Love that dirty water

Love that dirty water Ive returned from France to the States just in time for lots of exciting things: the arrival of the Class of 2008 on campus, the announcemen of MITs new president, a big Red Sox winning streak a pretty exciting time around these parts. Its great to be back in Boston. And now that Ive returned from a long time away, Im getting ready to head out on the road again for my Admissions World Tour 2004. Well, maybe not World Tour per se, but I will be hitting the metropolitan New York City, Baltimore/Washington, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco Bay areas. If youre in one of those areas, I hope youll come see me at one of my meetings (you can RSVP at this link). Yesterday was a pretty good day. For most of the day, the entire Admission staff met to prepare for our respective World Tours. We brought in some speakers to give us some good stories to tell on the road. Perhaps the best stories were provided by Prof. Kim Vandiver, the director of the Edgerton Center. Dont be surprised if at the meeting you attend you hear us repeating some of Kims experiences with, say, the Solar Car Team or D-Lab. After work, I caught up with some friends and students in the Concourse Program lounge in Building 16 for our semi-regular gaming. The game of the day was Puerto Rico, which I had enjoyed previously with my friends Beth Brian in Seattle. I sadly had to leave before we started playing Seafarers so that I could go check out Mitras awesome Class of 2008 party in the Stata Center, then off to do some bar trivia with some of my old MIT Quiz Bowl buddies. One more note about France: I wish I were still an undergraduate, so that I could take advantage of a free trip to Paris! I picked up a copy of the MIT newspaper today and one item caught my eye: it said that MIT was seeking undergraduates with French proficiency to go on a two-week, all-expences paid cultural trip to Paris! The program, which I was just hearing about for the first time but I suppose has been around for at least two years, is called January Scholars in France. MIT has all these secret trips, if you know where to look Civil Engineering students going to Hawaii, Earth Science students going to the Galapagos Islands, City Planning students going to Venice or Barcelona or yes, the list goes on. Current music: R.E.M., Lifes Rich Pageant (their best album and theyll be in Boston on October 29!)

