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Gun Control - 1724 Words

English 1302 5th march 2013 Sides of Crime Control Gun control laws have been surrounded by controversy since The Bill of Rights, including the Second amendment was passed in the congress. A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed, the founders wrote. Until recently there was considerable argument over just what the founders intended by their words. Did they mean to provide only for armed units to protect us from invasion, or did they mean that each individual has a right to a gun? However, in the District of Columbia v. Heller case, the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling upholding the right of individuals to bear arms for hunting†¦show more content†¦Answering these questions will help me to map the issue. The key audience for this issue is the government and the citizens of the United States. There are two major parties in the political realm that are lobbying either for or against gun control. These two are the Democra ts and the Republicans, the two dominating parties in the country today. The Republicans have long been supporters of the pro gun movement, largely due to both their conservative nature as well as an increased backing over the years by the National Rifle Association, a powerful force in the pro gun movement Democrats are known to be largely for gun control. This is an important issue to everyone involved in the issue, and extremely important to society as a whole. Guns play a role in everyone’s lives to some degree, whether it is for ones own personal possession of a hunting rifle or a pistol in the hands of a youth in your neighborhood. The second amendment gives every citizen the right to gun ownership. Citizens must decide if gun control laws benefit them or they take their right away. Hence, if I want to propose changes to gun control laws, my audience will be republican, democrats and the society as a whole. I think most lawmakers and public will oppose this issue as they might view as their rights violated. While the recent mass shooting incidents across the country has called for stricter gun control laws on one side, on the other side more people want to own guns to defend themselvesShow MoreRelatedGun Control766 Words   |  4 PagesGun Control Paper Gun Control has been an issue that has been brought to the public’s eyes in recent years. This main issue has been going on for many years, for example when John F. Kennedy was assassinated; it raised public awareness to the lack of control on sales and also possession of guns in America. Until 1968 guns were available over the counter in stores and through mail catalogs to just about any adult in America. This was an example of how loosely guns were regulated which bring usRead MoreGun Violence And Gun Control1007 Words   |  5 Pagesshootings and various other methods of gun violence, tens of thousands of people die every year. These gun-related deaths primarily originate from murder and children accidentally shooting themselves. Although those in favor of gun control tend to believe that guns should be terminated completely, the second amendment prevents lawmakers from being able to do so. Therefore, in order to combat these causes, alternative gun control solutions mu st be made for each one. Gun-related murders can be decreasedRead MoreThe Gun Laws And Gun Control965 Words   |  4 Pagesoriginate from the accessibility of guns, but rather the actions of an individual that has disregard for life in today s society. There will always be ways for the offender commit crimes with or without guns. What is being done about gun control? We have all heard of all the tragedies throughout the country regarding guns. According to the President (2013) We know that we cannot stop every act of violence with guns, but what if we tried to stop even one? Weapon controls in the U.S. is structured atRead MoreGun Control For Gun Violence880 Words   |  4 PagesIn 2015, 13,367 people lost their lives due to gun violence according to Gun Violence Archive. The Archive also states that out of that number, 693 were children from ages 0-11. We can all agree that there is indeed a problem that we have to address. The solution to that problem, however, has been debated by many. I believe the solution to this problem exists in three parts: Mandatory training and licensing along with more heavily secure gun storage, stricter regulations on the purchasing of a firearm—disabilitiesRead MoreGuns And Their Effect On Gun Control962 Words   |  4 PagesGuns and the ability to use them have been under attack in the United States and many other places throughout the World. There are groups of people that believe that as long as we have the right to bear arms that many unprotected people will lose their lives due to gun violence. There are many trends that come with gun violence and where these mass shooting occur, but a main one is that when a place legally prohibits carrying a weapon then that is where the most gun violence happens. Where guns areRead MoreGuns And Gun Control855 Words   |  4 PagesThe rise in cases of gun violence and related incidences of assault has drawn the public to the issue of guns and gun control. Such has been evident within the spheres of politics especially with the last election period seeing the incumbent president Donald Trump suggesting on stringent gun control laws. However, despite the acknowledgment of the need to have better gun laws, much ground and consensus has never reached. Such, to an extent, contributed to the current lack of political goodwill withinRead MoreThe I ssue Of Gun Control Essay868 Words   |  4 Pages Gun Control Gun Control. Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. In this website, it discusses the debatable topic of gun control. In the article titled Gun Control, it states that the â€Å"The United States is the leader in per-capita gun deaths among industrial nations.† The main point of this article was to get the point across about the controversy that this has brought into the United States, not only does it quote influentialRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Essay982 Words   |  4 PagesGuns have become a serious issue in today’s society. There have been incalculable incidents that involved a gun causing physical harm to a person. This can occur when guns are not properly stored in a safe location. House Bill 75 has been proposed to help solve this problem. With this bill set in place, if a minor has the ability to access a firearm unauthorized, the person responsible for that firearm will receive criminal penalties. As a matter of a fact, there have been cases reported aboutRead More Gun Control Essay1065 Words   |à ‚  5 Pages Gun Control Throughout America there is the constant debate concerning the second amendment or the right to bare arms. One day an innocent kid walking home from school gets shot in a drive by shooting is he just a victim of circumstance or could this of been easily prevented. There are lobbyist for the private ownership of guns and lobbyist for legislation to ban personal possession of guns for good. In this paper I hope that just maybe I can persuade you to think differently on a topic that’sRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control1342 Words   |  6 Pagesindividual liberties granted by the founding fathers. Countless U.S. news stations and support groups portray the mass shootings, gun violence, other gun propaganda, or naturally the use guns, as a scapegoat to support gun control. Guns do not harm people--people hurt people (And I have no doubt that this has been aforementioned extensively) however; the implementation of gun control in the U.S. will diminish the 2nd Amendment--the right to bare arms--as well as prevent the citizens the right to protect

Acid Rain (6748 words) Essay Example For Students

Acid Rain (6748 words) Essay Acid RainWhat is acid rain? Acid rain is the term for pollution causedwhen sulfur and nitrogen dioxides combine with atmosphericmoisture. The term acid rain is slightly misleading, and wouldbe more accurate if deemed enhanced acid rain, as rain occursacidic naturally. Acidity is measured on what is know as the pHscale. Fourteen is the most basic, seven is the most neutral, andzero is the most acidic. Pure rain has a pH level of 7, which isexactly neutral. The acidity of rain is determined by the pH ofpure water in reaction with atmospheric concentrations ofcarbon dioxide, resulting in carbonic acid. These particlespartly dissociate to produce hydrogen ions and bicarbonateions. A bicarbonate atom is an ion formed by one hydrogenatom, one carbon at atom, and three oxygen atoms, and is veryeffective in natural waters at neutralizing hydrogen ions andreducing acidity. The dissociation results in the natural acidityof pure rain, which is moderately acidic at a pH of 5.7. Rainless than 5.7 is considered acid rain, meaning it has reactedwith acidic atmospheric gases other than carbon dioxide, suchas sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Sulfur dioxide isproduced by electric utilities, industrial, commercial andresidential heating, smelters, diesel engines and marine and railtransport, which creates sulfuric acid in rain. Nitrogen dioxidewill also react with the rain, caused largely by transportation(cars, trucks, planes, etc.) and electric utilities, producingnitric acid. There is a certain degree of naturally occurringacidity in rain water. This acid is from reaction with alkalinechemicals, found in soils, lakes and stream, and can occasionallyoccur when a volcano erupts as well. Bacterial action in soilsand degasing from oceanic plankton also contribute to theacidity found in rain. More than 90% of the sulfur and 95% ofthe nitrogen emissions which occur in North America are due tothe pollution created by humans.1 How Is Acid Rain Formed?Acid rain consists mainly of a cids formed in the atmosphere. Itconsists of the oxides of sulfur, SO2 and SO3, and of nitrogenNO and NO2. Let us examine the major contributor to acidrain, sulfur oxides. Natural sources which emit sulfur dioxideinclude volcanoes, sea spray, plankton and rotting vegetation. Despite these natural occurrences, the burning of fossil fuels(such as coal and oil) can be largely blamed for the emissions. The chemical reactions begin as energy from sunlight, in theform of photons, hit ozone molecules (O3) to form