Henri Becquerel and the Discovery of Radioactivity

Antoine Henri Becquerel (born December 15, 1852 in Paris, France), known as Henri Becquerel, was a French physicist who discovered radioactivity, a process in which an atomic nucleus emits particles because it is unstable. He won the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with Pierre and Marie Curie, the latter of whom was Becquerel’s graduate student. The SI unit for radioactivity called the becquerel (or Bq), which measures the amount of ionizing radiation that is released when an atom experiences radioactive decay, is also named after Becquerel. Early Life and Career Becquerel was born December 15, 1852, in Paris, France, to Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel and Aurelie Quenard. At an early age, Becquerel attended the preparatory school Lycà ©e Louis-le-Grand, located in Paris. In 1872, Becquerel began attending the École Polytechnique and in 1874 the École des Ponts et Chaussà ©es (Bridges and Highways School), where he studied civil engineering. In 1877, Becquerel became an engineer for the government in the Department of Bridges and Highways, where he was promoted to engineer-in-chief in 1894.  At the same time, Becquerel continued his education and held a number of academic positions. In 1876, he became an assistant teacher at the École Polytechnique, later becoming the school’s chair of physics in 1895. In 1878, Becquerel became an assistant naturalist at the Musà ©um d’Histoire Naturelle, and later became the professor of applied physics at the Musà ©um in 1892, after his father’s death. Becquerel was the third in his family to succeed this position. Becquerel received his doctorate from the Facultà © des Sciences de Paris with a thesis on plane-polarized light—the effect utilized in Polaroid sunglasses, in which light of only one direction is made to pass through a material—and the absorption of light by crystals. Discovering Radiation Becquerel was interested in phosphorescence; the effect utilized in glow-in-the-dark stars, in which light is emitted from a material when exposed to electromagnetic radiation, which persists as a glow even after the radiation is removed. Following Wilhelm Rà ¶ntgen’s discovery of X-rays in 1895, Becquerel wanted to see whether there was a connection between this invisible radiation and phosphorescence. Becquerel’s father had also been a physicist and from his work, Becquerel knew that uranium generates phosphorescence. On February 24, 1896, Becquerel presented work at a conference showing that a uranium-based crystal could emit radiation after being exposed to sunlight. He had placed the crystals on a photographic plate that had been wrapped in thick black paper so that only radiation that could penetrate through the paper would be visible on the plate. After developing the plate, Becquerel saw a shadow of the crystal, indicating that he had generated radiation like X-rays, which could penetrate through the human body. This experiment formed the basis of Henri Becquerel’s discovery of spontaneous radiation, which occurred by accident. Becquerel had planned to confirm his previous results with similar experiments exposing his samples to sunlight. However, that week in February, the sky above Paris was cloudy, and Becquerel stopped his experiment early, leaving his samples in a drawer as he waited for a sunny day. Becquerel did not have time before his next conference on March 2 and decided to develop the photographic plates anyway, even though his samples had received little sunlight. To his surprise, he found that he still saw the image of the uranium-based crystal on the plate. He presented these results on March 2 and continued to present results on his findings. He tested other fluorescent materials, but they did not produce similar results, indicating that this radiation was particular to uranium. He assumed that this radiation was different from X-rays and termed it â€Å"Becquerel radiation.† Becquerel’s findings would lead to Marie and Pierre Curie’s discovery of other substances like polonium and radium, which emitted similar radiation, albeit even more strongly than uranium. The couple coined the term â€Å"radioactivity† to describe the phenomenon. Becquerel won half of the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of spontaneous radioactivity, sharing the prize with the Curies. Family and Personal Life In 1877, Becquerel married Lucie Zoà © Marie Jamin, the daughter of another French physicist. However, she died the following year while giving birth to the couple’s son, Jean Becquerel. In 1890, he married Louise Dà ©sirà ©e Lorieux. Becquerel came from a lineage of distinguished scientists, and his family contributed greatly to the French scientific community over four generations. His father is credited with discovering the photovoltaic effect—a phenomenon, important for the operation of solar cells, wherein a material produces electrical current and voltage when exposed to light. His grandfather Antoine Cà ©sar Becquerel was a well-regarded scientist in the area of electrochemistry, a field important for developing batteries that studies the relationships between electricity and chemical reactions. Becquerel’s son, Jean Becquerel, also made strides in studying crystals, particularly their magnetic and optical properties. Honors and Awards For his scientific work, Becquerel earned several awards throughout his lifetime, including the Rumford Medal in 1900 and the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, which he shared with Marie and Pierre Curie. Several discoveries have also been named after Becquerel, including a crater called â€Å"Becquerel† both on the moon and Mars and a mineral called â€Å"Becquerelite† which contains a high percentage of uranium by weight. The SI unit for radioactivity, which measures the amount of ionizing radiation that is released when an atom experiences radioactive decay, is also named after Becquerel: its called the becquerel (or Bq). Death and Legacy Becquerel died from a heart attack on August 25, 1908, in Le Croisic, France. He was 55 years old. Today, Becquerel is remembered for discovering radioactivity, a process by which an unstable nucleus emits particles. Although radioactivity can be harmful to humans, it has many applications around the world, including the sterilization of food and medical instruments and the generation of electricity. Sources Allisy, A. â€Å"Henri Becquerel: The Discovery of Radioactivity.