Childhood Obesity as a Global Epidemic

Childhood Obesity as a Global Epidemic Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide and its prevalence is increasing e.g. In america, direct measures of body mass and height obtained through the national health and nutrition examination survey (nhanes) indicate that approximately 15% of 6 19 year olds were classified as overweight in 1999 2000. This value was up approximately 5% from 1988 to 1994 (ogden cl,p1728) All of the literature refers to similar statistics regarding childhood obesity. The list below gives some examples of the data available from the different sources. obesity has more than doubled between 1990 and 2000 in britain. one in 10 six year olds (8.5%) are obese. one in six (15%) 15 year olds is obese. if the current trends continue, one fifth of boys and one third of girls will be obese by  2020. Obesity is measured using the body mass index (bmi) for an individual. This is measured through a calculation relating height to weight and age, and there are agreed figures for obesity. 2 INTRODUCTION Obesity is measured using the body mass index (BMI), for an individual. This is measured through a calculation relating height to weight and age, and there are agreed figures for obesity. Childhood obesity is becoming a worldwide problem. All the articles that were reviewed highlight the rising levels but also look into health and school policies to tackle the problem. All the articles also support family focused approach for influencing dietary habits of the children, as well as support and involvement of the communities. Diseases which were only diagnosed in adults are now also diagnosed in the children, e.g. Heart diseases, diabetes, some cancers, hypertension and dyslipidemia. (vitale, e: 2010) Children are not fully responsible for their own health choices and rely on adults to protect and nurture them. (vitale, e : 2010). In South Africa overweight and obesity are not restricted to only one population group or socio-economic group. The South African youth risk behaviour study (www.mrc.ac.za/healthpromotion.htm) showed that overweight and obesity are very common in all age groups. 3 ARTICLES REVIEWED Vitale, E. (2010). A School Nursing approach to childhood obesity: an early chronic inflammatory disease. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 32(1), 5-16 Berg, Frances M. (2004). Underage Overweight: Americas Childhood Obesity Crisis What Every Family Needs to Know. Preventing Chronic Disease Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy, New York:Hartherleigh Press 464 p Kristen, R. Howard. (2007). Childhood Overweight: Parental Perceptions and Readiness for Change. The Journal of School Nursing, 23(2), 73-79 Armstrong, M E G, Lambert, M I, Sharwood, K A, Lambert, E V, (2006). Obesity and overweight in South African primary school children the Health of the Nation Study. 11(2), 52-64 Steyn, N P. (2005). Managing childhood obesity: a Comprehensive Approach. CME 23(11), 540-543 Goedecke, Julia H, Jennings, Courtney L, Lambert, Estelle V. (1995-2005) Obesity in South Africa. Chronic Disease of Lifestyle 65-78 Ben-Sefer E, Ben-Natan M, Ehrenfeld M, (2009). Childhood obesity: current literature, policy and implications for practice. International Nursing Review 56, 166-173 Saunders Karen L, (2007). Preventing obesity in pre-school children: a literature review. Journal of Public Health 29(4), 368-375 Van Staveren, T and Dale, D (2004). Childhood Obesity: Problems and Solutions. JOPERD 75(7), 44-49 4 RESEARCH TITLE A good title should give insight into what (what was done), whom (it was done to) and how (it was done) Vitale, E. (2010). A School Nursing approach to childhood obesity: an early chronic inflammatory disease. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 32(1), 5-16 What (was done) A School Nursing Approach Whom (it was done to) Children with Obesity How (it was done) As a Nursing Approach can be observation or questionnaires The titles of the articles reviewed communicate an intent and findings of the research that was done for the articles. All the articles reviewed titles were specific enough to describe the contents of the research that was done, but not so technical that only specialists will understand it. The titles also describe the subject matter of the article e.g. a school nursing approach to childhood obesity: a chronic inflammatory disease. All the above mentioned literature research titles were very concise and descriptive. The titles also prick me as reader and motivated me to read the whole article. PURPOSE To discuss the current literature in relation to childhood obesity and to provide health practitioners, especially nurses, with the fundamental knowledge that is imperative in the recognition of children who are at risk and thereby tailor appropriate interventions. KEYWORDS The following words was used as keywords throughout the articles that was reviewed: childhood obesity, obesity, overweight, nursing, nursing program, chronic disease The terms obese, overweight, and at risk for overweight have not been used consistently in the research literature regarding children and adolescents. Children and adolescents identified as overweight have a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific BMI-for-age growth charts DEFINITIONS Childhood Obesity Is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater as the 95th percentile. BMI = weight in kilograms à · height in meters2 The BMI of an individual is correlated to the total body fat and percentage body fat. Overweight in childhood According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), overweight in childhood is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile, based on the current growth chart designated for each gender. Overweight Overweight is generally defined as an excess of body mass (in practice this is mostly body fat), whereas obesity is defined as an abnormal excess of body fat. For this reason, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses the terminology extreme overweight instead of obesity when estimates