Art And Its Impact During The Era Of The Roman Empire

Art is one of the most valued creations of the human beings. Over the years, famous paintings like the Mona Lisa, the Starry Night, etc., have attracted global attention and interest comparable to none. This special love is a result of the human creativity, skills, and unrivalled drawing techniques put together to create something that people can be fond of for centuries. Without a doubt, art is unique, and its impact was most influential in the era of the Roman Empire, Classical Greece, Etruscan civilization, Roman Republic, and Hellenistic Greece among others. Quite a number of artworks, especially sculptures, drawings, and special vessels have been preserved for the present generation, and to date, they still attract viewership from all corners of the world. Some of the famous artworks are the Coliseum, Aulus Metellus, the classical Greek Amphora (storage jar), Ganymede jewelry, and the Etruscans’ Cinerary Urn among many others. This paper will analyze the significance of t he artworks listed above by discussing their relationship with the related civilization and its impact on the people of the time. The Coliseum The Coliseum is one of the most famous pieces of art dating back to the Roman Empire. The Coliseum constitutes an elliptical amphitheatre made of concrete and stone that was built in the centre of Rome in Italy. It is considered to be among the greatest works of engineering and architecture built in a period of less than ten years. It was constructed under theShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book By Nikolaus Pevsner Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesis that it is difficult to tell from what time period most art came from. Lots of art pieces are given circa, from a rough period, of about two hundred years, making it difficult for some pieces to be determined as Roman Republic or Empire work. In Strong’s preface to his book, there is an overview about the influences of propaganda in artwork given by his editor, Nikolaus Pevsner, in the foreword of the book. He states that Works of art, especially sculpture, were part of everyday life in ancientRead MoreHum100 - Artistic Themes from Ancient Cultures: Greece and Rome1237 Words   |  5 Pagesancient world without looking at the Greek and Roman empires. Although similar, the Greek and Roman empires are two different cultures. They existed from 500 B.C.E. to 500 C.E. (Fiero, 2006). One constant in both cultures was their pursuit of perfection in their art and architecture. This paper will examine this pursuit of perfection in both cultures and how their impact is felt in the modern age. One of the most stunning facets of ancient Greece was the art that was created. The Greek artisans madeRead MoreRoman Art : A Picture Book By Christine Alexander Essay1497 Words   |  6 Pages The Roman Republic is famous for many events, people, and histories. In fact, there have been numerous excavations in which a variety of pottery, paintings, mosaics, statues, and coinage have been discovered from the Republic era of Rome. These numerous items have been analyzed and written about for the purpose of identifying their beauty and creation during the time in which they were made. However, there use as and influence as propaganda has not been fully analyzed. While there might be slightRead MoreThe Discovery Of The Miraculous Suckling Of Romulus And Remus Essay1250 Words   |  5 PagesTherein, this statue is more representative of Rome’s founding after the fact than during the early Republic era. According to the Capitoline Museum, the Lupa Romana â€Å"deals with the famous symbol of the city of Rome†¦[and is one of] the most important ancient works associated with the myth of the Lupercal and most of the modern works that portray the Capitoline she-wolf or are in some way derived from it.