Facebook Influence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Facebook Influence - Research Paper Example und to have an influence on the personality, as people have learnt to share the happenings of their life, their state of mind, mood swings and vent out their stress and hard feelings, without having to wait for a live audience or an opportune time. Spending time on Facebook is also found to be a way of overcoming the shyness and inhibitions posed by direct communication methods. It is a way of opening up a person’s personality, making him/her more socially overt and expressive. This is done to the extent of revealing private information, but for the widely published consequences of disclosing such data (Aral, and Walker 337-41). An analysis of the site brought forth the proposition that female users are more influenced by it and consider Facebook an essential part of their daily routine as compared to their male counterparts. The social well-being of women is influenced by the usage of Facebook, as they feel more related to their distant friends and relatives through the site. This is all the more true in case of people in single and divorced status. Another vital observation on the influence of Facebook is that it is leading to a wave of networked progression of culture, interactions and connections (Aral, and Walker 337-41). These factors are in turn making way for a certain amount of uniformity among the users, as social networking has become a vehicle for dissemination of behavioral modes and

Music -Blues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Music -Blues - Assignment Example The new living conditions experienced by the Negros made them to start blues music as a form of appropriating and deconstructing white musical elements. These musical conducts created the images of solitary and a need for modifying the Negro’s way of life and new structure. Most blues-singers were considered as outcasts even among their own race because many of the laws that had been made at the time, which divided the Africans amongst themselves. The AAB format uses the 12 bar structure and is a common structure in blues music. AAB denotes the structure of every individual verse in a song and is often used as a compound form in both melody and lyrics. An example of a song, which uses the format, is Pride and Joy 1983 uploaded on February 8, 2010 and was produced on December 6 1983 at the CHCH Studios in Canada-Hamilton. The recording artists for the song are Stevie Ray Vaughan and Albert King. The song is about love and does not comprise one of the topics that reflected the hostility and desire for success among the

Agriculture in the Uae Essay Example for Free

Agriculture in the Uae Essay Agriculture in the UAE Lying in the heart of the worlds arid zone, the UAE has little rainfall and one would expect it to be a barren place. Barren places there certainly are, but the process of desertification has very largely been arrested in the country. It is now possible to see forests, fields of grass and wheat where once there were only desert sands and winds. The UAE has a long tradition of agriculture in its oases where crops have been grown for 5000 years. Underground water was chandelled to palm groves and small fields and the technique is still used today. Since the formation of the UAE in 1971, this small scale traditional farming has been complemented by investment that has seen thousands of hectares being cultivated. In the past 25 years, the countrys population has increased ten-fold and agricultural production has kept pace with this growth. The country is self-sufficient in salad crops and poultry for much of the year and even exports crops to markets in Europe. Most of the UAEs agricultural production comes from four areas: from in and around Al Ain, from a narrow but fertile strip along the east coast, from the oasis of Dhaid east of Sharjah and from the gravel plains in Ras al Khaimah. According to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, agricultural production stands at over Dh 2 billion per year. An average crop season yields over 600,000 tons of crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, lettuce, cabbage and animal feed. Studies have shown that much of the countrys soil can be cultivated provided there is water and as a result, there has been an extensive programme to drill water wells. The government will prepare land for local farmers which they are then given free along with seeds, machinery and advice on pest control. There is also government-funded research on different crops to see how they adapt to the local climate. In an attempt to conserve and use as much water as possible in as many ways as possible, the government has embarked on a three-part programme designed to make the most advantageous use of this scarce resource. First, farmers are given advice on how to reduce their consumption of water, mainly through trickle irrigation. Desalinated water as well as recycled and purified sewage effluent is used. Second, with the help of the United States Geological Survey, the government is searching for ew aquifers and monitoring current rates of extraction. Third and last, to prevent the waste of valuable rainwater, retention dams have been constructed in many areas. These store the water until it can be used for irrigation. Tens of millions of gallons of rainwater are being retained by the dams already built throughout the Emirates. In the long run, of course, it is realized that desalinated water will provide the bulk of agricultural water. There is more to agriculture than simply growing crops. One area that has seen dramatic growth is the keeping of poultry for meat and eggs. The same is true of dairy products. Herds of imported cattle have adapted to the climate and are now producing milk, cheese and yogurt for the local market. The presence of trees and gardens in the UAE is always noticed and commented upon by visitors. Over 10 million trees have been planted plus more than 18 million palm trees. In all the cities and towns of the UAE, there have been beautification campaigns with the creation of parks and gardens for the local people. Any householder, even those in flats, can get free plants from the Municipality under a programme that distributes thousands of plants annually. Besides the greening of the cities and towns there has also been a massive programme in the desert and it is here that most of the trees have been planted. Flying over the desert, one now sees great patches of green where formerly there was only sand. All kinds of arid region plants, both local and imported, have been planted and as they grow to maturity, their roots reach down to the natural water supply. When this happens, they will be able to survive with little care and attention. The face of the land and the environment too have been changed. Wildlife flourishes as do native plants and animals. The UAE was never purely and simply a desert. Today it has become a place where greenery can be seen in both urban and rural areas. Twenty years of dedicated commitment have made the point that the process of desertification is reversible. And given time and money, that is exactly what has happened and is continuing to happen.