are based on relative weight indices (like the Body Mass Index, see below) rather than on direct measurement of body fat. Obesity Obesity is when there is too much body fat other than the fat tissue in our bodies. It is also defined as an excessively high amount of body fat or adipose tissue in relation to lean body mass. RESEARCH PROBLEM Childhood obesity is a worldwide spread chronic disease. There are many factors contributing to this chronic disease e.g. genetics, environment,metabolism, lifestyle and behavioural components. Overweight or obesity during childhood in most of the industrialized world, a childhood obesity epidemic is evident, with the numbers rising each year. Obesity impacts many lives: male and female of all ages, races, economic background, and education status Why is obesity a chronic disease? Obesity is associated with high blood cholesterol, complications of pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism (presence of excess body and facial hair), stress incontinence (urine leakage caused by weak pelvic-floor muscles), psychological disorders such as depression and increased surgical risk. It affects more than a quarter of the American population. Obesity may also causes other serious medical conditions e.g. cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, etc. LOGIC ARGUMENTATION Examining the work of the the above mentioned authors on the childhood obesity issue, there are a genuine challenge to achieving, legitimate, cost-efficient progress on childhood obesity. And if we are honest about why the childhood obesity problem needs to be at the top of policymakers agenda, the most compelling answer comes back to money. It is a serious medical disease that affects over a quarter of adults in the United States, and about 14% of children and adolescents. It is the second leading cause of preventable death after smoking. Berg makes a compelling and convincing argument that the dangers of childhood obesity are real by highlighting the increased risks overweight and obese American children face for obesity-related health problems such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and psychological disorders. She notes, for example, that from 1979 to 1981, the annual hospital costs related to obesity among children and adolescents were $35 million; from 1997 to 1999, these costs rose to $127 million. Evidence from the literature provides proof of Bergs claims about the reality of the dangers of childhood obesity and further supports her reasonings that American society must take responsibility to reclaim the health of generations to come. There are many arguments that obese children will be stigmatized and that this will increase bullying, as well as leading to an increased number of children suffering from eating disorders in the future. A number of people In addition, feel that parents should be able to tell that their child is overweight and that the money could be put to better use by doing something to help change the situation. Many consider obesity an individual matter. However, children cannot be accountable for their weight. The children have little knowledge about the anatomy of their bodies. Children will keep eating if they see that junk food is advertise all over and ok. There are two main arguments on this issue: 1) Child obesity is mostly caused by food advertisements, and 2) Parents are not doing their jobs. Some argue that children are growing obese, because of the exposure to food advertisements. They believe that the government should step in and regulate food advertisements on children. A child becomes obese not because he or she watches advertisements, but because they sit in front of a television all day with no exercises or any other physical activities. In addition, it is believed that the schools as well as government is obligated to fix the epidemic. The generation has a major problem that will result in statistical records of people with heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. A solution to the epidemic can be the corporation between parents, the industries, and the government. Dr. Peter Nieman, (2004) a practicing pediatrician, has identified three main causes of childhood obesity: genetics, overeating and lack of exercise. He emphasizes that it is important to understand that the causes of obesity are often a combination of these three factors. Obesity if just not the result of a single factor. As the government becomes more aware of the serious problem of childhood obesity, schools in the UK are now planning to weigh and measure all children at the ages of 4-5, when they start primary school and again at 10-11, when they are about to leave for secondary education. Van Staveren.and Dales (2004) article: Childhood Obesity: Problems and Solutions discusses the problems related to the epidemic of Childhood Obesity. There are many problems that could have led to this epidemic but in their article, they only discuss the main four problems. The Authors feel that the following are the main causes for Child Obesity: Unhealthy food in schools No policies on good dietary in schools Unhealthy food in family life and A Lack of family responsibility towards children regarding their diets. There are many arguments that obese children will be stigmatized and that this will increase bullying, as well as leading to an increased number of children suffering from eating disorders in the future. A number of people, feel that parents should be able to tell that their child is overweight and that the money could be put to better use by doing something to help change the situation. Being parents, most of the people ask what they can do to help their children keep their weight under control. Parents can set a good example by providing healthy nutritious meals and not eating junk food themselves, but it is important to allow some treats, as being over strict is likely to cause friction. If the whole family learns about healthy nutritious eating and try cooking new healthy recipes together, kids wont feel they are being singled out. It is also very