† Radiation Protection Dosimetry, vol. 68, no. 1/2, 1 Nov. 1996, pp. 3–10.Badash, Lawrence. â€Å"Henri Becquerel.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 21 Aug. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Henri-Becquerel.â€Å"Becquerel (Bq).† United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Protecting People and the Environment, www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/becquerel-bq.html.â€Å"Henri Becquerel – Biographical.† The Nobel Prize, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1903/becquerel/biographical/.Sekiya, Masaru, and Michio Yamasaki. â€Å"Antoine Henri Becquerel (1852–1908): A Scientist Who Endeavored to Discover Natural Radioactivity.† Radiological Physics and Technology, vol. 8, no. 1, 16 Oct. 2014, pp. 1–3., doi:10.1007/s12194-014-0292-z.â€Å"Uses of Radioactivity/Radiation.† NDT Resource Center; www.nde-ed.org/EducationResou rces/HighSchool/Radiography/usesradioactivity.htm

Fennos Congress and the Grassroots - 1501 Words

Fenno’s Congress and the Grassroots Jack Flynt’s reelection and primary constituencies between his transitional and new districts are both similar and different in certain aspects. The transitional district was around from 1966 to 1970. Flynt’s transitional district represented about sixteen counties which added up to a population of about 323,000. The traditional district was not too different from his original district. â€Å"The district’s dominant economic interest was textiles, farming, and some light metal and food-processing industries† (Fenno, 2000, 16). The district was a one-party Democratic district which meant that the only â€Å"serious primary contest Flynt ever had in this district was his initial 1954 victory† (Fenno, 2000, 17).†¦show more content†¦Not only were the larger counties becoming more suburbanized but Flynt’s primary constituents were shifting to the Republican Party. Flynt had a decision to make. Should he change his representational stra tegy? or not? The new district proved to be a bigger problem than Flynt had thought, the redistricting would be the cause of the closeness of his 1974 and 1976 reelection contest. Jack Flynt was a Southern Conservative Democrat who believed in a â€Å"personal-to-person† representational strategy, in other words he viewed himself as a representative of the people. Flynt preferred working with the people rather than discussing the policies which hurt his chances for reelection in 1974 and 1976. The closeness of Jack Flynt’s 1974 and 1976 reelection contests is due to his new district and the failure of his person-to-person strategy. The new district was â€Å"pushed northward into the near suburbs of Atlanta and up to the city line† (Fenno, 2000, 51). In this redistricting Flynt would be â€Å"picking up 120,000 unwanted and unfamiliar suburbanites on the southern rim of Atlanta’s own Fulton County, along with 30,000 more in suburban Doulgas County† (Fenno, 2000, 52). The new district â€Å"brought former Democrats as well as people moving from the cities to the suburbs which would institutionalize Republicanism in Georgiaà ¢â‚¬  (Fenno, 2000, 62).

The Tragic Hero Of King Lear - 1277 Words

One loss builds on another, but moreover, his greatest loss, and what distinguishes this tragedy from all others, is his chance of redemption. Unlike other tragedies, there is no salvation for the tragic hero or any sign of optimism in the conclusion. This bleak portrayal of King Lear, through his losses, makes him the ultimate tragic hero, and the play an ultimate tragedy. In every tragedy, of course, there is a tragic hero. A person who has good intentions, but leads the story to ruin through a fatal, and uncontrollable, flaw. The plot of the book centers around the consequences of King Lear’s flaw. Throughout the play, King Lear loses his land, his honor, his fathership, his family and his companions. What makes this tragic†¦show more content†¦Lear also puts Kent into exile because of his defense of Cordelia. By the end of the act, he has removed most of the genuine influences in his court, and replaced them with insincere flatterers. This starts the tragedy, and reveals Lear’s tragic flaw: his narcissism. An interesting way to approach Lear’s character is by examining his relationship to his daughters. There are no mother figures in the entirety of the play, and no women aside from the king’s daughters. When Lear divides his kingdom, he effectively turns the tables on his relationship with his daughters. Lear s lost land and authority now transfers to his two daughters, Goneril and Regan, and they deceitfully use this power against him. Ironically, Lear also falls in status, to a level inferior to that of his own children. Goneril no longer loves him beyond all manner and Regan no longer is an enemy to all other joys as they have professed in the beginning (I.i. 61, 73). Instead, Goneril reprimands his father for the way his servants and knights have infected her home (I.iv.237). Regan follows suit, and insist that The old man and his people/ Cannot be well bestowed (II.iv.258). His daughters no longer respect him as their father figure, treating him as a household pest in the very best of situations. This is the beginning of Lear’s other kind of loss: a loss of identity. He has reverted into a moreShow MoreRelatedKing Lear: Lear the Tragic Hero1662 Words   |  7 PagesKing Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero The definition of tragedy in the Oxford dictionary is, drama of elevated theme and diction and with unhappy ending; sad event, serious accident, calamity. However, the application of this terminology in Shakespearean Tragedy is more expressive. Tragedy does not only mean death or calamity, but in fact, it refers to a series of steps which leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death. Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmedRead MoreKing Lear : The Tragic Hero957 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many â€Å"tragic heroes† in literature in many different genres. The aspects of a tragic hero include a good man who has royalty in his blood, one tragic flaw, suffer, and then overcome their flaw once they finally open their eyes to what is really going on. Not only do tragic heroes suffer, but they cause others to suffer as well, but this can play a huge role in a work as a whole. King Lear is the tragic hero in, of course, King Lear. King Lear suffers from not knowing who he truly isRead MoreKing Lear as a Tragic Hero997 Words   |  4 PagesThe play of King Lear is a tragedy like many of Shakespeare’s plays, and many of them deal with the tragic hero that end up meeting their demise thanks to their tragic flaw. The tragic hero of this play is King Lear, and he is a man that is a ruler of the kingdom of Britain in the 8th century B.C. He is a very old man surrounded by grave responsibilities, which are taking care of the land and taking care of the citizens of the kingdom. Lear the tragic hero must feel suffering and contrast those goodRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of King Lear1310 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in uninviting circumstances. Tragedy is depicted by the downfall of a noble hero, usually through a combination of arrogance and fate. The tragic hero s wish to achieve a goal encounters limits, those of human inability, the gods, or nature. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero, one who possesses a calamitous flaw that establishes the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic heroRead More King Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pages King Lear: Lear The Tragic Hero nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The definition of tragedy in the Oxford dictionary is, quot;drama of elevated theme and diction and with unhappy ending; sad event, serious accident, calamity.quot; However, the application of this terminology in Shakespearean Tragedy is more expressive. Tragedy does not only mean death or calamity, but in fact, it refers to a series of steps which leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death. Lear,Read MoreIs King Lear A Tragic Hero Essay1358 Words   |  6 PagesKing Lear, one of William Shakespeare s greatest tragedies, depicts a society in grim circumstances. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero [1] , one who possesses a fatal flaw that initiates the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In this play, the tragic hero is undoubtedly the title character, King Lear. The plot is driven by the power and consequence of losses, more specifically, the losses of Lear. In the course the play, King Lear, because of his flaws, loses his authorityRead MoreKing Lear and Antigone as Tragic Hero Essay1626 Words   |  7 PagesBecause Lear is capable of change, he becomes a tragic hero; because Antigone is incapable of change, she never becomes a tragic heroine. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone, usually a male, who â€Å"falls from a high place mainly due to their fatal flaw.† During the highest point of the tragic hero’s life, something is revealed to the protagonist causing a reversal in their fortune. This reversal of fortune is caused by the flaw in their character. Tragedy evokes catharsis, a feeling ofRead More traglear Tragic Hero in King Lear Essay1591 Words   |  7 Pagesa series of steps that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero and eventually to his tragic death.nbsp; Lear, the main character in King Lear was affirmed as the tragic hero because the play meets all the requirements of a tragedy.nbsp;nbsp; In order for a character to be qualified as a tragic hero, he must be in a high status on the social chain and the hero also possesses a tragic flaw that initiates the tragedy.nbsp; The fall of the hero is not felt by him alone but creates a chain reactionRead MoreSuperheroes, Despite Their Differe nt Powers, All Possess1581 Words   |  7 Pagesmaintenance of strong morals. Similarly, King Lear, the tragic hero in William Shakespeare’s play, King Lear, possesses characteristics that define him as a tragic hero, as stated by Aristotle in Poetics via A.C. Bradley’s The Shakespearean Tragic Hero. King Lear is a character of high social status, and he possesses exceptional qualities that make him a well-respected king; however, throughout the play’s events, he suffers tremendously in an unusual manner. In addition, Lear, despite being a â€Å"good† characterRead MoreThe Tragedy Of King Lear By William Shakespeare1671 Words   |  7 Pagestragedy. Within his theory of tragedy is the concept of the tragic hero, whose great, ironic flaw leads to his own downfall. The tragic hero is of an elevated position in society but should, all the same, be a character with whom the audience can relate. The hero undergoes a massive revelation and experiences dramati c enlightenment. The tragedy of King Lear, written by William Shakespeare, illustrates the story of a proud and self-centered king, whose obtuse judgement shapes his demise. Lear’s impulsive

What Structural Elements Of The Mind - 2941 Words

Andrea Gorodezky Part 1 Module 1 I. Early psychologists a. Socrates, Plato, Rene Descartes believed that knowledge is something you are born with and that mind is not connected with body b. Aristotle, Francis Bacon, and John Locke believed in empiricism- knowledge comes from experience II. After first psychological lab was started in 1679 by Wundt in University of Leipzig, psychology was organized into: a. Structuralism i. Introduced by Edward Bradford Titchener ii. Discover structural elements of the mind 1. Make people reflect and express how something made them think/feel b. Functionalism i. Explores function of behavioral and mental processes and their affects on a person ii. Introduced by William James 1. Tutored Mary Whiton Calkins†¦show more content†¦Humanistic psychologists a. Led by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow b. Focused on how the environment can encourage or limit our growth potential 2. cognitive revolution- explored how we observe, process, and remember info a. cognitive neuroscience- this study allowed us to understand the brain and ourselves better iv. Today psych is defined as the scientifical study of both mental and behavioral processes Module 2 I. Nature-nurture issue a. Debate over what makes up