Defining The Processes Of Emergent Strategy Development Commerce Essay

Defining The Processes Of Emergent Strategy Development Commerce Essay Emergent strategy comes about through everyday routines, activities and processes in organizations (Johnson, et. al. 2005, Pp 408). It occurs by chance or happens within the organization without any long term planning. There are four organizational processes of emergent strategy development: Logical Incrementalism Resource allocation routines Cultural processes Organizational politics Logical Incrementalism The development of strategy by experimentation and learning from partial commitments rather than through global formulations of total strategies (Quinn and Voyer, 2003. Pp 408) Key features of logical incremental approach are Managers have a general view rather than specific view of future direction Develop strong, flexible core business and experiment with side bet ventures Top managers utilize mix of formal/informal social and political to pull together emerging pattern of strategies. Resource allocation routines strategies emerge through formalized routines and systems of the organization (Johnson, et. al. 2005, Pp 411). Key features of resource allocation routines approach are Day to day decision making about resource allocation across businesses Decisions may be made at a lower level than conventionally thought to be strategic Managers proposals competing for funds Collective effects of such decisions guide the strategy. Cultural Processes Incremental strategy development can be explained as the outcome of the influence of organization culture (Johnson, et. al. 2005, Pp 416). Key features are Self-reinforcing model Over time may result in strategic drift The model and the way we do things around here mean that managers try to minimize haziness/ambiguity by defining situation as something familiar. Organizational politics Political view of strategy development is that strategies develop as the outcome of processes of bargaining and negotiation among powerful internal or external interest groups or stakeholders (Johnson, et. al. 2005, Pp 414). Negative influence Powerful individuals may influence identification of key issues and strategies selected Obstructs analysis and rational thinking Results in emergent or incremental patterns of strategic development Emphasis or de-emphasis of data can be source of power Positive influence Champions will support new ideas. Political conflict and tensions may produce new ideas Emergent Strategy The case of Honda: In 1959, Honda Motor Corporation decided to enter the United States motorcycle market. They established the US operations in Los Angeles. The main aim of the Honda was to focus on selling 250cc and 350cc rather than the 50-cc Honda Cubs, which were a big hit in Japan. They think that the Honda 50cc Cubs were not suitable for the US market because in US everything was bigger and more luxurious. The sales of 250cc and 350cc bikes were slow because the bikes themselves were overwhelmed by mechanical problems and the Honda strategy was going to fail (Hill and Jones, 2009, Pp 25). The Honda officials were decided to sell the 50cc bikes to a broad market of Americans. Honda had also found an experimental channel of distribution, general retailers rather than specific motorbike stores. By 1964, nearly one out of two motorcycles sold in the US was a Honda (Hill and Jones, 2009, Pp 25). In this case, the companys carefully planned intended strategy but it was a failure. What ultimately worked was the emergent strategy. Using the website of a large organisation find its organisational chart. Explain why the organisation is structured in the way illustrated? Organizational structure clearly defines reporting relationships, decision-making authority and the physical location of employees from various departments. Organizational Structure Xerox: Source: (Xerox, 2011) Xerox Corporation is a technology and service company. Xerox Corporation is using the worldwide geographic area structure to support its multidomestic strategy. Geographical organizational structure group representatives from each functional department into units formed to serve a specific market or region. A divisional structure by geographic area is appropriate for this firm because the strategies need to be tailored to fit the particular needs and characteristics of customers in different geographic areas. David (2009) says that a divisional structure by geographic area allows local participation in decision making and improved coordination within a region. Xerox Corporation emphasizes product innovation to best serve customers needs and process innovations to simultaneously improve quality and reduce its production costs. Xerox is using multidomestic strategy to serve customers in its three primary markets like production, networked offices from small to large and value added services. The main reason for using this strategy is so the firm can apply its service capabilities to solve unique problems of customers in different geographic locations. Global Services, North America, Europe and Developing Markets Operations are the four business groups that make up Xeroxs organizational structure. Xerox relies on the match between its