essential not to focus too much on food. Although it is an important part of life and can never be avoided, it should not be made the main topic of discussion in the family. If the overweight children are constantly reminded of their weight and what overeating can do to them, they could develop an unhealthy attitude towards food. So the parents must be sure to focus on other things, certain areas of life which are not stressful and which their child enjoys as well as good activities with the children e.g. jogging all together as a family in a park. People might believe that children eat no more calories than children 20 years ago. The fact is that, the increasing obesity rates are likely due to a combination of changes in both eating and exercise habits. Although the increase in calories has been difficult to define due to imperfect assessment methods, it has become very clear that children eat much more processed starch and sugar especially in the form of soda coldrinks and other sugary drinks than in past years. Parents often need to compromise or negotiate with children in regard to their food intake, and teenagers certainly make many of their own food-purchasing decisions on the basis of, in part, advertising. Marketing food to children dramatically worsened their nutritional intake. The issue on obesity continues to grow everyday, especially in newer generations. Many are saying generation x and future generations as well are going to be the only generations that are not going to outlive their parents. Childhood Obesity is a major contribution to these assumptions, it causes diseases and many other health problems. Dr William J. McCarthy uses logical argumentation with his audience by saying many children in this generation are becoming over weight. During McCarthys interview in the video Project 1a, he tries to warn parents as well and, with the use of pathos, (Pathos is a communication technique used to represents an appeal to the audiences emotions ) by frightening parents into believing their child is at a high risk of a disease. He states, they are starting to see diseases, which were really unheard, This causes parents to worry about their children and want to reduce the risk of them obtaining a disease. After hearing these facts parents may help their children eat healthier so they are not overweight and have a less chance of obtaining a disease. CONCLUSIONS From this review, it is apparent that obesity in South Africa is a growing problem in all sectors of the community, yet a particular challenge in children and urbanised black women. To address this problem and the associated morbidities in South African communities, a multi-sectoral approach is needed. This should include changes in policy aimed at creating an environment conducive and supportive for change, such as the promotion of physical activity and dietary education in schools. In addition, The opportunity for primordial prevention of obesity, particularly in children, should be promoted. These prevention strategies should be culturally sensitive and encompass programmes to improve the Education, status and economic empowerment of women. This assignment highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the systematically reviewed literature relating to the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. Prevention is not realy discussed in the existing literature and no specific approach to intervention can be recommended. As prevention is generally considered the most effective, economical and socially acceptable approach to addressing the obesity epidemic, the need for clear principles upon which to base prevention strategies must be considered an urgent research priority. The reviewed literature can provide an evidence-based framework for preventative interventions. It is clear that preventative programs should include strategies to address diet, physical activity and behavioural change. With the development of guidelines in school health care the authorities should have a better understanding for the optimal spending of public money for the sake of the health of the childhood With the development of a guideline on the prevention of overweight and obesity in childhood representatives of school health care in three European countries (i.e. Croatia, flanders and slovenia) can use the same methodology in order to elaborate common evidence-based recommendations for school health services in their countries. On top of these common recommendations, some specific advices were added in accordance with the organisation of health care and school health care in the respective countries. Any country that has a high rate or increasing rate of childhood obesity must acknowledge core factors that contribute to this serious health problem. Furthermore, public policy and community involvement that include all health professionals have a responsibility in the prevention of childhood obesity. This can be implemented through education, research and advocacy of all nurses involved with children and families. Guidelines on school health care aim at increasing the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the preventive health care as it is delivered to school aged children and adolescents. They should contribute to a better health, growth and development of children, on an individual as well as on a population level. After being informed about the principals of the guidelines, parents and children should have a clearer idea about what to expect from the school health service, and become more conscious of their own and their childrens health. Any country that has a high rate or increasing rate of childhood obesity must acknowledge core evidences that contribute to this serious health problem. This can be implemented through education, research and health education by all the nurses involved with children and families. Obesity effects thousands of Americans every year. In order to maintain a healthy weight and stop the spread of this chronic disease is by exercising and eating a balanced diet. Dont become a victim of such a deadly disease!