our psychological characteristivs and behaviors: our genes or our experiences i. Aristotle, Locke believed it came from experience ii. Plato, Descartes believed it is innate iii. Darwin made up the theory of natural selection- most favorable traits in an environment are selected for II. There are many systems within us that show levels of analysis a. Different ways to examine a situation b. Come together as biopsychosocial approach i. Considers the affects of different factors that can be biological, psychological, and part of our social ii. Different views when answering a question that complement each other 1. Behavioral- what outside factor can cause a certain behavior 2. Biological- how the brain causes emotions to be revealed and how genes and experiences affect our individuality 3. Cognitive- how we process a situation affects our thoughts and emotions 4. Evolutionary- how emotions allowed for persistance of certain genes 5. Psychodynamic- how unconscious thoughts can trigger a certain

Physico-Chemical Properties of Dna Free Essays

DNA, as we all know, is esteemed with the title of ‘Master Molecule ’. The three letters of DNA denotes of deoxyribonucleic acid . Now the thing that we ponder on is why DNA is so important to us. We will write a custom essay sample on Physico-Chemical Properties of Dna or any similar topic only for you Order Now Why are the researchers scientist persistently working on DNA? Why it is so important to know the tiniest details of DNA structure and function.? The simplest answer for â€Å"Why Is DNA Important? † is that DNA is the prerequisite for life’s inception. Firstly, it transfers hereditary information from generation to generation. Secondly, it controls the production of proteins. DNA even determines the structure of the cell, meaning whether it would be a nerve cell or eye cell etc. Our DNA seems to be ultimately responsible for the size, shape and function of every protein that our bodies make. Similarly, the DNA of each plant and animal seems to be ultimately responsible for the size, shape and function of every protein that each of them makes. We will now take a small overview on history, physical properties , chemical properties of DNA. Overview on History : DNA was first isolated by Friedrich Miescher , who in 1869 discovered a microscopic substance in the pus of discarded surgical bandages that he called ‘NUCLEIN’ Finally in 1953, working together at the University of Cambridge in England, James Watson, an American scientist, and Francis Crick, a British researcher, made a major scientific breakthrough when they discovered the famous â€Å"double helix† – the structure of DNA, the molecule of life. In 2000 , a rough draft of a map of entire human genome was completed. In 2003,the final draft was completed . This information is being used to understand and function of disease. An interesting fact is If we unwrap all of the DNA of one individual’s body cell , we could reach the moon ! Physical Properties In living organisms such as humans, DNA exists as a pair of molecules rather than a single molecule. These strands are entwined in the shape of a double helix and the helix is kept stable by hydrogen bonds, which can be found between the bases attached to the two strands. A long polymer, DNA is made up of smaller units called nucleotides. In turn, each nucleotide consists of a phosphate group, a sugar and a nitrogenous base. two helical chains each coiled round the same axis, and each with a pitch of 34  A and a radius of 10  A According to another study, when measured in a particular solution, the DNA chain measured 22 to 26  A wide, and one nucleotide unit measured 3. 3  A (0. 33  nm) long * Base Pairing 1. Base pairing is a defining property of DNA and was particularly exciting when it was first discovered because it suggested the ‘copying’ mechanism for DNA. 2. In DNA, bases are specific in that an adenine base, for example, only pairs with a thymine base. Following on that premise, a cytosine base will only bond to a guanine base. This base pairing is also known as complementary base pairing. * DNA Grooves DNA has two kinds of grooves that play important roles in its functioning. 1. Major and minor grooves are structures to allow for necessary proteins in your body to make contact with bases. You might wonder what makes it so important for proteins to attach to the bases. * DNA Supercoiling If you try to picture a rope, you can get a visual image of DNA supercoiling. 1. This coiling is a central property of DNA. DNA can be in a relaxed or coiled state and it is this coiling that allows our extremely long strands of DNA to fit or ‘pack’ into the comparatively much smaller cells in our bodies. * DNA Conformations DNA can exist in different conformations and these are important for a range of DNA mechanisms. These conformations interact with enzymes in your body and are also involved in aspects such as DNA repair. * Temperature As thermal energy increases, the frequency of hydrogen bonds breaking between the molecules increases. The Tm (melting temperature) of a DNA molecule is the temperature in which half the DNA molecules are denatures * DENSITY A. Density can be measured by CsCl-density ultracentrifugation B. Density can be used to estimate G+C content C. Density studies show the existence of satellite DNA * pH pH is lower then one result in the breakage of phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides and breakage of the N-glycosidic bond between the sugar and purine bases . H of around 4 results in the selective breakage of N-glycosidic bonds between the sugar and purinesBase tends to change the polarity of groups involved in hydrogen bondsDNA is resistant to hydrolysis to about pH 13 * DENATURATION: DNA is considered denatured when the double stranded DNA molecule is converted into two single stranded molecules CHEMICAL PROPERTIES A nucleoside is made of a sugar + a nitrogenous base. A nucleotide is made of a phosphate + a sugar + a nitrogenous base. In DNA, the nucleotide is a deoxyribonucleotide (in RNA, the nucleotide is a ribonucleotide). * Phosphoric acid Gives a phosphate group. * Sugar: Deoxyribose, which is a cyclic pentose (5-carbon sugar). Note: the sugar in RNA is a ribose. Carbons in the sugar are noted from 1†² to 5†². A