international strategy and structure of the organization as a key driver of profitable growth (Hitt, et. al., 2009, Pp 325). The main potential advantages for Xerox of having Geographical structure are: Customers can feel more at ease when speaking with local representatives who fully understand their language Customer support representatives will also have greater access to representatives from other functions Tracking the performance of individual markets and work groups is simplified under this structure Explain the four tenets of organizational learning? The learning organization is capable of continual regeneration from the variety of knowledge, experience and skills of individuals within a culture which encourages mutual questioning and challenge around a shared purpose or vision (Johnson, et. al. 2005, Pp 421). Tenets of Organizational Learning: Managers facilitate rather than direct Managers need the skills to facilitate and direct at the same time. Managers should be able to take correct decisions after consulting his team and getting useful ideas and feedback from the employees. This process would not only help the manager to identify problems and opportunities but would also help employees to be motivated and led towards the organizational goals. Leadership in a learning organization means involving employees in decision making. Information flows and relationships are lateral as well as vertical Instead of processing information through the existing hierarchical channels; the organization can establish vertical information systems. In this case, the information flow for a specific task (or set of tasks) is routed in accordance to the applied business logic, rather than the hierarchical organization. Following the lateral relations concept, it also becomes possible to employ an organizational form that is different from the simple hierarchical information. Lateral decision processes are established that cut across functional organizational units. The aim is to apply a system of decision subsidiary, i.e. to move decision power to the process, instead of moving information from the process into the hierarchy for decision-making. Organizations are pluralistic Every organization should entertain fresh and contradictory ideas to emerge which would then become the basis of debate and finally give rise to new strategies. Experimentation is the norm An important if not essential part of a learning organization is its ability to create new knowledge and to use it to capitalize on new opportunities open to the organization. This requires questioning the current status quo and how things are done, which allows employees to bring new ideas into the organization. Managers should also be willing to encourage individuals and teams to continuously improve the existing processes and try to evolve new strategies. Does structure follow strategy or does strategy follow structure? There are two views on the relationship between Structure and Strategy. Structure follow Strategy Strategy follow Structure The first observation put forward by Alfred Chandler (1962), was based on a study of the development of large corporations in the United States. The focus of the study was on the historical development of the businesses and the different types of organizational structure appropriate at each of the key stages of development. Chandler and Cain (1979) says that in all sides of an organizations structure, form the creation of departments and divisions to the designation of reporting relationships, and which should be made while keeping the company strategic intent in mind. He observed that the transition from one form of structure to another usually did not take place as soon as the key strategic issue changed. He suggested that although the entrepreneurs were typically very astute at strategy development and implementation, they tended to know very little about organization structure. From the research he concluded that Structure follows Strategy. The second view, Strategy follows structure is based on the idea that managers already working within a particular organizational structure will take the structure for granted and only consider strategies that will fit with the existing structure. The reason for managerial reluctance to change structure is associated with the time consuming effort involved in such a process and the fact that some managers will have vested interests in maintaining the structure as it is. According to Lynch (2006), strategy and structure are interlinked. It may not be optimal for an organization to develop its structure after it has developed its strategy. Strategy and the structure associated with it may need to develop at the same time in an experimental way: as the strategy develops, so does the structure. The organizations learn to adapt to its changing environment and to its changing resources, especially if such change is radical. If the strategy process is emergent, then the learning and experimentation involved may need a more open and less formal organization structure. Finally, an organization must achieve a fit, or congruence, between strategy and structure. Since different strategies and environments place different demands on an organization, they call for different