Night :: essays research papers

A Night to Remember The most traumatic experience I've ever gone through was getting held up by three Mexicans. In some ways I regret my actions. If I had it my way, I would go back and handle myself a lot differently. Luckily, this situation now makes me think more when I'm in other tense situations. It all started Halloween night 2001 in Dallas, Texas. My girlfriend, Tamara and I were driving from her house to mine for the night. It was about a thirty-minute drive and somewhere along the way we got separated. Tamara called me about five minutes from my house and told me there were some guys following her. I said "okay, well meet me in front of my house and I'll see who it is. I thought it would be a bunch of high school punks. Tamara pulled up to my house and so did a red Ford Taurus. While pulling in the Taurus pinned Tamara's car in so it couldn't move. That's when these guys really started pissing me off. The guys in the Taurus didn't realize I was there because I had my lights off so I turned my brights on and speed in front of there car and got out and yelled "What the fuck are you doing following my girlfriend." After saying this I looked into the car and realized that these guys weren't in high school. They were three adult Mexican males who didn't loo k too happy with the words I had spoken. After a brief pause the man from the passenger seat got out of the car and shouted "what the fuck did you just say to me?" I froze in total shock as he pulled a gun on me and told me he was going to shoot me. I was totally numb at this point, as anyone would be. He then started yelling that I wasn't such a big man now and that I was just a punk ass white boy. The man started asking me what I thought about dieing and asking me if I wanted to die. I responded surprisingly calm and said "no sir, I don't want to die, and I’d like to live". The man must have asked me if I wanted to die a dozen or so times. The man continued to walk around ranting and raving and shouting at me. While walking around shouting he was waving his gun in my face which was making me very nervous.

College Sports - Todays Athletes are Privileged Perverts, Rapists, Thie

College Athletes - Privileged Perverts, Rapists, Thieves, Frauds, and Liars    In America today athletic events play an important role in the reflective perception and financial standing of any given community. It is for this reason that the individuals involved in these events are also of significance to the community. Due to the esteemed and very influential role placed on athletes they are often times given privileges that would not normally be given to them if they were not athletes. These privileges are given in order to recruit the athletes, and once recruited to maintain their status on the team so that, in turn, the team's status is not adversely affected. To understand the importance of the role of an athlete one must first examine the role of the athletic event in which the athlete participates and the level of importance placed on this event. Many communities see the local college athletic teams as a reflection of their society. It is therefore important to the community members that their team represents them in the best way possible. Due to American society being of a competitive nature, the basis on which democracy is built, the way a team's representation is judged is by its level of play. If a team is successful in its competitive meetings with other teams it asserts itself into a superior position over those teams. This in turn creates a sense of pride in the community because the team that represents them has beaten the teams that represent other communities. This develops a greater fan base and more support than if a team was to lose "because people aren't going to come watch a losing team" (qtd. in Suggs A42). This support is important to the team because this is where the team receives the majority o... ...ic ability and performance is based primarily on the athletes that participate in the athletic programs. In order to recruit and retain the best athletes for their college athletic programs coaches and colleges alike have made many exceptions and broken many rules. The preferential treatment of athletes is just one of the areas where these exceptions have been made. No matter the area where the exceptions are made these variances from the societal norm are brought about by the high demands and expectations placed on athletic teams to represent their community through success in competitive endeavors. Again, a team's level of success determines its level of community support and therefore determines its survival due to its need to be self-sufficient. Unfortunately the exceptions made and privileges given are often at the expense of the average student, the non-athlete.