nitrogen atom from the nitrogenous base links to C1†² (glycosidic link), and the phosphate links to C5†² (ester link) to make the nucleotide. The nucleotide is therefore: phosphate – C5†² sugar C1†² – base. * Nitrogenous bases: Aromatic heterocycles; there are purines and pyrimidines. Purines: adenine (A) and guanine (G). – Pyrimidines: cytosine (C) and thymine (T) (Note: thymine is replaced by uracyle (U) in RNA) The backbone of the DNA strand is made from alternating phosphate and sugar residues. [10] The sugar in DNA is 2-deoxyribose, which is a pentose (five-carbon) sugar. * The sugars are joined together by phosphate groups that form phosphodies ter bonds between the third and fifth carbon atoms of adjacent sugar rings. * These asymmetric bonds mean a strand of DNA has a direction. In a double helix the direction of the nucleotides in one strand is opposite to their direction in the other strand: the strands are antiparallel. The asymmetric ends of DNA strands are called the 5? (five prime) and 3? (three prime) ends, with the 5†² end having a terminal phosphate group and the 3†² end a terminal hydroxyl group. The DNA double helix is stabilized primarily by two forces: hydrogen bonds between nucleotides base-stacking interactions among the aromatic nucleobases Role that DNA plays in life: DNA is the blueprint of biological life from its inception to its growth and till death. Its discovery has not only revolutionized science and medicine but it has affected all walks of life; whether they are social, legal, criminal or inheritance related. DNA’s discovery has become important to the extent that it has even influenced a nation’s security parameters / concerns, as scientists have gone all the way to developing biological weapons. Genealogy:The study of ancestry, depends on the study of DNA. With the help of verbal and written history, and cues from DNA testing, one can trace his ancestors and learn about his family tree. Forensic science and its applications:DNA is an important part of it. It has resulted in many breakthroughs in criminal cases as it can be used to trace the criminals by comparing the DNA samples found on the crime scene with those extracted from the suspects. Agriculture: Scientists have used this knowledge to improve the food products and crops by genetically modifying them and making them more powerful to fight diseases. Some really Interesting information about DNA! * 99. 9% of our DNA sequence is the same as other humans. This 0. 1% DNA difference between us may have to do with the number of nucleotides in a person’s DNA! When DNA is copied into a new life , the nucleotides are either gained or lost in the process. This gain or loss results in our differences ! * It would take a person typing 60 words per minute, 8 hour a day, around 50 years to type the human genome! * Our entire DNA sequence is called a genome and there’s an estimated 3000,000,000 DNA bases in our genome! * A complete 3 billion base genome would take 3 GIGABYTES of storage space. * Our entire DNA sequence would fill 2001,000 pages! * Human and Chimps share anywhere between 94-99% of their DNA! * According to a recent research ,humans have at least 1-4% NEANDERTHAL DNA . At some point HOMOSAPIENS and NEANDERTHAL mingled and mated! References * Alberts, Bruce; Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts and Peter Walters (2002). Molecular Biology of the Cell; Fourth Edition. New York and London: Garland Science. * Wikipedia- http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/DNA * Watson J. D. and Crick F. H. C. (1953). â€Å"A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid† (PDF) * T. M. Devlin’s Textbook of Biochemistry 7th (Seventh) edition(Textbook of Biochemistry with Clinical Correlations (Textbook of Biochemistry w/ Clinical Correlations) [Hardcover])(2010) How to cite Physico-Chemical Properties of Dna, Papers

Caravaggio, Death Of St. Matthew Essay Example For Students

Caravaggio, Death Of St. Matthew Essay Michelangelo de Caravaggio is one of the most renowned and popular artists of the Baroque Period. In fact, many paintings from this period, as well as after have been described as Caravagesque. Caravaggios works are some of the most popular in Italy, as well as around the world, and have been put into there own stylistic group. In his painting, the Martyrdom of St. Matthew, there contains certain characteristics that make the painting easily recognizable to a connoisseur of fine paintings. This paper will discuss some background of this artists life, the content of the work, some ideas that it portrays and contains, and a visual description of the painting. Michelangelo Amerigi, known in the art world as Caravaggio, was born in Caravaggio, in Lombardy, Italy. He was born into a somewhat successful family, in which his father worked as a mason. Growing up in Lombardy was not the most superlative place for a young artist. Luckily for him, Milan, Italy was nearby, and he took up studying art there. Shortly after that he moved to Rome, which was the center of the art world at the time, and began what was a most masterful career. Many of Caravaggios paintings reflected his personality and character. As a young boy up until he was an old man, Caravaggio had a terrible temper, and was not afraid of confrontation or death. Many times it seemed as though he went out looking for a confrontation. In one instance, over a difference in a game of ball, he challenged another young man to a fight in which resulted in Caravaggio killing him with his sword. This was not the only confrontation though; there are several more documented throughout his life, in several different courts. Caravaggios attitude and character allowed himself to express some of the darker and naturally gruesome scenes of religion, mythology, and history. Unlike anyone else, his paintings captured an audience with his use of natural looking figures, dramatic situations, and with a powerful sense of immediacy. Caravaggios Death of St. Matthew is a painting in which his characteristics are represented very clearly. Many of Caravaggios works were those of religious scenes that were stories from the Bible and other scriptural readings. Matthewss death resulted from his public disapproval of the King of Ethiopia having a sexual