† As such, the museum has also provided a very detailed description about the different partsRead MoreEssay on His 112/ the Crisis of the Third Century1314 Words   |  6 Pages His/112 September 2 2011 The Crisis of the Third Century The Crisis of the Third Century was the era in which the Roman Empire almost collapsed under the many myriad of pressures including economic depression, civil war, plague and invasion. Because war was expensive, the Roman Empire had to increase taxes and this caused for many of the Romans to be upset and for the economy to be in a crisis. Revolts were also started because many of the civilians retaliated back becauseRead MoreThe Reign Of The Carolingian Dynasty1429 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough the reign of the Carolingian dynasty occupied only a brief part of the entirety of the medieval era, the Carolingian Empire that was established during that period made both a historical and cultural impact on medieval society that would resonate for years to come. Until the empire fell in 888, the Carolingian House of the Franks initially brought stability and progress to most of Europe, as well as pioneering a cultural and intellectual renaissance that influenced the remainder of th e MiddleRead MoreGreek and Roman civilizations1262 Words   |  6 Pagesmany great empires, but none have made a greater impact than the Greek and Roman empires. These empires began as small city-states, and grew to become the powerful empires we know today. The Greek and Roman empires were not always enemies, considering the Romans were greatly influenced by the Greek culture. The two civilizations shared many similarities, but had different opinions on government operations. There are three different periods that span the history of the Greek and Roman empires; the HellenicRead MoreAncient Athens: The Prototype for Western Democracy Essays1264 Words   |  6 Pageseducation during the classical period. Considered the prototype for Western Democracy, it allowed for the rise of a citizenship of voters, something unique in the ancient world. The Athenian love of physical activity culminated in the Olympics, an event that though ended by the Roman Empire, inspired the Olympics of th e modern era. Though Athens was later conquered by the Roman Empire, it still served as the center of culture until its ultimate collapse in the 6th century AD via the Eastern Roman EmpireRead MoreVisual Art During The Middle Ages And The Renaissance1013 Words   |  5 PagesIWT1 TASK1 Visual Art in The Middle Ages and The Renaissance The Middle Ages spanned from 400 to 1400 A.D. During this period, often referred to as the Medieval Period, began after the fall of the Roman Empire. After Rome fell Europeans found that they no longer had a single state or government and they turned to the Catholic Church which soon became the most powerful institution of the era. Throughout the Medieval Period Kings, Queens and other leaders relied on their alliances with the church forRead MoreThe Roman And Roman History1542 Words   |  7 Pagesperiod that is known as the Roman Peace (Pax Romana), from his reign in 27 B.C to his death in 14 A.D. In Virgil’s character Anchises (As seen above), Augustus is portrayed to have brought to fruition a golden age in Roman history. His ability to turn Rome from the ravages of civil war into a prosperous empire was accomplished through the harnessing of his exceptional administrative powers. Emphasis placed on religious reinvigoration and social reform helped forge a Roman empire th at ensured political