IMP 2 POW 8 Essay -- Math Mathmatics Problems

Problem Statement   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My task was to find 3 equations, that would give me an answer, if I had certain information. The first was to find one that if you knew that there were four pegs on the boundary, and none on the interior, you could get the area. The second was if you knew that there were 4 pegs on the boundary, and you knew how many were on the interior, you could get the area. And last, if you had the number on the interior, and the number on the boundary, you could get the area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Process   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first two equations, were a preparation for the final, building up towards the complete idea. This helped, because I could complete the first two pretty quickly. For Freddie I drew a 3 column T-Table, with a drawing of the figure, the number of Pegs (in), and the Area (out). I looked for a pattern between the in and the out, and quickly found one that made sense, and I worked it into a formula. I got X/2-1=Y. Where X is IN (number of pegs) and Y is OUT (Area). This works in all shapes with no interior pegs, like Freddie described. I attached this T-Table.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For Sally I followed my luck of the 3 column T-Table, and drew another with the same guidelines. The figure, the interior pegs (in), and the area (out). After I filled in a few figures, and their properties, I noticed a pattern, and not long after, a formula, which worked for them. It was X+1=Y. This T-Table is also attached.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now...the next was not so easy. Frashy's required a long thought process, an...

Mindanao should not be an independent state Essay

Mindanao should not become an Independent State â€Å"One of the essential attributes of a state under International Law is external sovereignty, the right to exercise freely the full range of power a state possesses under international law. Recognition of a state as independent necessarily implies that the recognizing states have no legal authority over the independent state. The status of a fully independent state should be contrasted with that of dependent or vassal states, where a superior state has the legal authority to impose its will over the subject, or inferior, state.† How can Mindanao practice the said definition of an independent state where in fact, there are many aspects which can fail us Mindanaoans in attaining such? We lack sustainability, there is a conflict in religion, and division hurts economically and culturally. These are just some of the aspects I was talking about which fails the Mindanao in becoming an Independent state. Before independence is declared, Mindanao must show that we have the resources to be independent. Yes, we can say that we some of the resources; in fact, people from Luzon, Visayas, and even from other countries come to Mindanao to buy our resources. But the question is who will sustain them? We lack sustainability; we lack businessmen to run these said resources. In another aspect, we can never be confident that Muslims and Christians populating Mindanao will be able to live in harmony and prosperity. We would need to go extra-mile in and work harder in order to go under one agenda. But diversity does not necessarily result in unity. That was what I meant when I mentioned about a conflict in religion. Muslims can not accept that Christians eat lechon during fiestas or other special occasions, their culture and faith says it is strictly forbidden. On the other hand hand, Christians, if for their faith as well, frown on Muslim husbands having four legal wives and call this practice adulterous. How can we really reconcile both parties? Third, division hurts both economically and culturally. Personally, it would be so absurd and ridiculous if us travelling now to Luzon or Visayas, which some of my relatives live, would require a passport or visa. Wouldn’t it be just a hassle? Now, with all these aspects, where will Mindanao get the source of people, peace, and comfort to run the people? If independence means unchaining Mindanao from the shackles of our national debt, that would be good, but it sounds fine  only in theory. Mindanao has been receiving developmental aids yet we remain in the stage of desolation. For so long, the people of Mindanao cannot be united, in fact, no other territory in the Philippines is so fractious as Mindanao. Being an independent state will not justify conditions of governing itself. Over all, Mindanao cannot afford to become an independent state.