interest for a virgin named Ephigenia. The rest of the story of the Death of St. Matthew, is explained by the words of the Golden Legend. When he heard these words, the king was consumed with rage, and went out of the church. After the Mass, the king sent a swordsman, who came behind Matthew as he stood at the altar with his hands raised to Heaven in prayer, drove a sword into his back, and consummated the apostles martyrdom death. This story was not written into the Bible, since the Gospels were written before Matthew traveled to Ethiopia as a missionary. That being the case, the story is recounted from the book the Golden Legend. Another characteristic of Caravaggios work was his use of light and dark. The Death of St. Matthew is dark overall, with a mysterious light source that eliminates the actual death of the Saint. This mysterious glow brings a religious feel to the painting and along with that gives the story a more powerful expression. Shadows and space are used very carefully to give a sense of immediacy to the scene. The figures around the murder all seem to be backing away from the action in different ways, which helps centralize the important part of the scene. This use of geometric placing of objects shows that he has not totally gotten away from earlier classical artistic methods. This painting also contains natural looking figures and objects, which help give some realism to the story. Grimaces on the face of Matthew, as well as the swordsman, and onlookers depict the reality of experiencing such a terrible occurrence. Flesh is stretched and torn, while wounds are spewing blood out of the martyr. .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae , .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .postImageUrl , .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae , .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae:hover , .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae:visited , .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae:active { border:0!important; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae:active , .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubd1d7493be7d8abc0bcd52dec9f0e5ae:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Michelangelo Buonarroti and Religion EssayThe realistic depiction of this story makes the work a true masterpiece. Caravaggios Death of St. Matthew is one of a pair of paintings that were done for the Contarelli Chapel in the late sixteenth century. On the right side of the altar hangs the more notable and popular Calling of St. Matthew, which depicts the Lord entering a room, asking Matthew to become an Apostle. Opposite to this painting, on the left side of the altar, hangs the Death of St. Matthew. This painting describes the story of his death, as explained in the Golden Legend. St. Matthew is shown, struck by the sword of the exicutioner, lying on the floor alive, but helpless. There is blood splattered on him from the initial wound. Matthew is dressed in priestly robes and grimaces in pain as the swordsman awaits to finish the deed. The swordsman is shown standing over the fallen Martyr, with little clothes on, showing off his athletic build. This pagan nudity, surrounded by many worshippers recalls the influence of Raphael, whose works contained such material. Also, much of the drama depicted here most likely came from the consultation of Titian, probably through works like his Death of St. Peter Martyr. The main action of Matthews death is the center point of the picture. It is framed by the reclining figures in the foreground and by those at the sides who recoil or flee in horror; all by which surround the naked swordsman, who acts like the axle of a flattened wheel-like composition of centrifugal energy. Not only does this strategy help bring focus to the painting, but it also helped take up some empty space around the action. In order to match his other painting, the Calling of St. Matthew, which was located directly next to this one, figures of the same size were needed. These extra onlookers give the painting much support, as it hangs next to one of Caravaggios most impressive and popular works. Art historians have discussed the figures that are witnessing the murder at length for years. About half of the figures are clothed and the rest are depicted as mostly nude. This fact has given rise to several hypotheses. One idea suggests that Matthew was giving the sacrament of Baptism to the nudes in the painting, along with their witnesses at their sides. A young boy is seen at the bottom right of the work, turning and overwhelmed with fear. On the left, several figures are shown, backing away from the act with a sense of terror in their body languages and expressions. One of these figures, the man with the beard, is actually thought to be none other than Caravaggio himself. Art conisseurers believe that this is actually his self-portrait inside the scene. Above the suffering Saint, sits and angel on a cloud, that is handing some palm to him. Also, the bottom right half of the painting is brighter than the rest of the painting, since it is the best position to catch visitors eyes. This aspect of the painting took careful thought and planning. The position of these paintings in the Chapel, the lights source, and the tone and darkness of the painting make the work hard to see. The brighter light used at the bottom corner draws people to the painting, which is very important in this situation. This painting was actually repainted to its present condition. Special x-ray photography shows that the previous work was much different. The figures were much smaller in the first composition, and they were situated towards the bottom of the work. This did not match the size and style of the Calling of St. Matthew, which hangs directly next to this work. Also, the first composition was less gruesome, and depicted a less violent scene. Although this painting was going to hang in a Chapel, it was customary at this time to have paintings portray such vile sights of martyrs. For these reasons, Caravaggio painted over his previous work, and we are left with the current masterpiece of today. His use of realism, dark shades, and mysterious light sources were perfect for what the Church wanted at this time.