structural responses. Give an example of an organisation where resource allocation processes (RAP) form part of strategy development? The Resource Allocation Process explanation of strategy development is that realized strategies emerge as a result of the way resources are allocated in organizations (Johnson, et. al. 2008, Pp 411). Bower and Gilbert argues that strategy is not like a software program that you install and it suddenly all works, it is a fluid process that is shaped by a range of internal and external forces (Bower and Gilbert, 2005). It is claimed that resource allocation must be viewed as something that gets in the way of implementing ideas but understood as a force that can lead a company in new and unforeseen directions. The role of resource allocation in strategy making: The case of Intel The Intel case shows clearly how resource allocation has a direct impact upon the effective strategy of a company. Intel started doing semiconductor memories; more specifically they had a dominant position in the production of DRAMs (Dynamic Random Access Memory). In 1971 an Intel engineer invented the microprocessor during a funded development project for a Japanese calculator company. Top managers must know the personal track record of the individuals who are making proposals for resource allocation, recognize the strategic issues in danger; reach down to operational managers to work across the division lines (Bower and Gilbert, 2007). Intels sales of microprocessors grew gradually in a host of small, emerging applications. In 1980s the Japanese DRAM makers intensifies their attack on the US market causing pricing levels to drop (Johnson, et. al. 2005, Pp 430). But, microprocessors consistently had the most attractive gross margins in Intels product portfolio, and the resource allocation process therefore systematically diverted manufacturing capacity away from DRAMs and into microprocessors. From this process, we can recognize the allocation of resources was guiding the company not the deliberate strategy.

Essay --

In the course of years of stock market study, two quite distinct schools of thought have arisen, two radically different methods of arriving at the answers to the trader’s problem of what and when. In the street jargon, one of these is commonly referred to as the fundamental analysis or statistical, and the other as the technical. The term technical in its application to the stock market has come to have a special meaning. It refers to the study of the action of the market itself as opposed to the study of goods in which the market deals. Technical analysis is the science of recording, usually in graphic form, the actual history of trading (price changes, volumes, and transactions, etc) in a certain stock or in â€Å"the averages† and then deducing from that pictured history the probable future trend. According to Park and Irwin (2007) recent studies indicate that technical trading strategies consistently produce economic profits in a range of speculative markets at lea st until the early 1990s. From a total of 95 recent studies, 56 studies find positive results regarding technical trading strategies, 20 studies obtained negative results, and 19 studies indicate mixed results. In pioneering work, Smidt (1965b) studies amateur traders in US commodity futures markets and finds that more than half of the respondents use charts exclusively or moderately in order to identify trends. Charts are working tools of the technical analyst, and they have been developed in a multitude of forms and styles to represent graphically almost anything that takes place in the market as well as to plot â€Å"index† derived thereform. From a more recent study, Billingsley and Chance (1996) found that about 60% of commodity trading advisors (CTAs) rely heavily or e... ...market quotation already contains in itself all that can be known about the future and in that sense has discounted future contingencies as much as is humanly possible.† There are also negative empirical findings in numerous pioneer and widely cited studies of technical analysis in the stock market, such as Fama and Blume (1966), Jensen and Benington (1970), and Van Horne and Parker (1967, 1968). Sullivan et al (1999, 2003) and Olson (2004) are among recent studies that have shown that technical trading rules do generate positive economic profits before the 1990s, but the profits are declining markedly or are disappearing altogether as time passes and globalization occurs. Such results may be explained by temporary market inefficiencies in periods before the 1990s. According to Park and Irwin, 2007, there are two possible explanations for the temporary inefficiencies Essay -- In the course of years of stock market study, two quite distinct schools of thought have arisen, two radically different methods of arriving at the answers to the trader’s problem of what and when. In the street jargon, one of these is commonly referred to as the fundamental analysis or statistical, and the other as the technical. The term technical in its application to the stock market has come to have a special meaning. It refers to the study of the action of the market itself as opposed to the study of goods in which the market deals. Technical analysis