free oxygen(O2), as well as single reactive oxygen atoms (O). The oxygenatoms react with water molecules (H2O), producing electricallycharged, negative hydroxyl radicals (HO). These hydroxylradicals are responsible for oxidizing sulfur dioxide andnitrogen dioxide, which produces sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Some particles will settle to the ground (in the form of aciddeposition) or vegetation can absorb some of the SO2 gasdirectly from the atmosphere. When sulfur dioxide comes incontact with the atmosphere, it oxidizes and forms a sulfateion. It becomes sulfuric acid as it joins with hydrogen atoms inthe air and falls down to earth. Oxidation occurs most in clouds,especially in heavily polluted air, where other compounds suchas ammonia and ozone help to catalyze the reaction, increasingthe amount of sulfur dioxide changing to sulfuric acid. Not allof the sulfur dioxide is converted to sulfuric acid, and it is notuncommon for a substantial amount to float up into theatmosphere, move to another area, and return to earth as sulfurdioxide, unconverted. S (in fossil fuels) + O2 =* SO2 2 SO2 +O2 =* 2 SO3 Much of the sulfur dioxide is converted to sulfurtrioxide in the atmosphere SO3 + H2O =* H2SO4 The sulfurtrioxide can then dissolve within water to form sulfuric acidNitric oxide and nitric d ioxide are mainly from power plantsand exhaust fumes. Similar to sulfur dioxide, reactions areheavily catalyzed in heavily polluted clouds where iron,manganese, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide are present. Also,the formation of nitric acid can trigger further reactions whichrelease new hydroxyl radicals to generate more sulfuric acid. The following is a typical reaction, which is direct combinationof nitrogen and oxygen at the high temperature inside a carengine. N2 + O2 + heat =* 2NO 2NO + O2 =* 2NO2 Thisnitrogen monoxide immediately reacts with oxygen and formsnitrogen dioxide in the following reaction 3NO2 + H2O =*2HNO3 (aq) + NO The nitrogen will then dissolve in water inthe atmosphere and produce nitric acid There are several otherpotential contributors to acid rain. These include oxidation byproducts of alkene-ozone reactions, oxidation by reactions ofNxOy species and oxidation by peroxy radicals. Each of thesereactions, however prove to be minor contributors and arerather insignificant. How Is Acid Rain Harmful? EnvironmentalHazards Aquatic Ecosystems Acid rain has an effect onvirtually all ecosystems it touches. Perhaps the most prominent,and equally as troubling is the harmful results it produces whenin contact with lakes, streams and ponds. Scientists studyingthe effects of acid rain went to a lake about 135 km away fromthe Ontario- Manitoba border called Lake 223. This lake, sofar north acid rain did not reach it, was extremely healthy, andwas a perfect setting to explore the effects of acid rain onaquatic ecosystems. In 1974, scientists began to add sulfuricacid into the lake. The acid was added very slowly, and it wasfour years later when they saw a major change. The freshwatershrimp began to die out. Fathead minnows stopped reproducingand began to vanish. As the scientists continued adding acid toLake 223 in low amounts, large algae mats began to form andcrayfish became unhealthy and died. Seven years after thebeginning of the experiment, the lake trout stoppedreproducing, and most of the fish species, leeches, crawfish andmayflies began to die. In 1984, the scientists stopped addingthe acid. Without the addition of deadly sulfuric acid, the lakeslowly began to recover. Some of the fish species began torecover, however some of the scientists estimated it would takeone hundred y ears for the lake to fully recover, even withoutthe addition of any more acid. Fish can still live in a lake with alow acid level, however they will get sick and not grow toproper proportions. Often the fish will not reproduce, andeventually, as the acid level increases, all the fish will die. Theacid will also leach metals from the bottom of the lake. Thereare metals contained within the mud and rocks of the lakebottom, however they remain not dangerous as long as they arenot released. The acid will draw out these harmful metals anddissolve them in the water, resulting in the deterioration anddisappearance of a species. One of these damaging metals isaluminum, which will coat and burn the gills of the fish as itintakes the polluted water. Some fish found in acidic lakescontain higher levels of mercury in their bodies, which isharmful to humans, resulting in the government telling society tolimit the amount of fish they eat from certain lakes and rivers. If the numbers of one species or group of species changes inresponse to acidification, the ecosystem of the entire body ofwater is likely to be affected through the predator-preyrelationships. Let us examine how acid rain is dangerous to fish. A freshwater fishs respiration consists of a trade ofhydrogen ions (H+) in their blood for sodium ions (Na+) fromthe water around them. If the concentration of hydrogen ions inthe water is increased, which is essentially what happens whenpH falls, there are (proportionally) fewer sodium ions. Fish areforced to absorb more hydrogen while