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Question: Discuss about the Man that dies in hospital after Gold Coast nursing home staff fail to Properly treat wounds. Answer: Nursing approaches in professional nursing are measures or precautions which professional nurses are needed to employ in treating patients in their areas of working. In this case new approaches needs to be employed in treating wound patients. As we all know, wounds are painful and needs to be well treated or else they can cause damage to the patients affected part of the body. Failure of good treatment, wounds can cause death. Wounds can affect any part of the body, for example; legs, hands, stomach and even the head. When a wound affects any part of the body, it affects the normal functioning of the whole body, since all parts of the body are essential and they work hand in hand for a normal body functioning. Professional nurses therefore need to come up with new approaches of treating wound patients in their areas of working since wound are dangerous and if not well treated, they can cause a lot of damage to the patients body cells and can lead to death to the affected patient. The elderly man who died in the gold coast hospital due to wounds was as a result failure of the available nurses to employ good treatment measures in treating his wounds. Due to poor treatment the wound spread to other parts of the body hence damaging more cells. The elderly man then succumbed the wounds hence his death. If the nurses who were available would have treated the wounds well, the man would have healed and continue with his normal life. As a professional nurse, the death of the elderly man at the gold coast hospital as a result of wounds made me feel very bad and so much annoyed. It made me psychologically experience the pain that elderly man experienced hence his death. I was annoyed by the nurses who were taking care of the elderly man, since they failed to employ professional nursing approaches, in order to save the life of the elderly man. As professional nurses, they should have ensured that the wounds were cleaned and dressed frequently. They should also have ensured that the elderly man gets the required drugs which would have healed his wounds hence saving his life. The death of the elderly man as a result of wounds affected me both positively and negatively. It inspired me in doing more research on wound treatment. this also inspired me to study hard so that I can save the lives of wound patient in future as a professional nurse. This also made me eager to search for professional nurses to guide me on how to deal with cases of wounds in my future carrier as a professional nurse. This also inspired me to prefer community nursing in my future carrier, since unity in strength hence if the nurses in the gold coast hospital were united, they would have treated the wounds well hence their healing and saved the elderly man from dying. On the negative part of it, I thought of a would patient dying under my care. How would have the family members of the patient taken me and how would I have explained about the death of the elderly man to them. If I was at the care of the elderly man, would I had have managed to treat me wounds well hence their healing. In order to enhance my learning in professional nursing, I will research more about wound treatment in order to come up with new measures to treat wound patients. I will gather information from different wound patients which I will use to understand more about the cause of wounds so that I can educate my patients on measures to prevent occurrence of both internal and external wound in their bodies in future. I will also approach professional doctors who can feed me up with more information on how to treat both internal and external wounds. By gathering all these information, I will be in a chance to treat a wound patient hence successfully healing. if I case of an elderly man dying of wounds happens again. I will do a research to know the cause of the death first. Secondly, I will use the gathered information to improve the wound patient care in the hospital, which would have been employed to save the life of the wound patient. Nurses can improve wound patient care by employing new approaches on wound treatment to their patients. There are new approaches which are being employed to save the lives of wound patients. These include; thermographic imaging, data trending and other approaches which wound treatment experts are employing in order to treat wound patients. Thermographic imaging is a technic used in detecting the tissues which are affected and which a doctor or a nurse cannot see with a naked eye in wounds (Schultz et al, 2013). This technic has helped much in treating wound patients and should therefore be employed in wound treatment since even the most inner affected tissues can be seen and well treated. Thermographic imaging also enables professional nurses to know the kind of treatment which a wound patient needs since through it, they are able to see all the affected tissues of the body (Millard et al, 2012). The professional nurses are therefore able to treat wound patients well hence their heal ing since it is easy for them to monitor the process of healing of a wound in a wound patient using thermographic imaging. Data trending is a case were data on wound treatment is electronically kept to enable professional nurses understand the progress of wound treatment on a wound patient. Data trending has much improved care on wound patients, since in a hospital a patient is attended by different patients. Different professional nurses are able to provide valuable services to a wound patient (Masters, 2015). where data trending is employed since there is enough information about the progress of wound treatment progress, hence different nurses can proceed with the wound treatment from where the other patient reached. Data trending enables progressive and orderly manner of treatment of a wound in a wound patient. Data trending also enables professional nurses to be able to note any change in the wounds extend and if the wound is healing or not. Data trending also enables professional nurses to be able to understand whether the past medication on a wound patient worked well, and if not to be able to give a