is the science of recording, usually in graphic form, the actual history of trading (price changes, volumes, and transactions, etc) in a certain stock or in â€Å"the averages† and then deducing from that pictured history the probable future trend. According to Park and Irwin (2007) recent studies indicate that technical trading strategies consistently produce economic profits in a range of speculative markets at lea st until the early 1990s. From a total of 95 recent studies, 56 studies find positive results regarding technical trading strategies, 20 studies obtained negative results, and 19 studies indicate mixed results. In pioneering work, Smidt (1965b) studies amateur traders in US commodity futures markets and finds that more than half of the respondents use charts exclusively or moderately in order to identify trends. Charts are working tools of the technical analyst, and they have been developed in a multitude of forms and styles to represent graphically almost anything that takes place in the market as well as to plot â€Å"index† derived thereform. From a more recent study, Billingsley and Chance (1996) found that about 60% of commodity trading advisors (CTAs) rely heavily or e... ...market quotation already contains in itself all that can be known about the future and in that sense has discounted future contingencies as much as is humanly possible.† There are also negative empirical findings in numerous pioneer and widely cited studies of technical analysis in the stock market, such as Fama and Blume (1966), Jensen and Benington (1970), and Van Horne and Parker (1967, 1968). Sullivan et al (1999, 2003) and Olson (2004) are among recent studies that have shown that technical trading rules do generate positive economic profits before the 1990s, but the profits are declining markedly or are disappearing altogether as time passes and globalization occurs. Such results may be explained by temporary market inefficiencies in periods before the 1990s. According to Park and Irwin, 2007, there are two possible explanations for the temporary inefficiencies

The Therapeutic Theater :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Ways of Knowing, Modes of Acting": The Therapeutic Theater world ratLife, as it is represented through various media, has a brainwashing effect on the spectator: he consumes a fabricated her than producing one of his own. The unconscious is constantly repressed, while the conscious is force fed images which basely appeal to the controlled linear processes of the brain. Psychiatrist C.G. Jung writes: "The source of numerous psychic disturbances and difficulties occasioned by man's progressive alienation from his instinctual foundation, i.e., by his uprootedness and identification with his conscious knowledge of himself, by his concern with consciousness at the expense of the unconscious. The result is that modern man can know himself only in so far as he can become conscious of himself--his consciousness therefor orients itself chiefly by observing and investigating the world around him, and it is to its peculiarities that he must adapt his psychic and technical resources. This task is so exacting, and its fulfillment so advantageous, that he forgets himself in the process, losing sight of his instinctual nature and putting his own conception of himself in place of his real being. In this way he slips imperceptibly into a purely conceptual world where the products of his conscious activity progressively replace reality. Separation from his instinctual nature inevitably plunges ci vilized man into the conflict between conscious and unconscious, spirit and nature, knowledge and faith, a split that becomes pathological the moment his consciousness is no longer able to neglect or suppress his instinctual side." (1) The prozac world we inhabit is a direct result of doctors eager to "fix" or "cure" disorders through administering prescription drugs. These drugs don't cure diseases, but rather numb their symptoms; the patient acts their daily ritual of dealing with life in a zombie like trance instead of confronting the horror, terror, and chaos essential to the Nature of the world so as to better understand the self and the self's place in it. It's easier to turn off the receptors that trigger emotions, ideas, or urges we don't like facing than to explore their origin. This method of treatment is not only dangerous, but frightening, because it threatens the very existence of humanity by crippling the self's internal communication necessary to forming individual identity. This calls for a radical change in the medical health care system (2)); where responsibility is placed on doctors to approach a patient's psychosis on

Experiment to Investigate Osmosis in Potatoes Essay