finding it harder toobtain sodium. The acidity of their blood increases, while thesalt content drops. An experiment involving brown trout showedthat at a pH of 5.2 or lower, this process was fatal to thisspecies, and is likely deadly to many other trout species. Thefollowing chart shows the steps typical to freshwater fish asthe acidity increases. (Fig 1-1) ACIDITY LEVEL (pH)EFFECTS ON AQUATIC LIFE 7 Neutral, H+ and H- are inbalance 6.8 Shells of clams and snails become thinner, due tolack of hazardous calcium ions in the water 6.6 The viability ofeggs of the fathead minnow is reduced, rain can have and fewereggs hatch 6.5 Lake trout begin to have dif ficulty reproducing,clams and snails become scarcer, green algae growth increases 6Several clam and snail species disappear, several trout speciespopulations decrease, the smooth newt is gone, smallmouth bass,walleyes and spotted salamanders have difficulty reproducing,several mayfly species cease to lay eggs 5.8 Copepods (acritical link of crustaceans in the marine food chain) are gone,crayfish have trouble regrowing exoskeleton after molting 5.7Several algae species decrease, while filamentous green algaeincreases, plankton decreases 5.5 Rainbow trout, fatheadminnows and smallmouth bass lose considerable population,walleyes, brook trout, roach, lake trout and shiners dontreproduce, leeches and mayfly larvae vanish. 5.4 Crayfishreproductivity is impaired. 5 Snail and clams are extinct. Allbut one species of crayfish are extinct, brook trout, walleyesand most bullfrogs are gone, most fish species experiencereproduction difficulties, zooplankton population begins todrop, green and gr een-blue algae mats have largely spread 4.8Leopard frog numbers decline 4.5 Mayflies and stonefliesvanish, a slowing in growth rate and oxygen uptake of bacteriais notable 4.2 The common toad disappears 4 The oxygen outputof Lobelia plants declines 75% 3.5 Virtually all clams, snails,frogs, fish and crayfish vanish 2.5 Only a few species ofacid-tolerant midges, bacteria and fungi are alive 2 Inpractical terms, the lake is sterile Two hundred and twentylakes in Ontario have been found acidified, meaning their pH isless that 5.1 year round.2 Terrestrial Plant Life It is muchmore difficult to solve the mystery of forest destructioncompared to that of a lake. This is partially because trees liveso much longer than fish do, and acid rain damage in trees maynot show up for thirty or forty years. It is also very difficultto replicate forest conditions in a laboratory, such as insects,cold winters, pollution, elevation and abrupt changes in rainfall. Each of these conditions put stress on the trees and can beconsidered variables. Many scientists are convinced thatbecause of the complexity of a forest ecosystem, it is nearlyimpossible to prove the death of forests is due to pollution inthe form of acid rain, but deduce from many experiments it is amain factor in forest destruction. Deciduous trees are like airfilters, and screen particles that pass through the air aroundthem. These particles collect on the leaves of the tree, andstudies have shown that when these particles contain acid theycan cause damage to the leaves. The leaves are the part of thetree that help make food, hence any damage to the leaves willresult in harm to the health of the entire tree. Coniferous treesare vulnerable to the harmful effects of acid rain as well. Thetrees needles are designed to nourish the tree after they fallto the ground. Each needle houses whole colonies of microscopicbacteria and algae that help the tree change nitrogen into foodat the roo ts. Acid rain will often burn away this material,thereby reducing adequate food supply, and weakening thetrees health. After the damage has been done to leaves andneedles, acid rain harms the trees even more through the soil. Soil has a level of acid. Acid in the soil can do damage to thetrees by releasing aluminum, which, once in contact with acid,becomes highly poisonous to forests. The aluminum will enterthe trees hairlike roots, choking them, and when these becomeclogged, the upper branches are no longer nourished. Eventhough there may be plenty of moisture in the soil, the tree candie of thirst. Scientists have discovered that the aluminumcontent in soil has tripled since the 1960s.3 Acid rain also killsimportant organisms on the forest floor. The process ofdecomposition is interrupted as the acid kills many of thebacteria and fungi that live on the forest floor. At a pH levelof 4.0, the earthworm dies, further damaging the decompositionprocess. Without earthworms and bacteria to decompose thedebris consisting of animal and bird droppings, twigs and deadleaves, the materials continue to build on the forest floor. When debris builds up, seedlings from the trees are not able tosurvive, because they can not work their way down to the soilto root. This causes the forest to slowly disappear, as oldertrees die, and the forest will not be able to rejuvenate itself. Acid rain is hardest on trees high up in mountains, because it isoften covered in mist or fog, literally bathing the trees in anacidic atmosphere. Trees also suffer because of changes in thesoil. Acid rains leach metals (draw metals out of