Analysis of the Nitrogen Content of Lawn Fertiliser Essay

Research Question: What is the percentage by mass of nitrogen (from the ammonium ion NH4+) in Bunnings Green Up brand of lawn fertilizer compared to the manufacturer’s specification of 12.3%? Aim: To determine the percentage by mass of available nitrogen, present as the ammonium ion, in Bunnings Green Up brand of lawn fertiliser, then comparing it with the one specified by the manufacturer. Hypothesis: Since the ammonium ion (NH4+) present in fertilisers is a weak acid, it is hard to obtain an exact end point. Hence, back titration can be used to determine the percentage by mass composition of nitrogen in the fertiliser. To deduce the amount of nitrogen in ammonia, the NH4+ ion is reacted with an excess of NaOH, and the amount of unreacted NaOH found by titration with HCl is used to deduce the amount of NH4+ ion present by subtracting it from the initial amount of NaOH to find the amount that reacted with it. From this, the percentage by mass of nitrogen present in the fertiliser can be found and subsequently compared to the manufacturer’s specification. It is hypothesized that the percentage by mass of nitrogen present in the fertiliser will be similar or close to that specified by the manufacturer (12.3%). Materials: * * 100 cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 NaOH * 100 cm3 of 0.1 mol dm-3 HCl * 1.5 grams of fertiliser * 250 cm3 volumetric flask * 3 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 250 cm3 conical flasks * 20 cm3 pipette * Burette and retort stand * 50 cm3 measuring cylinder * Bunsen burner, tripod, gauze mat * Mortar and pestle * Electronic balance * White tile, bench mat * Funnel * Spatula * Red Litmus paper * Methyl red indicator * Safety Measures: * Safety goggles must be worn at all times. Sodium hydroxide can react with the proteins in the eye. * Wear a lab coat. Hydrochloric acid can cause severe skin irritation. If any is spilt on the skin, wash it off with water immediately. * Ammonia vapour irritates the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Method: 1. Accurately weigh about 1.2 grams of fertilizer. Record the brand of the fertiliser and the nitrogen content as specified by the manufacturer. 2. Dissolve the fertiliser in 250 cm3 of distilled water in a volumetric flask. Add the fertiliser first using a funnel and then add the water, allowing it to take with it the fertiliser remaining on the funnel, to the calibration line, stopper, and swirl the contents to dissolve the ammonium compounds in the fertilizer. 3. Using a pipette, dispense 20 cm3 aliquots of the fertilizer solution into three conical flasks. 4. Thoroughly wash the pipette and rinse it with a small volume of standard NaOH solution. Place a 20 cm3 aliquot of NaOH solution in each of the flasks containing fertilizer solution. Record the concentration of the standard solution of NaOH. 5. To one of the flasks, add 50 cm3 of distilled water. Boil the mixture for about 10 minutes. If necessary, add more water to maintain a constant volume of solution whilst boiling. Test the vapour at the neck of the flask with a moist strip of red litmus paper. If ammonia is present the paper will turn blue and heating should be continued until the point where litmus paper does not detect the presence of ammonia. Once this point has been reached, cool the flask under running water. 6. Repeat Step 5 with each of the other two conical flasks. 7. Rinse and fill a burette with standard HCl. Record the concentration of the acid and the initial burette reading. 8. Add two to three drops of methyl red indicator to each conical flask containing the fertilizer mixture, and titrate. The end point occurs when the initially yellow solution becomes orange. For each flask, record the burette reading once the end point has been reached. Data Collection: Table 1: Titration of the excess NaOH (0.084 mol dm-3) against HCl using Methyl Red Indicator Conclusion/Evaluation: Fertiliser is a natural or synthetic chemical substance or mixture that is used to enrich soil in order to promote plant growth. It influences grass colour, ability to recover from stress, and helps prevent weed invasions and diseases. Plants require more than a dozen different chemical elements but nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the three major nutrients needed by lawns; Nitrogen is the nutrient required most as it promotes growth and keeps the grass green, although too much nitrogen can have harmful effects on plants and crops, and on soil quality. In this investigation, the percentage by mass of nitrogen from the ammonium ion in the sample fertiliser is being determined. The manufacturer’s claim of the amount of nitrogen present in this type of fertiliser is 12.3%. The ammonium that is present in fertilisers is a weak acid, thus it is hard to identify a sharp end point in direct titrations with the naked eye. Back titration is used instead. It is an analytical chemistry technique in which the unknown concentration of a reactant can be found by reacting it with an excess volume of another reactant of known concentration. The resulting mixture is then titrated back, taking into account the molarity of the excess which was added. Before titration, the sodium hydroxide was reacted