History of Gamelan Indonesian Music and Dance

Across Indonesia, but particularly on the islands of Java and Bali, gamelan is the most popular form of traditional music. A gamelan ensemble consists of a variety of metal percussion instruments, usually made of bronze or brass, including xylophones, drums, and gongs. It may also feature bamboo flutes, wooden stringed instruments, and vocalists, but the focus is on the percussion. The name gamelan comes from gamel, a Javanese word for a type of hammer used by a blacksmith. Gamelan instruments are often made of metal, and many are played with hammer-shaped mallets, as well. Although metal instruments are expensive to make, compared with those of wood or bamboo, they will not mold or deteriorate in Indonesias hot, steamy climate. Scholars suggest that this may be one of the reasons that gamelan developed, with its signature metallic sound. Where and when was gamelan invented? How has it changed over the centuries? Origins of Gamelan Gamelan seems to have developed early in the history of what is now Indonesia. Unfortunately, however, we have very few good sources of information from the early period. Certainly, gamelan seems to have been a feature of court life during the 8th to 11th centuries, among the Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms of Java, Sumatra, and Bali. For example, the great Buddhist monument of Borobudur, in central Java, includes a bas-relief depiction of a gamelan ensemble from the time of the Srivijaya Empire, c. 6th-13th centuries CE. The musicians play stringed instruments, metal drums, and flutes. Of course, we do not have any record of what the music these musicians were playing sounded like, sadly. Classical Era Gamelan During the 12th to 15th centuries, the Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms began to leave more complete records of their doings, including their music. Literature from this era mentions the gamelan ensemble as an important element of court life, and further relief carvings on various temples support the importance of metal percussion music during this period. Indeed, members of the royal family and their courtiers were all expected to learn how to play gamelan and were judged on their musical accomplishments as much as their wisdom, bravery, or physical appearance. The Majapahit Empire (1293-1597) even had a government office in charge of supervising the performing arts, including gamelan. The arts office oversaw the construction of musical instruments, as well as scheduling performances at the court. During this period, inscriptions and bas-reliefs from Bali show that the same types of musical ensembles and instruments were prevalent there as in Java; this is not surprising since both islands were under the control of the Majapahit emperors. During the Majapahit era, the gong made its appearance in Indonesian gamelan. Likely imported from China, this instrument joined other foreign additions such as stitched-skin drums from India and bowed strings from Arabia in some types of gamelan ensembles. The gong has been the longest-lasting and most influential of these imports. Music and the Introduction of Islam During the 15th century, the people of Java and many other Indonesian islands gradually converted to Islam, under the influence of Muslim traders from the Arabian peninsula and south Asia. Fortunately for gamelan, the most influential strain of Islam in Indonesia was Sufism, a mystical branch that values music as one of the pathways to experiencing the divine. Had a more legalistic brand of Islam been introduced, it might have resulted in the extinction of gamelan in Java and Sumatra. Bali, the other major center of gamelan, remained predominantly Hindu. This religious schism weakened the cultural ties between Bali and Java, although trade continued between the islands throughout the 15th to 17th centuries. As a result, the islands developed different forms of gamelan. Balinese gamelan began to emphasize virtuosity and quick tempos, a trend later encouraged by Dutch colonists. In keeping with Sufi teachings, Javas gamelan tended to be slower in tempo and more meditative or trance-like. European Incursions In the mid-1400s, the first European explorers reached Indonesia, intent on elbowing their way into the rich Indian Ocean spice and silk trade. The first to arrive were the Portuguese, who started out with small-scale coastal raids and piracy but managed to capture the key straits at Malacca in 1512. The Portuguese, along with the Arab, African, and Indian slaves they brought with them, introduced a new variety of music into Indonesia. Known as kroncong, this new style combined gamelan-like intricate and interlocking musical patterns with western instrumentation, such as the ukulele, cello, guitar, and violin. Dutch Colonization and Gamelan In 1602, a new European power made its way into Indonesia. The powerful Dutch East India Company ousted the Portuguese and began to centralize power over the spice trade. This regime would last until 1800 when the Dutch crown took over directly. Dutch colonial officials left only a few good descriptions of gamelan performances. Rijklof van Goens, for example, noted that the king of Mataram, Amangkurat I (r. 1646-1677), had an orchestra of between thirty and fifty instruments, primarily gongs. The orchestra played on Mondays and Saturdays when the king entered the court for a type of tournament. van Goens describes a dance troupe, as well, of between five and nineteen maidens, who danced for the king to the gamelan music. Gamelan in Post-Independence Indonesia Indonesia became fully independent of the Netherlands in 1949. The new leaders had the unenviable task of creating a nation-state out of a collection of different islands, cultures, religions, and ethnic groups. The Sukarno regime established publicly-funded gamelan schools during the 1950s and 1960s, in order to encourage and sustain this music as one of the national art forms of Indonesia. Some Indonesians objected to this elevation of a musical style associated primarily with Java and Bali as a national art form; in a multiethnic, multicultural country, of course, there are no universal cultural properties. Today, gamelan is an important feature of shadow puppet shows, dances, rituals, and other performances in Indonesia. Although stand-alone gamelan concerts are unusual, the music may also be heard frequently on the radio. Most Indonesians today have embraced this ancient musical form as their national sound. Sources: Bali and Beyond: A History of Gamelan.Gamelan: Venerable Lake of Honey, University of MichiganJavanese Gamelan: A History of Gamelan MusicSpiller, Henry. Gamelan: The Traditional Sounds of Indonesia, Volume 1, ABC-CLIO, 2004.Sumarsam. Gamelan: Cultural Interaction and Musical Development in Central Java, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.