mud and rocks)in the soil, and the trees in turn intake these harmful metalsthrough their roots. Figure 1-2 shows the damage that acid raincan to do a forest Human Health It is known that the earthcontains many metals that are potentially dangerous to humans,such as lead, mercury, and aluminum. Most of the time thesemetals are harmless because they are in the soil, bonded toother elements. The problem occurs when acid detaches thesemetals from the rocks and soils, and can be carried deep intothe ground and make their way to underground streams. Thesestreams eventually connect to our water sources. Medicalresearchers have found these metals can be dangerous, and onrare occasion, is even fatal. Aluminum has been found to killpeople who have kidney pr oblems, and can also collect in braintissue. Some scientists even suspect that aluminum deposits onthe brain cause Alzheimers disease. (A disease that results inmemory loss, nervous system problems, and death. Acid rain isknown to irritate the whole respiratory system, beginning withmucous membranes in the nose and throat, all the way to tissuein the lungs. Consequently, acid rain has an increased effect onpeople with respiratory problems. The U.S. Council onEnvironmental Quality estimates health-related problems dueto acid precipitation cost the United States $2 billion peryear.4 In August 1987, over one hundred people were treatedfor eye, throat, and mouth irritation when 1.8 metric tonnes ofhighly toxic sulfur dioxide gas leaked from an Inco plant nearSudbury, Ontario. Even Fig 1-2 This picture shows how aconiferous forest has been virtually destroyed. Acid rain isblamed for the destruction of terrestrial ecosystems aroundthe world. without accidents, the sulfur dioxide regularly emitted from Inco smokestacks has been linked to chronicbronchitis in Inco employees.5 Drinking Water Acid raindamages drinking water in various ways. Thus far, amounts ofmetals in drinking water have been minimal, however the factthat metals even leak into the water is troubling to scientists. Pablo Picasso Persuasive EssayA freshwater fishs respiration consists of a trade ofhydrogen ions (H+) in their blood for sodium ions (Na+) fromthe water around them. If the concentration of hydrogen ions inthe water is increased, which is essentially what happens whenpH falls, there are (proportionally) fewer sodium ions. Fish areforced to absorb more hydrogen while finding it harder toobtain sodium. The acidity of their blood increases, while thesalt content drops. An experiment involving brown trout showedthat at a pH of 5.2 or lower, this process was fatal to thisspecies, and is likely deadly to many other trout species. Thefollowing chart shows the steps typical to freshwater fish asthe acidity increases. (Fig 1-1) ACIDITY LEVEL (pH)EFFECTS ON AQUATIC LIFE 7 Neutral, H+ and H- are inbalance 6.8 Shells of clams and snails become thinner, due tolack of hazardous calcium ions in the water 6.6 The viability ofeggs of the fathead minnow is reduced, rain can have and fewereggs hatch 6.5 Lake trout begin to have difficulty reproducing,clams and snails become scarcer, green algae growth increases 6Several clam and snail species disappear, several trout speciespopulations decrease, the smooth newt is gone, smallmouth bass,walleyes and spotted salamanders have difficulty reproducing,several mayfly species cease to lay eggs 5.8 Copepods (acritical link of crustaceans in the marine food chain) are gone,crayfish have trouble regrowing exoskeleton after molting 5.7Several algae species decrease, while filamentous green algaeincreases, plankton decreases 5.5 Rainbow trout, fatheadminnows and smallmouth bass lose considerable population,walleyes, brook trout, roach, lake trout and shiners dontreproduce, leeches and mayfly larvae vanish. 5.4 Crayfishreproductivity is impaired. 5 Snail and clams are extinct. Allbut one species of crayfish are extinct, brook trout, walleyesand most bullfrogs are gone, most fish species experiencereproduction difficulties, zooplankton popula tion begins todrop, green and green-blue algae mats have largely spread 4.8Leopard frog numbers decline 4.5 Mayflies and stonefliesvanish, a slowing in growth rate and oxygen uptake of bacteriais notable 4.2 The common toad disappears 4 The oxygen outputof Lobelia plants declines 75% 3.5 Virtually all clams, snails,frogs, fish and crayfish vanish 2.5 Only a few species ofacid-tolerant midges, bacteria and fungi are alive 2 Inpractical terms, the lake is sterile Two hundred and twentylakes in Ontario have been found acidified, meaning their pH isless that 5.1 year round.2 Terrestrial Plant Life It is muchmore difficult to solve the mystery of forest destructioncompared to that of a lake. This is partially because trees liveso much longer than fish do, and acid rain damage in trees maynot show up for thirty or forty years. It is also very difficultto replicate forest conditions in a laboratory, such as insects,cold winters, pollution, elevation and abrupt changes in rainfall. Each of these conditions put stress on the trees and can beconsidered variables. Many scientists are convinced thatbecause of the complexity of a forest ecosystem, it is nearlyimpossible to prove the death