with ammonium in the fertiliser to produce ammonia and water: NH4+(aq) + OH-(aq) –> NH3(g) + H2O(l) The basic solution needed for titration was reached through heating the solution to remove the ammonium ions. By heating it, the rate of reaction between the ammonium ions and hydroxide ions increases, consequently producing water and ammonia. Since ammonia is an extremely volatile gas, boiling the solution will result the vaporization rate, which is the desired outcome. The ammonium ions are also the limiting reagent thus once completely reacted, ammonia production ceases. This is indicated when the red litmus paper, which tests for the presence of a base, no longer turns blue meaning the ammonia has completely evaporated and no longer present in the solution. By titrating the excess, unreacted hydroxide ions with standard hydrochloric acid, it allows us to calculate the amount of unreacted hydroxide ions since the molar ratio is equal, and from this the amount of reacted hydroxide ions with the fertiliser solution can be deduced. Subsequently, the amount of ammonium ions initially present in the 250 cm3 volumetric flask can be found and then the mass of nitrogen ions can be calculated. From this, the percentage by mass of nitrogen in the sample of fertiliser can be found. It was found that the percentage by mass of 1.209 g of fertiliser was 13.87% (? 1.00%). This is very close to the percentage of nitrogen present in the fertiliser as specified by the manufacturer – 12.3%. This discrepancy may be due to several errors and limitations encountered throughout the experiment. The percentage difference of 12.76% is greater than the percentage uncertainty of 6.34% and as a consequence random errors alone cannot alone account for the difference. There must be systematic errors inherent to the investigation or the apparatus. Measurement errors could be the main source of uncertainty. One source of error could be that the exact mass of the fertiliser sample as measured on the electronic balance is not the same as in the volumetric flask, consequently affecting the final result. The loss due to the transfer process into the flask which could be reduced by sufficiently rinsing the apparatus used to transfer, weigh and grind the fertiliser sample ? the funnel, weighing bottle, spatula and mortar and pestle ? so that all sample weighed is transferred into the volumetric flask. Another possible error is that the meniscus of solutions measured was not sitting exactly on the calibration line in the volumetric flask when preparing the standard solution. This may affect the results as the expected volume of the standard solution would differ from the actual volume measured. This can be overcome by allowing more than one individual to test whether or not the meniscus is positioned on the etched mark, making sure it’s at eye level, which will effectively limit this parallax error. The interpretation of the orange colour determined at the end point could also have been another error. Subjective judgment when determining the shade of orange is another factor which may have affected the titre volume, and thus the final outcome. This problem was exacerbated by the fact that the methyl red indicator does not provide a sharp and easily distinguishable end point, as the colour change from yellow to orange. This may be overcome by using another indicator that allows for a clearer colour contrast. Another possible limitation which may have impacted the results is that some ammonia may still have been present in the conical flask. Although the red litmus paper may have served its purpose, this may still occur as a result of not boiling the solution long enough and thus some ammonia may not have evaporated. The result of this is that the ammonia in the solution will react with the hydrochloric acid, and therefore more hydrochloric acid will be required for the equivalence point to be reached, affecting the titre volume. This can be easily overcome by ensuring that the fertiliser solution containing water and sodium hydroxide is boiled for long enough so that all ammonia can evaporate, while simultaneously ensuring that the solution remains at a constant 90mL. The use of tap water may also have affected the results. It may not have been at a pH of 7 or may contain other contaminants such as salts which may ultimately interfere with the results. To overcome this, the most effective way is to use deionised water. Conclusion: It was found that the percentage by mass of nitrogen from the ammonium ion in Bunnings Green Up brand of lawn fertilizer was 13.9% (? 1.00%). This was very close to the percentage of nitrogen in lawn fertiliser as specified by the manufacturer ? 12.3%. Bibliography: 1. Unknown Author, http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lawntalk.htm 2. Chemistry for the International Baccalaureate, 2005, IBID Press

Crime and Its Relation to Poverty