The aim of this experiment is to investigate the movement of water in and out of plant cells. The cells chosen for study will be taken from potato tubers. Firstly I will explain what osmosis is. Osmosis is the passage of water from a region of high water concentration through a semi permeable membrane to a region of low water concentration. This definition contains three important statements: a) It is the passage of water through a semi permeable membrane b) It is the passage of water from a region of high water concentration c) It is the passage of water to a region of low water concentration. All the above statements are included in the definition, but define certain aspects of it. Semi-permeable membranes are very thin layers of material which allow some things to pass through, but prevent others. A cell membrane is semi permeable. They allow small molecules like oxygen, water, amino acids etc. to pass through but will not allow larger molecules like sucrose, starch, protein etc. through. A region of high concentration of water is either a very dilute solution of something like sucrose or pure water. In each case there is a lot of water: a high concentration of water. A region of low water concentration is the opposite of the above, i.e. a very high concentration of sucrose solution: a low water concentration. The water content of plants varies depending on environmental conditions. In Land plants this water plays a vital role in the support of tissues and the transport of materials around the organism. Lack of water leads to wilting and eventually death. Water is mainly absorbed through the roots, which are covered in specially adapted root hair cells, with large surface areas and thin cell walls to aid absorption. It is drawn up the plant through xylem vessels by a pull resulting from the evaporation of water through the  stomata on the leaves. This evaporation is called transpiration and the xylem flow resulting is called the transpiration stream. Soluble food substances formed during photosynthesis are transported around the plant in the phloem tubes. This movement of water through the plant in the xylem vessels or phloem tubes is similar to the flow of blood in humans as it transports soluble mineral salts, nutrients and auxins, (plant hormones), from place to place. The evaporation of water from the leaves also removes heat energy from the plant and helps to prevent overheating. Transpiration pulls water up the plant stem but osmosis is the process whereby water is drawn into or out of cells and tissues. Osmosis is the flow of water by diffusion through a differentially permeable membrane from areas of high water concentration to regions of low water concentration. The diagram below illustrates this: Water can freely penetrate all membrane. The cellulose cell wall does not act as a semi permeable membrane and will allow most substances that are dissolved in water to freely pass through it. Whether water enters the cell by osmosis or not will depend on the balance between external and internal solute concentrations and the state of the cell. If the solutions on each side of the differentially permeable membrane are equally concentrated then there will be no net movement of water across the membrane. This is called an equilibrium state and the solutions are referred to as being isotonic. A solution that contains more solute particles than another, and is hence more concentrated, is referred to as being hypertonic. The less concentrated solution is hypotonic. This concentration of solute particles is usually described as a molarity. Even if the solute concentration external to the cell is hypotonic to the vacuole contents the cell will not continue to take in water by osmosis for ever. The cellulose cell wall provides a rigid barrier to uncontrolled expansion. A cell that is full of water is called turgid and cannot expand further as the outward pressure on the cell wall is balanced by the inward force of the stretched wall. This wall pressure is called turgor pressure  and the internal outward force on the wall is called osmotic pressure. At the other extreme, a cell placed in a solution that is hypertonic to its contents will lose water by osmosis. The cytoplasm will cease to exert a pressure on the cellulose cell wall and the cell, described as flaccid, will lack support. Water loss can continue to such an extent that the cytoplasm, and attached cell membrane, contracts and detaches from the cell wall. A cell in this condition is said to have undergone plasmolysis. This very rarely, if ever happens in nature. As osmosis is the diffusion of water molecules and as diffusion is the random movement of particles from areas of high concentration to low concentration it might be expected that any factors that speed up or slow down the movement of these particles would affect the rate of osmosis. Using knowledge of the process of osmosis and with a good understanding of molarity I should be able to determine the solute concentration of the vacuoles in potato tuber cells. As it would be impossible to measure with any degree of accuracy the expansion or contraction of cells on an individual basis I have decided to look at gain or loss of water in terms of increase or decrease in mass. Mass, I feel, will be a more accurate way of recording the change of the potatoes as when measuring length, it does not take into account the change in diameter of the chip. I will also look at the increase or decrease in length to verify the accuracy of my results and compare the two readings. A cell placed in an isotonic solution should show no change whereas one placed in a hypertonic solution will lose mass. For this experiment, I will have to choose a factor to vary. These factors are: Æ’Ã ¡ Molarity of the sucrose solution Æ’Ã ¡ Surface area of the potato Æ’Ã ¡ Type of potato used Æ’Ã ¡ Age of the potato Æ’Ã ¡ pH of the sucrose solution Æ’Ã ¡ Temperature The factor I have chosen to vary is the molarity of sugar solution as I believe this will be easy to regulate as the concentration can be easily altered using distilled water. I will use 1 molar solution and alter the concentrations as shown below: Molarity of sugar solutionAmount of waterAmount of sucrose solution 0.050 0.241 0.432 0.623 0.814 1.005 For this experiment I will need: Æ’Ã ¡ 1 large potato to produce 18 potato tubers Æ’Ã ¡ cork borer Æ’Ã ¡ distilled water Æ’Ã ¡ 1 molar sugar solution Æ’Ã ¡ pipettes Æ’Ã ¡ 18 test tubes Æ’Ã ¡ ruler to measure length of potato tubers Æ’Ã ¡ electric balance to measure the mass I have selected the above equipment because I feel it will help me to ensure accurate results. To ensure a fair test I will take all my potato samples from the same potato using the same cork borer and keep all of my apparatus the same. I will try and treat each potato tube the same. I will measure each potato tube separately to ensure accurate measurements and carry out the procedure 3 times for each molarity tested. This will mean that I will need to measure 18 potato tubers. Three results will enable me to take an average result, making the results, hopefully, more precise and reliable. If one of the results seems very different to the others, I shall identify it as an anomalous result and retake the reading. When I carry out this experiment, I will get a potato and take some tubes from it using a cork borer I will then cut these tubes into shorter lengths and measure the length and mass of each of the 18 lengths. All the lengths will be cut to 25mm. The solutions will be altered according to the molarity required and cm3 of each solution placed in each test tube. Each molarity will occupy three test tubes. The chips will then be put into each test tube and left over night. They will then be taken out of their test tubes, dried lightly with a paper towel and the new mass and lengths recorded. Once the results have been collected, they will be tabulated and analysed. A graph will be drawn and any trends noticed explained. Prior to the experiment we carried out a short pilot test, using potato chips and solutions of strength 0.0, 1.0 and 2.0 molar solutions. The chips were  25mm in length each, and each chip was placed in 5 cm3 of either distilled water/1.0 molar / 2.0 molar sugar solutions and left for 30 minutes. The potato chips were then measured and the results recorded. They are shown below: ChipSolution 1Water 21.0 molar 32.0 molar Chip numberOriginal lengthResultant length 125mm29mm 225mm24mm 325mm20mm These results show that a potato chip placed in water will gain in length, a weak sugar solution will lose length and a strong sugar solution will lose length also. The results from this test will allow me to choose an appropriate range of moralities in order to find out what the concentration is inside the cell vacuole. I am going to investigate 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 molar sugar solutions. I have chosen these concentrations to try and accurately find when there is no net movement of water, hence the concentration of the cell vacuole. From previous work done on osmosis, I predict that molarity and average change in mass/ length will be indirectly proportional. I think there will be a negative correlation between the two. I think that there will be both loss and gain in mass discovered. I think the graph will look like this but there will be no plasmolysed on my graph, as I do no expect my measurements  to go that far. I hope to be able to identify the point when there is no net movement of water. Analysis of Results The Consequences of Osmosis in plant cells: Plant cells always have a strong cell wall surrounding them. When the take up water by osmosis they start to swell, but the cell wall prevents them from bursting. Plant cells become â€Å"turgid† when they are put in dilute solutions. Turgid means swollen and hard. The pressure inside the cell rises, eventually the internal pressure of the cell is so high that no more water can enter the cell. This liquid or hydrostatic pressure works against osmosis. Turgidity is very important to plants because this is what makes the green parts of the plant â€Å"stand up† into the sunlight. When plant cells are placed in concentrated sugar solutions they lose water by osmosis and they become â€Å"flaccid†; this is the exact opposite of â€Å"turgid†. If you put plant cells into concentrated sugar solutions and look at them under a microscope you would see that the contents of the cells have shrunk and pulled away from the cell wall: they are said to be plasmolysed. When plant cells are placed in a solution which has exactly the same osmotic strength as the cells they are in a state between turgidity and flaccidity. We call this incipient plasmolysis. â€Å"Incipient† means â€Å"about to be†. When I forget to water the potted plants in my study you will see their leaves droop. Although their cells are not plasmolysed, they are not turgid and so they do not hold the leaves up into the sunlight. Graph [1] shows the average percentage