of forests is due to pollution inthe form of acid rain, but deduce from many experiments it is amain factor in forest destruction. Deciduous trees are like airfilters, and screen particles that pass through the air aroundthem. These particles collect on the leaves of the tree, andstudies have shown that when these particles contain acid theycan cause damage to the leaves. The leaves are the part of thetree that help make food, hence any damage to the leaves willresult in harm to the health of the entire tree. Coniferous treesare vulnerable to the harmful effects of acid rain as well. Thetrees needles are designed to nourish the tree after they fallto the ground. Each needle houses whole colonies of microscopicbacteria and algae that help the tree change nitrogen into foodat the roo ts. Acid rain will often burn away this material,thereby reducing adequate food supply, and weakening thetrees health. After the damage has been done to leaves andneedles, acid rain harms the trees even more through the soil. Soil has a level of acid. Acid in the soil can do damage to thetrees by releasing aluminum, which, once in contact with acid,becomes highly poisonous to forests. The aluminum will enterthe trees hairlike roots, choking them, and when these becomeclogged, the upper branches are no longer nourished. Eventhough there may be plenty of moisture in the soil, the tree candie of thirst. Scientists have discovered that the aluminumcontent in soil has tripled since the 1960s.3 Acid rain also killsimportant organisms on the forest floor. The process ofdecomposition is interrupted as the acid kills many of thebacteria and fungi that live on the forest floor. At a pH levelof 4.0, the earthworm dies, further damaging the decompositionprocess. Without earthworms and bacteria to decompose thedebris consisting of animal and bird droppings, twigs and deadleaves, the materials continue to build on the forest floor. When debris builds up, seedlings from the trees are not able tosurvive, because they can not work their way down to the soilto root. This causes the forest to slowly disappear, as oldertrees die, and the forest will not be able to rejuvenate itself. Acid rain is hardest on trees high up in mountains, because it isoften covered in mist or fog, literally bathing the trees in anacidic atmosphere. Trees also suffer because of changes in thesoil. Acid rains leach metals (draw metals out of mud and rocks)in the soil, and the trees in turn intake these harmful metalsthrough their roots. Figure 1-2 shows the damage that acid raincan to do a forest Human Health It is known that the earthcontains many metals that are potentially dangerous to humans,such as lead, mercury, and aluminum. Most of the time thesemetals are harmless because they are in the soil, bonded toother elements. The problem occurs when acid detaches thesemetals from the rocks and soils, and can be carried deep intothe ground and make their way to underground streams. Thesestreams eventually connect to our water sources. Medicalresearchers have found these metals can be dangerous, and onrare occasion, is even fatal. Aluminum has been found to killpeople who have kidney pr oblems, and can also collect in braintissue. Some scientists even suspect that aluminum deposits onthe brain cause Alzheimers disease. (A disease that results inmemory loss, nervous system problems, and death. Acid rain isknown to irritate the whole respiratory system, beginning withmucous membranes in the nose and throat, all the way to tissuein the lungs. Consequently, acid rain has an increased effect onpeople with respiratory problems. The U.S. Council onEnvironmental Quality estimates health-related problems dueto acid precipitation cost the United States $2 billion peryear.4 In August 1987, over one hundred people were treatedfor eye, throat, and mouth irritation when 1.8 metric tonnes ofhighly toxic sulfur dioxide gas leaked from an Inco plant nearSudbury, Ontario. Even Fig 1-2 This picture shows how aconiferous forest has been virtually destroyed. Acid rain isblamed for the destruction of terrestrial ecosystems aroundthe world. without accidents, the sulfur dioxide regularly emitted from Inco smokestacks has been linked to chronicbronchitis in Inco employees.5 Drinking Water Acid raindamages drinking water in various ways. Thus far, amounts ofmetals in drinking water have been minimal, however the factthat metals even leak into the water is troubling to scientists. Since metals remain in the body once ingested, over time, smallamounts accumulate into large quantities, and it has yet to beconcluded how large an amount will prove to be harmful tohumans. Acid rain causes damage by loosening metals off metalwater pipes. Modern plumbing uses plastic tubing, but oldersystems have copper pipes. The copper pipes are held togetherby a mixture of tin and lead. Lead is known to be extremelydangerous to humans, even in small amounts, and will causedamage to the brain and nervous system. A study that was donein Ontario found that water sitting in plumbing pipes for tendays contained hazardous levels of copper and lead. Thisdiscovery could be a widespread danger, since often people willgo on vacation and not shut off the plumbing, allowing