Katharine Burr Blodgett Invents Non-Reflective Glass

Katherine Burr Blodgett (1898-1979) was a woman of many firsts. She was the first female scientist hired by General Electric’s Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York (1917) as well as the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in Physics from Cambridge University (1926). She was the first woman to receive the Photographic Society of America Award, and the American Chemical Society honored her with the Francis P. Garvin Medal. Her most notable discovery was in how to produce non-reflective glass. Early Life of Katharine Burr Blodgett Blodgetts father was a patent lawyer and head of the patent department at General Electric. He was killed by a burglar a few months before she was born but left enough savings that the family was financially secure. After living in Paris, the family returned to New York where Blodgett attended private schools and Bryn Mawr College, excelling at mathematics and physics. She got her masters degree from the University of Chicago in 1918 with a thesis on the chemical structure of gas masks, determining that carbon would absorb most poisonous gasses. She then went to work for the General Electric Research Lab with  Nobel Prize winner  Dr. Irving Langmuir. She completed her Ph.D. at Cambridge University in 1926. Research at General  Electric Blodgett’s research on monomolecular coatings with  Langmuir led her to a revolutionary discovery. She discovered a way to apply the coatings layer by layer to glass and metal. These thin films naturally reduce glare on reflective surfaces. When layered to a certain thickness, they completely cancel out the reflection from the surface underneath. This resulted in the world’s first 100 percent transparent or invisible glass Katherine Blodgett’s patented film and process (1938) has been used for many purposes including limiting distortion in eyeglasses, microscopes, telescopes, camera, and projector lenses.   Katherine Blodgett received U.S patent #2,220,660 on March 16, 1938, for the Film Structure and Method of Preparation or invisible, nonreflective glass. Katherine Blodgett also invented a special color gauge for measuring the thickness of these films of glass, since 35,000 layers of the film only added up to the thickness of a sheet of paper. Blodgett also made a breakthrough in developing smoke screens during World War II. Her process allowed less oil to be used as it was vaporized into molecular particles. In addition, she developed methods for deicing airplane wings. She published dozens of scientific papers over the course of her long career. Blodgett retired from General Electric in 1963.  She did not marry and lived with Gertrude Brown for many years. She acted in the Schenectady Civic Players and lived on Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains.  She died at home in 1979. Her awards include the Progress Medal from the Photographic Society of America, Garvan Medal of the American Chemical Society, American Physical Society Fellow, and Boston First Assembly of American Women of Achievement honored scientist. In 2007 she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Patents Granted to Katharine Burr Blodgett U.S. Patent 2,220,860: 1940: Film Structure and Method of PreparationU.S. Patent 2,220,861: 1940: Reduction of Surface ReflectionU.S. Patent 2,220,862: 1940: Low-Reflectance GlassU.S. Patent 2,493,745: 1950: Electrical Indicator of Mechanical ExpansionU.S. Patent 2,587,282: 1952: Step Gauge for Measuring Thickness of Thin FilmsU.S. Patent 2,589,983: 1952: Electrical Indicator of Mechanical ExpansionU.S. Patent 2,597,562: 1952: Electrically Conducting LayerU.S. Patent 2,636,832: 1953: Method of Forming Semiconducting Layers on Glass and Article Formed Thereby