Haime Hurrissa 04th – 03 – 13 Dr. Lydia Balderamos Loskot English Composition (ENGL 101) Does Poverty have a direct relationship to crime? Poverty is defined by the Webster dictionary as â€Å"the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions†. Poverty is the root cause for spikes in criminal activities in Belize, due to crime, lack of education and drugs. Many argue that poverty does not have a relationship to crime because there are countries where poverty levels are high but crime is relatively low.Belize has been infested with an outbreak of crime and violence affecting the country by bringing fear into both tourists and us Belizean presently; it appeared to be at its peak last year. The reason for the infestation of the criminals are many but the principal and most evident of them all would be the increasing rate of poverty that Belize has been experiencing, In addition to this would be the high rate of unemplo yment that exists in our society brought about by lack of education. This causes some individuals to see no other means to survival but to resort to their last alternative, crime.Some may argue that the cause for crime is due to psychology of criminals, their mental state or drugs. Crime in its simplest term is defines as any act that defies constitutional law and is separated into two main categories: a minor offence which as referred to as misdemeanors and serious acts which as referred to as felonies. A crime can range from simple offences such as public drinking to murder which is considered to be one of the most serious of crimes which claimed one hundred and twelve (112) lives in 2011 according to the annual police release statistics report.It is important to note that not all crime is related to poverty, although there are many who see crime as a means of survival. There are others who indulge in criminal acts simply for fun and pleasere, such as members of color gangs, mainl y Crips represented by the color blue and Bloods represented by the color red, which are based on American color gangs. These gangs choose to live a life of crime and violence for personal pleasure. Unfortunately young Belizeans, mainly, teenagers account for most f the criminal acts that occur in Belize. The primary reason that should be taken into consideration is poor home conditions and lack of education, which plays a major part in the cause of young criminals because many of these young men mostly, come from homes where resources are very limited and their parents may take little or no responsibility for them. Many of them on the other hand are dropouts or those who cannot afford the cost of education, which results in them finding unconstructive things to do with their time. Idle time is the devils playground† and â€Å"idle hands are the devils workshop†, are both phrases I heard many times by my elders while growing up, and are words which I believe to be very true, especially in the case of those facing poverty. They are the ones facing the cold heart of today’s society and in order to survive they resort to crimes and violence as a mean to survive. A job can seem to be one of the hardest things to find and even when a job is found the pay is not always sustainable, especially for those without a proper education for example a primary school degree worker earns the minimum wage in Belize which is little above 3. 0 Bz$ per hour. The uses of both legal and illegal drugs often contribute to crime and ultimately poverty. In Belize where the legal age for drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco is eighteen, there are many who indulge in these activities from a much younger age due to lack of implementation of stores who sell these drugs to underage people. Drugs affect the psychological aspect of a person and in the case of certain drugs the way how an individual thinks. Over the past two years, personally I witnessed firsthand underage i ndividual who due to intoxication from drugs and alcohol, commit serious crimes such as; theft and attempted murder.People affected by poverty often resort to the use of drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and marijuana which are the most accessible of all drugs in Belize. I asked the question; why do you drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes excessively, to a man I know who faces poverty daily from my village, he answered that life for him is extremely hard and be he uses those drugs as a way to cope with his daily struggles. Drugs are substances that cause young people to get bonded, and that bond often times cause them to do whatever it takes, which in some cases are criminal activities to supply themselves with the drugs they desire.Getting out of poverty should then be focused on the aspects that not only deal with the economy and getting people jobs, but the root causes of crime in our country which are mainly; drugs, lack of education and crime. Prisons should be focused on and the r ehabilitation process should be altered to create a more positive individual by providing them with education and trade skills before placing them back into society, as opposed to our present system we have in place which just has them serving their time and then release them into the same situations which got them there in the first place and causes a never ending cycle.With that said the root factors that contribute to this devastating problem in society should be improved so that not only our present but also our future generations have a brighter future. Refrence Webster, Merriam. â€Å"Poverty† â€Å"Crime† Web. 1 Mar. 2013. Centaur Cable Network, CTV3 Belize News. â€Å"2011 Crime Statistics. † Web. 1 Mar. 2013.