Beowulf vs. Modern Day Superhero - 726 Words

â€Å"It’s a bird...it’s a plane...no! It’s Superman!† When people say a modern day superhero, the names â€Å"Spiderman†, â€Å"Superman†, and â€Å"Catwoman† flash into mind. However, we forget about one of the most influential superheroes of today’s time; a soldier. Despite the differences, there are many similarities between Beowulf and a soldier because the two have more in common than we realize. As much as two great humans could have so much in common, Beowulf and a soldier have differences as most people in life do. These include the fact that soldiers are paid for their services, whereas Beowulf battles for his people without a fee. However, in all due respect, most soldiers in the United States fight for our country because they are passionate,†¦show more content†¦After Beowulf destroys the monster he gets a boat load of treasure to bring back to his people; and after his death people paid honor and respect to him. The soldiers get rewards for helping out such as money for joining, college education paid, healthcare and better job opportunities With all of these similarities and differences presented, one can see how alike as well as different these two characters can be. Stated earlier, the differences seem to

Ballard Integrated Managed Services, Inc. Essay Sample free essay sample

Solution-problem. intent. research inquiries. and hypothesis. In sing the analysis and overview of the BIMS Ballard Integrated Managed Services. Inc. . This Corporation’s competitory advantage lies in its ability to uniting several services to Fortune 100 companies. You should analyse the chief job which is the ground why staff is non motivated and many preparation staff leaves the organisation. ensuing in a high turnover. which is non cost effectual for the organisation. See that the intent for making the study of employee low morale was to place the factors that were taking to such a blue state of affairs within the organisation. See the work that Barbara. the director charged with seeking to bring out why the morale was so low. did as to why the work end product was progressively acquiring poorer. She and her staff developed research inquiries that addressed psychological factors that deal with how people felt about their employment. See how the hypotheses of the study â€Å"asked workers to show their position about working conditions. displacement hours. quality of preparation. degree of compensation. just intervention. internal company communications. and occupation security† . ( BIMS Case survey ) These are of import hypotheses. because the consequences would cast visible radiation on why the unease is happening. and so the organisation can take a targeted attack in repairing the state of affairs. The employee turnover rate at Ballard Integrated Managed Services. Inc. late has been unexplainably high. General Manager. Barbara Tucker. noticed that the morale of her staff had declined and took action to rectify this. Barbara reached out to the human resources director. Debbie Horner. who developed an employee study to seek replies for the deficiency of morale. Barbara has asked Team C to analyse the information from the study to do certain that it is valid and utile by construing the consequences in a study and PowerPoint presentation. The information included in this study will assist BIMS find the cause of the high turnover and suggestions to change by reversal the tendency. Overview – Problem General Manager. Barbara Tucker. thinks the morale of her staff at the Douglas Medical Center has weakened. Her employer. â€Å"Ballard Integrated Managed Services. Inc. ( BIMS ) . typically experiences an one-year turnover rate of 55 to 60 % † ( University of Phoenix. 2012. p. 2 ) . nevertheless over the past four months the rate has increased to over 64 % . The workers who have chosen to go forth make non uncover their logical thinking that has left many inquiries unreciprocated. Aim The intent of the acquisition squad was to move as a confer withing group to the top direction squad. Barbara Tucker asked the squad to analyse the information from the study to do certain that it is valid and utile. The human resources director. Debbie Horner. developed an employee study to be given to all 449 employees inquiring him or her to show his or her satisfaction with the company. Unfortunately. merely 78 employees responded. a 17. 3 % response rate. Directors and supervisors are still fighting to understand the logical thinking for the increased turnover and were anticipating the study to supply them with more replies. Research Questions Research inquiries could be: How is Ballard Integrated Managed Services. Inc. and its services affected by the negative moral issues of employees? Is a study with a 17. 3 % response rate an equal sample to pull decisions from? Hypothesiss The information from the study does non supply adequate information to cognize the ground for the lessening in employee morale and addition in the turnover rate. The responses were skewed toward the housework employees. doing the informations obtained from the study to be an inaccurate representation of the employee population at the Douglas Medical Center site. Hypothesiss could include: * H0 ( Null ) – workers are satisfied with their compensation. * H1 ( Alternative ) – workers are unsatisfied with their compensation. Data Collection Instrument The instrument used in the BIMS study is the Likert graduated table. The Likert graduated tables is used for developing class ratings and market studies. The study that Debbie conducted was in hopes of the 449 employees of BIMS to show how they feel about certain countries of the company. The study included inquiries in mention to working conditions. displacements. preparation. and pay rate. In this graduated table the top picks used in the study are strongly agree. agree. impersonal. disagree. and strongly differ. The Likert graduated table is used to delegate quantitative values to qualitative informations. This graduated table helps to do the informations responsive to statistical analysis. A numerical value is given to each pick and the mean for responses is computed at the terminal of the rating. Debbie made the study optional and top direction was non required to answer. Type of Data Collected In the BIMS research study the inquiries developed by Debbie were a combination of both quantitative and qualitative informations. The first 10 inquiries on the study are utilizing qualitative informations because it is utilizing a superior system to rate how they feel. In the last five inquiries it uses a combination of both informations types. The study informations will be collected as the employees turn in their studies to Debbie. Debbie is besides roll uping informations for demographics to divide informations. This information will be put into a spreadsheet for farther analysis.