different medication which would rather heal the wound. The gibs cycle enables nurses to critically think on how to tackle wound cases in their wound patients at nursing homes. Nurses need to get a description of what caused the wound in the patients body before commencing the treatment. The nurses who were taking care of the elderly man might not have taken the description of the cause of the wound hence wrong medications, which lead to spreading of the wound to other tissues hence his death. A good description can be given by the patient, family members, a relative or a guardian (Gottrup et al, 2010). Nurses should therefore consult their patients in order to get enough information about the cause of the wound. The amount of information delivered by the patient or the relative on the cause of the wound also depends on the way the nurse approaches the them. Communication ethics therefore (Fitzpatrick et al, 2008) matters a lot in this case. In order to gather more information on a patient, nurses should therefore employ good communicatio n ethics. As a professional nurse one has to develop a plan of the progress of treatment of a wound patient. The plan developed will determine the kind of treatment that the patient will get hence his or her healing (Fonder et al, 2008). the nurse who was taking care of the elderly man might not have planned well about his treatment progress hence the wounds did not heal. Planning for a patients treatment is very important since it tell you as a nurse the next step to take after a particular step of treatment. It is therefore important a professional nurse to plan about patients treatment. It is important for a nurse to understand the feelings of their patient. As a professional nurse, one should monitor the feelings of his or her patient, since a patients feeling shows the progress of healing of a patient (Hooper-Kyriakidis et al,2011). Would the nurses at the nursing home noted the feelings of the elderly man early in advance, they would have known the progress of the wounds healing and if the feelings persisted they would have changed the medication and this would have enabled them in treating the wounds well hence their healing, and this would have saved his live. It is therefore important as professional nurses to monitor every feeling on our patients health and therefore be able to offer best treatment to our patients. Professional nurses should analyze the process of treatment of their patients. In order to come up with a good treatment process a nurse should analyze all the medications that their patient need from the first to the last step of their medication. Analyzing enables a nurse to avoid confusion on which treatment to give their patients (Chinn et al 2009). It also enables the nurses to offer the right medication to their patient since everything is in order hence no confusion in the patients treatment. Analyzing the process of treatment of a patient also ensures that a nurse observes time, since time factor is a key thing in every profession. This also ensures that the patient get the required treatment which is necessary for quick healing of a patient. In order to give the required treatment to a patient, professional nurses should research more about their patients health and more treatment technics which should be employed in treating their patients (Benner, et al,2011). This can be done by engaging themselves in team work with other professional nurses in order to come up with new ideas on how to tackle their patients health problems. A professional nurse also seeks more information on how to tackle their patients health problems from the professional doctors since they have more knowledge which is helpful to them. In case of complication in the patients health, it is important to seek clarification on which medication is needed of overcome the complication from professional doctors. It is important as a nurse to keep records of treatment of their patients ( Barnum, 2008) Records are kept as a reminder hence they show the past medication of a patient. Keeping your patients records ensures that past medication is not given to a patient again. This also ensures that the patient receives the medication they need for their healing. In conclusion, it is important for professional nurses to come up with new treatment method for their patients in order to successfully treat their patients. Wounds are dangerous and if not treated well they can cause death. Professional nurses should gather enough information on their patients health before embarking on the treatment process of their patients. Team work is important in treating a patient considering is or her condition of health. It is important as professional nurses to do more research on our patients health in order to save their lives. Professional nursing approaches such as thermographic imaging are necessary in wound treatment. References Barnum, S. (2008). Nursing theory analysis, application, evaluation. Benner, P. E., Hooper-Kyriakidis, P. L., Stannard, D. (2011).Clinical wisdom and interventions in acute and critical care: A thinking-in-action approach. Springer Publishing Company. Chinn, P. L., Kramer, M. K. (2009). Theory and nursing a systematic approach. Fitzpatrick, J. J., Whall, A. L. (2008). Conceptual models of nursing analysis and application. Fonder, M. A., Lazarus, G. S., Cowan, D. A., Aronson-Cook, B., Kohli, A. R., Mamelak, A. J. (2008). Treating the chronic wound: a practical approach to the care of nonhealing wounds and wound care dressings.Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,58(2), 185-206. Gottrup, F., Holstein, P., Jrgensen, B., Lohmann, M., Karlsmar, T. (2010). A new concept of a multidisciplinary wound healing center and a national expert function of wound healing.Archives of Surgery,136(7), 765-772. 8). Masters, K. (2015).Role development in professional nursing practice. Jones Bartlett Publishers. Millard, L., Hallett, C., Luker, K. (2012). Nursepatient interaction and decision?making in care: patient involvement in community nursing.Journal of advanced nursing,55(2), 142-150. Schultz, G. S., Sibbald, R. G., Falanga, V., Ayello, E. A., Dowsett, C., Harding, K., ... Vanscheidt, W. (2013). Wound bed preparation: a systematic approach to wound management.Wound repair and regeneration,11(s1).