always fewer than their owners. Slave were also limited to few social activities and were not allowed to participate in political decisions. Finally, any earnings aquired by slaves by law belonged to their master. Also, slaves were prevented from making their own choices regarding physical reproduction. Western slavery took each o f these slave characteristics to a new level and as a result there are many authors who wrote about the evil institution of slavery in the Colonies. American literature is full of authors who describe, condone or oppose slavery, the most informative and influential of whom were Black writers because many were able to give a personal perspective on slavery. These Black writers had to struggle to be accepted as literary writers before they could get their message across. "The tradition of black writing in the United States is, in many ways, a history of attempts at literary liberation from racism-attempts to articulate in a specifically black context the characteristic American themes of freedom and self-determ... ...d by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Penguin Group Publishing, New York, 1987. Costanzo, Angelo. Surprizing Narrative, Olaudah Equiano and the Beginnings of the Black Autobiography, New York: Greenwood Press, 1987. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Penguin Group Publishing, New York, 1987. Equiano, Olaudah. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Edited by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Penguin Group Publishing, New York, 1987. Hughes, Langston, Milton Meltzon. A Pictorial History of the Negro and America, New York: Crown, 1968. O'Neale Sondra. "Olaudah Equiano," Dictionary of Literary Biography, American Writers of the Early Republic, ed. Emory Elliot. Vol 37. Princeton: Bruccoli, Clark and Layman Book, 1985. "Slavery." The New Encyclopedia Britannica. 1995 ed.

Ethical Law Enforcement Officers

The paper deals with the significance of ethics and integrity in law enforcement officers. It explains the base for the structure of professional ethical responsibilities briefly describes the basic requirements of applied ethics and explains the course of ethical reason.Ethical law enforcement Officers: An IntroductionIn the past few decades, law enforcement ethical behavior has been caused to experience much analysis across the country. With the distrust of law enforcement police and community relationship suffer; and the status of good, assiduous and ethical law enforcement officers and their organizations are stigmatized. Even the most enthusiastic advocates of law enforcement question about the credibility of the police and the police department.Despite the fact that prominent cases attract the nation's focus, law enforcement departments across the country employ an increasing amount of time examining, penalizing and prosecuting officers for unprincipled or unlawful conduct that never become famous in the headlines in the media.Regrettably, the events that have made these headlines have damaged the standing and question the performance of the whole law enforcement community. These extremely hyped events do not, on the other hand, deal with the more delicate ethical quandaries that law enforcement agencies and officers have to confront daily. Law enforcement agencies in America deal with the concerns of ethics that have to be studied and modified.Ethical FactorsIn the last couple of years, ethical concerns in law enforcement have been influenced by three critical factors namely the increased level of temptations developing from the illegal drug trade, the problems posed by decentralization, and the potentially conciliatory nature of the police organizational traditions. These factors make management for ethics nowadays far more diverse and difficult than it was long ago.Greater TemptationsPolice officers confront bigger temptations than they had a couple of decade ago. A number of these temptations can be as a result of the volatile and rewarding unlawful drug trade. A great quantity of illegal cash generates this market. Prospective earnings for drug dealers persist to rise as unlawful endorsements develop rigid.Thus, the law enforcement officers may be tempted by great bribes from delinquents and tempted by prospects to embezzle great amount of illegal money. The prospective for dishonesty in drug field may be intensified by the personality of officers who do extremely well in this field. Drug studies are placed amongst the most rapid and practical of any in which officers take part. Covert work makes up an essential part of these cases. Â  

Jingle Shell Description and Profile

If you find a thin, shiny shell while walking on the beach, it might be a  jingle shell.  Jingle shells are shiny  mollusks  that got their name because they produce a bell-like sound when several shells are shaken together. These shells are also called Mermaids toenails, Neptunes toenails, toenail shells, gold shells and saddle oysters. They may wash up in large numbers on beaches after storms.    Description Jingle shells (Anomia simplex) are an organism that attaches to something hard, like wood, a shell, a rock or a boat. They are sometimes mistaken for slipper shells, which also attach to a hard substrate. However, slipper shells have only one shell (also called a valve), while  jingle shells have two. This makes them bivalves, which means they are related to other two-shelled animals such as mussels, clams, and scallops. The shells of this organism are very thin, almost translucent. However, they are very strong. Like mussels,  jingle shells attach using byssal threads. These threads are secreted by a gland located near the  jingle shells foot. They then protrude through a hole in the bottom shell and attach to the hard substrate.   The shell of these organisms takes on the shape of the substrate upon which they attach (for example, a  jingle shell attached to a bay scallop will have ridged shells also). Jingle shells are relatively small - their shells can grow to about 2-3 across. They can be a variety of colors, including white, orange, yellow, silver and black. The shells have a rounded edge but are generally irregular in shape. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: MolluscaClass: BivalviaSubclass:  PteriomorphiaOrder:  PectinoidaFamily: AnomiidaeGenus: AnomiaSpecies: simplex Habitat, Distribution, and Feeding Jingle shells are found along the eastern coast of North America, from Nova Scotia, Canada south to Mexico, Bermuda, and Brazil. They live in relatively shallow water less than 30 feet deep. Jingle shells are filter feeders. They eat plankton by filtering water through their gills, where cilia remove the prey. Reproduction Jingle shells reproduce sexually through spawning. There are usually male and female jingle shells, but occasionally individuals are hermaphroditic. They release gametes into the water column, appearing to spawn in the summertime. Fertilization occurs within the mantle cavity. The young hatch as planktonic larvae that live in the water column before settling to the ocean bottom. Conservation and Human Uses The meat of  jingle shells is very bitter, so they are not harvested for food. They are considered common and have not been evaluated for conservation action. Jingle shells are often collected by beachgoers. They can be made into wind chimes,  jewelry, and other items.   References and Further Information Bouchet, P.; Huber, M.; Rosenberg, G. 2014.  Anomia simplex  dOrbigny, 1853.  Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species, December 21, 2014.Brousseau, D.J. 1984. Reproductive cycle of  Anomia simplex  (Pelecypoda, Anomiidae) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Veliger 26(4): 299-304.Coulombe, D. A. 1992. Seaside Naturalist: A Guide to Study at the Seashore. Simon Schuster. 246 pp.Martinez, A. J. 2003. Marine Life of the North Atlantic. AquaQuest Publications, Inc.: New York.The University of Rhode Island.  Jingle Shell (Anomia simplex). Accessed December 19, 2014.