Running Head Wal

Introduction This assignment is a discussion of the topic of pricing in a business context. The discussion is based on Wal-Mart, which is a company operating in the United States of America. The issue of the main concern is to compare and contrast two articleson how Wal-Mart Company deals with its employees in regard to their remunerations and the pricing of its products.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Running Head: Wal-Mart Pricing and Employee Remunerations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The topic of pricing of goods and services and employee relations within organizations is one of the topics which draw a lot of varying view points from various stakeholders, with each side taking a passionate stand. Background Information about the Topic The arguments about employee remunerations and pricing of products are centered on the issue of whether organizations should pass the baggage of reduced prices to their emp loyees, with some people arguing that in a free market economy, market forces should be allowed to take their natural course while others argue that employers are not justified in reducing the wages of their employeesdue to reduced prices. The topic is however very wide,and therefore, requires a wide coverage in research, which should combine both longitudinal and cross sectional studies so as to inform the policies and regulations of the international labor laws and regulations for the labor unions. Information on Sources and Brief Summary of Articles In an attempt to analyze this topic, various authors use various organizations and companies tosupport theirarguments. Some of the authors, who have attempted to give their views on the topic, are Robert B. Reich in an article titled‘Don’t Blame Wal-Mart’ and John Semmens in thearticletitled ‘Wal-Mart is good for the economy’. As the titles of these articles suggest, both articles are based on the Wal- Martcompany. The article by Robert Reich is found in the Blair Reader, while the article by John Semmens is found in an online resource. The article by Robert Reich talks about Wal-Mart and the pricing of its products. The author asserts that the company is justified in having the suppliers drive away the costs out of the supply chain so as to keep the prices of the goods as low as possible. According to Robert, the company heavily relies on Indian and Chinesemanufactures due to their low costs of production.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Theauthorargues that many of the Wal-Marts’ competitors and bitter rivals in business are using political propaganda to destroy a good image of Wal-Mart inthe eyes of the public, who are also its customers (Reich, 2005). The author argues that the company should not be blamed for the way in which it does its business (relying on ex ternal manufactures and paying the employees low wages) but the American people should be blamed for theirconflicting interests in their purchasing behaviors, values and the desire for ‘good deals’. The article by John Semmens is about capitalistic nature of the American economy and the world’s economy in general. The author puts forward a spirited argument in which he completely down plays the allegations made against the Wal-Mart company by providing the evidence that the allegations are not based on facts, rather on a smear campaign by rival companies to bring down the Wal-Martcompany. Thestrongest allegation by the rival companies and individuals is that Wal-Mart is a ‘corporate criminal’ (Semmens, 2005). The author analyzes the allegations one by one, and proves them to be totally misguided, illogical, outdated, irrational and, therefore,unfortunate. He is of the view that the company should,in fact, be commented for its efforts to boost the liv ing standards of many Americans, as well as providing job opportunities to massive populationsin America and across the globe (Semmens, 2005). Thesis From the arguments in the two articles, the Wal-Mart company should not be blamed for the way it operates because its operations, practices, and functions are based on the general principles of capitalistic economy, and, therefore, its rivals should come up with strategies to increase their competitive advantage instead of engaging in petty, illogical, and unsubstantiated allegations against Wal-MartCompany. Discussion Similaritiesof the Articles One similarity between the two articles is that the authors support the Wal-Mart’s idea of offering its customers low prices. They are of the view that the American people and the world in general are in need of many such companies, which are ready to help in uplifting the living standards of many people through providing goods and services which are affordable, accessible, and of a goo d quality. The two articles also agree on the fact that the company is not in any way exploiting its workers but it’s actually helping them. This is because the employees are not forced by the company to work there, but do this because it is their best option.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Running Head: Wal-Mart Pricing and Employee Remunerations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According tothe authors of the two articles, therefore, the allegation that the company is exploiting the employees is simply aimed at damaging the good image of the company in the eyes of its customers. They both cite the good relationshipbetween the company and the surrounding communities, arguing that Wal-Mart is one of the few companies which have involved themselves in tangible corporate social responsibilityactivities. Differencesof the Articles One difference betweenthe articles is in the reasons which they give in their defense of the Wal-Mart’s practices. The article by John Semmens defends the company by arguing that the companyoperates under the principles of capitalisticeconomy. Semmens argues that the company is free to offer low prices to the customers and look for alternatives of minimizing the costs of production, one of which includes using cheap labor, as well as relying on cheap costs of production (Semmens, 2005). On the other hand, the article by Robert Reich defends the company by arguing that the Americans blame the practices of the company because they are not ready or are unable to solve their cognitive dissonance between theirdesire to have the ‘best deals in the market in terms of prices’ as customers and the best ‘deals in the job market’ asemployees. Robertargues that the company uses external manufactures so as to offer the minimal prices as possible so that the American people can get closer to quenching their desire to have good deals (Reich, 2005). Conclusion Summary of the Whole Essay This essay was about the low pricing of goods and servicesprovided byWal-Mart Company in the United States. The essay was based on twoarticles written by differentauthors. The first article was written by John Semmens,and it is tilted ‘Wal-Mart is good for the economy’,while the second article waswritten by Robert Reich and was titled ‘Don’t Blame Wal-Mart’. Both articles support Wal-Mart’s idea of doing business in an aggressive manner and especially the strategy of offering the lowest prices possible on its goods and services.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Restatement of Thesis Inthe two articles, the authors argue that Wal-MartCompanyshould not be blamed on the way it operates because its operations, practices, and functions are based on the general principles of capitalistic economy, and therefore its rivals should come up with strategies to increase their competitive advantage instead of engaging in petty, illogical, and unsubstantiated allegations against Wal-MartCompany. References Reich, R.B. (2005). Don’t Blame Wal-Mart. The New York Times. Semmens, J. (2005). Wal-Mart Is Good for the Economy. The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty. Web. This essay on Running Head: Wal-Mart Pricing and Employee Remunerations was written and submitted by user Miah Mooney 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.