water tosit and absorb these dangerous metals. Acid rain can alsodissolve the reinforcements that occur around large waterpipes. In some parts of the United States, asbestos is used toreinforce the cement bases that hold w ater pipes. Asbestos isnot dangerous when bound to the cement, but is highlydangerous when separated, and has been linked to cancer andother serious diseases. Many health officials worry that looseasbestos will find its way to the citys water when acid raincomes in contact with the cement. Effects On Man MadeStructures Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned withacid rains destruction of the built environment. There areobjects in our built environment that are irreplaceable. Historic landmarks and statues, old cathedrals and temples,paintings and sculpture all are part of the built environmentand are slowly being damaged. Some of these objects arepractical, making life easier, safer or more comfortable. Manyfactors determine how much damage acid rain will do, includingthe amount of rain, the location, and direction of wind. Allinfluence the amount of corrosion done. Areas that have a largeamount fog or humidity tend to suffer more than dry areas,which is why many steel bridges located over water get rustedand corroded by acid. When metal is decayed, it cannot takethe same amount of stress of weight as when it was originallycreated. Acid rain has been blamed in several collapses ofbridges around the world. Acid rain corrodes the steel trackused on railroads, thus the tracks must be constantly checked. Metal in air planes can also be eaten away by acid rain. TheUnited States Air Force spends more that $1 billion every yearto repair or replace damaged parts.6 A study done in Swedenshowed that metal rusts four times faster in areas that receivea lot of acid rain. This figure is staggering, and yet, metal isnot the only material damaged by acid rain. Houses andbuildings made of brick and stone are affected as well. Acidrain can dissolve the mortar, which is used in cement to holdbricks together. When the mortar is worn away, the brickscrumble more easily, because they shift and cannot stay intactagainst the heavy weight of the bricks pressuring from above. The corrosive effects of acid rain are particularly obvious onlimestone, because it is composed of calcium carbonate, which ishighly reactive with acid rain. Tombstones made of marble(which is metamorphosed or heated limestone) have been badlydamaged, while older tombstones made of slate remain intact. Famous buildings such as the Taj Mahal, The United StatesCapitol building and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, are allbeing continually damaged by acid rain. Statues made of bronzeand copper are particularly susceptible to corrosion. Thesestatues turn green naturally, and this covering, called a patina,acts as a protective shield against the elements. Acid rain eatsaway at the patina, and where the acid dissolves the greencovering, it leaves a streaky black coat. This process ruinsstatues throughout the world. How Does Acid Rain Affect theEconomy? Canada/American Relations Canada is particularlysusceptible to the effects of acid rain. Its geographicallocation places it directly in the path of a large amount of U.S. emission, and the granite bedrock of the Canadian Shield has apoor buffering quality. (A buffer is a material that canchemically weaken acid soil and is less harmful to theenvironment, such as lime or baking soda.) The lack of such aquality renders Eastern Canada highly vulnerable to damage dueto United States pollution. Canada suffers more from acid rainthan the United States does, even though much of the pollutionoriginates in the United States. Acid rain costs Canadianshundreds of millions of dollars every year. To try and decreasethe large amounts of money the pollution is costing tax payers,Canada has passed laws to force its electrical companies to cutdown on harmful emissions. However, no matter what laws arepassed in Canada, it is not possible to stop U.S. power plantsfrom sending acid in its direction. Figure 1-3 displays amountsof emissions created by the United States and Canada. TheGavin power plant is an excellent example of how the UnitedStates sends tonnes of acid to C anada every year. Every hour,this power plant burns 600 tonnes of coal. The higher thesmokestack, the further the dangerous gases will travel, and theGavin smokestack is 1 103 feet tall.7 Obviously, The Gavin cannot be solely blamed for the pollution, but it is power plantssuch as these that have caused trouble between the twocountries. It is estimated that about 50% of the sulfatedeposited in Canada derived from American sources.8 Sixty ofthe largest plants and thus largest polluters are located in theOhio Valley, a short distance away from vulnerable Canadianland. In 1980, Canada and the United States signed aMemorandum of Intent, an agreement that both countries wouldmake acid rain control a priority. They both promised to focuson developing ideas to cut down the amount of sulfur dioxideand nitrogen oxide emissions being pumped into the air. In thepast, Canada has presented devastatingly large figures to theUnited States, in an attempt to have them change laws andregulations rega rding pollution. Unfortunately, the attemptsthus far have been unsuccessful, as the US government requestsmore testing and studies instead of altering laws. In the recentpast, the negotiations between Canada and United Statesrepresentatives have been hardly reminiscent of efforts putforth by Canadian officials. Many U.S. politicians still qualifyacid rain as a minor problem, and it is treated as such,according to Raymond Robinson, chairman of the CanadianEnvironmental Ass