change in length of the potato tubers. It shows that as molarity increases the average change in length decreases. The graph drawn looks accurate as the curve did not have to be one of best fit, but went through all of the points plotted showing that all the readings were accurate. The potato tubers gained/ loss length, the molarity increases the sugar solution becomes more concentrated, and more  concentrated than inside the cell. At 0.2M solution there is no net movement of water. As the strength of the concentration increases the cells shrink and become flaccid. Graph [2] shows the average percentage change in mass of the potato tubers. It shows that as molarity increases the average change in length decreases. This graph is very similar to the graph showing the length loss or gain, but appears less accurate as there is an anomalous result. This is at 0.4 molar, it lies off the best-fit curve drawn by 9.2%. The curve is one of best fit and follows the same trends as graph [1]. My results seem fairly accurate and although the graph showing length seems to be more accurate as it is a curve that goes through all of the points, it only shows the change in length, and not in mass. The graph showing mass change [2] gives a more accurate view of what happened as it takes into account the expansion of the potato both ways and has a broader percentage change range. This means that instead of just spanning 30% in total (as does graph [1]) it spans 80% (as does graph [2]). This gives a broader field of results and is therefore more accurate, as the mass is a more accurate result than length as the potato chip will get wider as well as longer. My results do seem to be reliable, as the graphs drawn support my prediction and seem accurate as they all lie on a smooth curve. Conclusion: From the results obtained, I can conclude that the average gain or loss in mass of the potato chip is indirectly proportional to molarity. I can also say that average gain or loss in length of the potato chip is indirectly proportional to molarity. Both of the results show a negative correlation. I can now say that the more concentrated the solution, the more mass/length is lost. This is because the water inside the cell moves out, causing the cell to shrink. When the cells are in a less concentrated solution they gain in length and mass as water is taken into the cell and the cell swells. The results gave enough information to support my original prediction. Both of the graphs cut the x-axis at 0.2, showing that the molarity of the internal  solute of a cell is 0.2m. This also shows that my results were very alike and reliable. Evaluation: My results seem to be very accurate. I can tell this because when the points were plotted they all lay on the curve, apart from one anomalous result, 0.4Mon the graph showing mass. There was however only one anomalous result and the others were all very reliable. This may have been because the results had an average taken so it may not have been accurate. I could increase the accuracy by taking more repetitions which should make the average more accurate. As the potatoes were left over night, the temperature changed which may have affected the results, but it should not have made a drastic difference to the graphs as all of the potatoes were subjected to exactly the same temperature changes. This could be improved by placing the test tubes into a water bath so they were kept at a constant temperature. The same potato was used in each of the experiments, which may also have contributed to the reliability of my results. The mass was more accurate to measure for many different reasons. Length does not take into account the change in diameter of the chips, and you can not measure fractions of millimetres on a ruler, but the electric balance will record change from 2 decimal places, e.g. mass: 1?43 â€Å"† 1?34length: 25 â€Å"† 23 whilst length can only be measured to the nearest millimetre. For the mass, we had to be careful that all the potato chips were dried in the same way as this may have altered the reading. This may have been what caused the anomalous results, as it was lighter that the best fit line i.e. some water may have been lost through harder drying, or squeezing during the drying process. If some of the water evaporated overnight, it would have incresed the molarity of the solutions, thus making the results innaccurate. This could be combatted by putting a bung in the top of the test tubes to stop the evaporation and keeping the sugar slution concentrations the same. To improve the accuracy of the results I would include more concentrations to  find the point of plasmolysis as in my experiment, I did not get to the point of plasmolysis in my experiment, so if I was to extend this experiment, I would investigte a wider rage of concentrations to investigate furthur and increase accuracy. I would also increase the repetitions to 5 per molarity and increase the molarity to try and find the point of plasmolysis. I could also decrease the range between each molarity (every 0.05 for example) to try and find the exact concentration of the potato cells where there is not net gain. This investigation was succesful but could still be made more accurate by some of the above ways.