4 Things That Define Minerals

4 Things That Define Minerals In the field of geology, you will often hear a variety of terms including the word mineral. What are minerals, exactly? They are any substance that meets these four specific qualities: Minerals are natural: These substances that form without any human help.Minerals are solid: They dont droop or melt or evaporate.Minerals are inorganic: They arent carbon compounds like those found in living things.Minerals are crystalline: They have a distinct recipe and arrangement of atoms. Despite that, though, there are still some exceptions to these criteria. Unnatural Minerals Until the 1990s, mineralogists could propose names for chemical compounds that formed during the breakdown of artificial substances...things found in places like industrial sludge pits and rusting cars. That loophole is now closed, but there are minerals on the books that arent truly natural. Soft Minerals Traditionally and officially, native mercury is considered a mineral, even though the metal is liquid at room temperature. At about -40 C, though, it solidifies and forms crystals like other metals. So there are parts of Antarctica where mercury is unimpeachably a mineral. For a less extreme example, consider the mineral ikaite, a hydrated calcium carbonate that forms only in cold water. It degrades into calcite and water above 8 C. It is significant in the polar regions, the ocean floor, and other cold places, but you cant bring it into the lab except in a freezer. Ice is a mineral, even though it isnt listed in the mineral field guide. When ice collects in large enough bodies, it flows in its solid state thats what glaciers are. And salt (halite) behaves similarly, rising underground in broad domes and sometimes spilling out in salt glaciers. Indeed, all minerals, and the rocks they are part of, slowly deform given enough heat and pressure. Thats what makes plate tectonics possible. So in a sense, no minerals are really solid except maybe diamonds. Other minerals that arent quite solid are instead flexible. The mica minerals are the best-known example, but molybdenite is another. Its metallic flakes can be crumpled like aluminum foil. The asbestos mineral chrysotile  is stringy enough to weave into cloth. Organic Minerals The rule that minerals must be inorganic may be the strictest one. The substances that make up coal, for instance, are different kinds of hydrocarbon compounds derived from cell walls, wood, pollen, and so on. These are called macerals instead of minerals. If coal is squeezed hard enough for long enough, the carbon sheds all its other elements and becomes graphite. Even though it is of organic origin, graphite is a true mineral with carbon atoms arranged in sheets. Diamonds, similarly, are carbon atoms arranged in a rigid framework. After some four billion years of life on Earth, its safe to say that all the worlds diamonds and graphite are of organic origin even if they arent strictly speaking organic. Amorphous Minerals A few things fall short in crystallinity, hard as we try. Many minerals form crystals that are too small to see under the microscope. But even these can be shown to be crystalline at the nanoscale using the technique of X-ray powder diffraction, though, because X-rays are a super-shortwave type of light that can image extremely small things. Having a crystal form means that the substance has a chemical formula. It might be as simple as halites (NaCl) or complex like  epidotes (Ca2Al2(Fe3, Al)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)), but if you were shrunk to an atoms size, you could tell what mineral you were seeing by its molecular makeup and arrangement. A few substances fail the X-ray test. They are truly glasses or colloids, with a fully random structure at the atomic scale. They are amorphous, scientific Latin for formless. These get the honorary name mineraloid. Mineraloids are a small club of about eight members, and thats stretching things by including some organic substances (violating criterion 3 as well as 4).