Mystery And The Study Of The Unknown Has Always Fascinated Essays

Mystery and the study of the unknown has always fascinated people. The search for truth in the "uncomprehensible" has led to many controversies. Some believe in the "supernatural", while others simply do not. Both types of people obviously have their own reasonings for believing or disbelieving in it. There are numerous world famous mysteries that are still controversial and remain"unsolved" to this day. Some of these mysteries include the Loch Ness Monster, the Abominable Snowman, and the Bermuda Triangle. The Loch Ness Monster is a legendary animal that supposedly resides in the depths of Loch Ness, a long narrow lake situated in rural Scotland. Stories concerning the monster date back to the 6th century A.D. The region was in complete isolation until a road was built alongside the lake in 1933. Then large numbers of people travelled through the region for the very first time. Over the years thousands have reported seeing something in the lake. Most reports depict a long neck surging from the water with a small head of a unknown creature. Pictures have even been taken of this "creature", but most scientists however, refuse to believe any creature of this kind lives in the Loch Ness. They claim that most reported cases are simply products of overactive imaginations, and as for the pictures, scientists say they are not lucid enough to distinguish items clearly, and some pictures are dubbed as "fake". A large number of non- scientists believe however, that the Loch Ness is the site of a breeding colony of large unknown aquatic animals, due to the fact that Loch Ness was once an arm of the sea. Yearly summer investigations have been conducted since 1963 in attempt to unravel the mystery. Investigators have obtained films and sonar readings that indicate that there just might be some unknown animal in the depths of the Loch Ness. Evidence however, is inconclusive, and the controversy continues. Along with the Loch Ness monster, the abominable snowman shares fame as one the great mysteries of the world. The abominable snowman is a legendary creature of the Himalaya mountain region. It is reported to live in forested regions near the snow line. This creature is also known to some by the name Yeti. The abominable snowman is said to walk upright and have the appearance of half-man, half-ape. Many of the descriptions given to this creature are based upon the findings of large, unidentified foot prints in the snow, found in the Himalayas. In order to ascertain the truth behind the abominable snowman legends, countless expeditions have been undertaken, and most turned up empty. Today most experts hold the view that the "abominable snowman" is simply a "fairy tale" and don't take the matter seriously. The foot prints used to support the legends, are thought by scientists, to be prints of a bear or markings left my drifting snow and falling rocks. The legend of the abominable snowman has been kept alive 'till this day, mostly by the Sherpa, a tribe of people living in the Himalayas. These people have always kept the belief that the abominable snowman is a true fact of life. To them he is seen as a religious figure, to be feared as well as protected. Without any concise evidence however, no one can prove this legendary animal from the mountains exists, so the mystery continues to baffle. Like the Loch Ness monster and the abominable snowman, the Bermuda triangle presents another intriguing wonder to the world. The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's triangle, is a triangular area of the Atlantic Ocean (305,000 km2) where the disappearances of ships, airplanes, and boats has led to the belief that "supernatural" forces inhabit this area of the sea. More than 200 planes, ships, and boats are believed to have disappeared in this triangle without a trace. This includes over 1,000 seamen and airmen. In most of these disappearances, it is the fact that no distress signal was ever received from the disappearing ships and/or planes that heightens the mystery of what happened to them. Although violent storms and downward air currents frequently occur in the area, scientists have not revealed anything extremely peculiar. Boundaries of the Bermuda Triangle are formed by drawing an imaginary line from Melbourne, Florida, to Bermuda, to Puerto Rico, and back to Florida. Could there truly be an unnatural force at work in this geographical triangle or are these disappearances merely coincidence? Either way, numerous people remain unwilling to step over the boundary line into the Devil's Triangle. As we have just discussed the mystery of the Loch Ness monster, the conundrum of the