The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay - 716 Words

Analyzing history and the current state of society and its members has always been a popular topic for authors and artists. Shirley Jacksons quot;The Lotteryquot; is a comparison that can be applied to various phases of our current cultures development. Jackson uses her characters to compare old traditions and the new ideas. She accomplishes this with the development of characters such as Old Man Warner, Tessie Hutchinson, and the town children. Jackson uses these characters to reflect ideas that are often conflicted over the past, present and future. These conflicts can be seen in her use of the old man, modern mother, and the children. Morality, progress and change are all questioned, and still nothing is resolved.†¦show more content†¦(Jackson 4) Pleasure was seen as sinful, sacrifice was the only way to eternal life, and questioning these things would surely bring on the wrath of God. Warner is the product of his environment. Jackson developed the character of Mrs. Tessie Hutchinson to demonstrate the callous and often unthinking ways of the younger generation. Growing up in this community, or even one in the nearby area, she most likely has been a part of lotteries since she was born. This is a completely normal event that most probably has little meaning to her before this day. The day seems to be so commonplace to Mrs. Hutchinson that she states to her friend, quot;Clean forgot what day it was, thought my old man was out back stacking wood.quot; (Jackson 2) The lottery does not begin to have an actual impact on her until it is her family that must draw lots. Suddenly, the events have new meaning. It is no longer a simple tradition to ensure fruitful crops; it is an unjust occurrence that needs to be changed. At some point along the way, Tessie Hutchinson becomes so desperate that she is willing to throw her own children into the mix in an effort to save herself. Is Jackson trying to show that the new generation, the one now in control, has no concern for their own? This is a veryShow MoreRelatedThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1195 Words   |  5 PagesOn the surface, Shirley Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† reads as a work of horror. There is a village that holds an annual lottery where the winner is stoned to death so the village and its people could prosper. Some underlying themes include: the idea that faith and tradition are often followed blindly, and those who veer away from tradition are met with punishment, as well as the idea of a herd mentality and bystander apathy. What the author manages to do successfully is that she actuallyRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson757 Words   |  4 Pagessucceed but many fail just like the main character Tessie Hutchinson in Shirley Jackson’s short story â€Å"The Lottery†. When someone hears the word â€Å"lottery†, he or she may think that someone will be rewarded with prize. But â€Å"The Lottery† By Shirley Jackson is different than what one thinks. In the story, a lottery is going to be conducted not like Mega Million or Powerball one play here. In the story, the person who wins the lottery is stoned to death instead of being rewarded with the prize. TessieRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson931 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1948 Shirley Jackson composed the controversial short story â€Å"The Lottery.† Generally speaking, a title such as â€Å"The Lottery† is usually affiliated with an optimistic outlook. However, Jackson’s approach is quite unorthodox and will surely leave readers contemplating the intent of her content. The story exposes a crude, senseless lottery system in which random villagers are murdered amongst their peers. Essentially, the lottery system counteracts as a form of population control, but negatives easilyRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson1504 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Sh irley Jackson In The Lottery Shirley Jackson fills her story with many literary elements to mask the evil. The story demonstrates how it is in human nature to blindly follow traditions. Even though some people have no idea why they follow these traditions. The title of the story plays a role in how Shirley Jackson used some literary elements to help mask the evils and develop the story. The title â€Å"The Lottery† serves as an allegory. When people think of the lottery majorityRead More`` The Lottery `` By Shirley Jackson894 Words   |  4 Pagesshort story â€Å"The Lottery†, author Shirley Jackson demonstrates Zimbardo’s concepts in three different areas: Authority figures, Tradition and Superstition, and Loyalty. The first concept Jackson portrays in â€Å"The Lottery† is the authority figures. Jackson indicates that the lottery is being held in the town center by one authority figure, Mr. Summers, annually on June 27th. Every June 27th, without fail, townspeople gather in the town square to participate in the annually lottery even though mostRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson1510 Words   |  7 PagesShirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† illustrates several aspects of the darker side of human nature. The townspeople in Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† unquestioningly adhere to a tradition which seems to have lost its relevance in their lives. The ritual that is the lottery shows how easily and willingly people will give up their free will and suspend their consciences to conform to tradition and people in authority. The same mindless complacency and obedience shown by the villagers in Jackson’s story are seenRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson8 11 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† was published by Shirley Jackson. The story was true expression of Jackson’s genuine thoughts about human beings and their heinous competence in an annual village event for corn harvest . First, her used to word symbolized main point of the story. Second, Jackson was inspired by few historical events happened in the past and a life incident in her life. Lastly, She was able to accomplish the connection between historical and biographical with the story. Therefore, Shirley Jackson’sRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson934 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson signifies the physical connection between the villagers and their unwillingness to give up their tradition. â€Å"The Lottery† is very unpredictable and quite misleading. The black box has no functionality, except every June 27th. Shirley Jackson depicts the black box as an important and traditional tool. Although the villagers in â€Å"The Lottery† are terrified of the goal of the lottery and the black box, they are unwilling to let go of the tradition. Shirley Jackson portraysRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson799 Words   |  4 Pagesthe mood and to foreshadow of things to come. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is a story in which the setting sets up the reader to think of positive outcomes. However, this description of the setting foreshadows exactly the opposite of what is to come. In addition, the theme that we learn of at the end leads us to think of where the sanity of some human beings lies. The story begins with the establishment of the setting. To begin, Shirley Jackson tells the reader what time of day and what time ofRead MoreThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson1764 Words   |  7 Pagesfilled with excitement and eeriness, leaving the reader speechless. The Lottery , a short story written by famous writer Shirley Jackson, created an uproar on June 26, 1948, when it was published in the magazine The New Yorker (Ball). The gothic thriller, set in an unknown time and place, shares the tradition of a small town, a little larger than three hundred people, in which a drawing is held once a year. In this â€Å"Lottery,† each family’s husband draws a slip of paper from a black box. The husband

Psychological factors Free Essays

Games Psychological factors Prepared by: Mohamed Diab Computer games are popular because they affect us emotionally, in a similar way to films and music. Just as a horror movie makes you feel scared, a survival horror computer game can terrify you too. In some ways the game makes it feel more real because you are controlling the character, so what happens to the character can feel like it is happening to you. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychological factors or any similar topic only for you Order Now Games designers use the psychological factors to improve their games and make the experience of playing them more memorable. It can be one very simply and subtly, or it can be done in a very obvious way, depending on the needs of the game. Use of Sound Sound can make you feel lots of different things – it can make you feel happy, sad, scared, brave. There isn’t a single human emotion that hasn’t been represented in music or sound effects at some point in our history. Games designers use this to their advantage and there will be an audio designer whose role is to pick the sound effects and musical scores that are used throughout a game. High-pitched, fast-paced music or sound effects tend to make you feel more excited and as if you are in the middle of the ction. Platform games and racing games use these features to add to the game’s excitement and pace. Page 2 of 10 Horror games use string instruments such as violins and the sound of creaking floor boards to make people feel tense in the same way that a horror movie does. High Score Listings anyone except the computer. Even multiplayer games were usually limited to two people. Single-player games today are often driven by the storyline and the player will continue playing to the end in order to find out what happens. In more basic games, however, this is not the case. The high score table or list becomes the otivation to play again and again. If you feel compelled to improve your high score then you will keep on playing the game until you succeed and this means that you will get more game-play for your money. A high score list is an alternative to the storyline as a motivator for playing a game repeatedly. Some recent games, especially sports games and casual games, still include high score lists and you often have the option to publish your score on line through the game so that you can compare yours to those of people across the world. In many FPS (first person shooter) games that ave online multiplayer settings, you can have a world ranking which shows you how well you are doing in a similar way to a high score list. Page 3 of 10 Competitive Games Competition with others is a driving factor that makes people try to improve their skills and abilities. High score lists will encourage you to compete against yourself, but competitive games where you play against other people will make you even more motivated to improve. Throughout our history there are examples of people competing against each other in order to prove that they are the best at something. The most wellknown example is he Olympic Games, where people come together from every country in the world to compete, and the event generates a lot of international goodwill and excitement. Inevitably there are occasions when people become over-competitive and the desire to win becomes a negative rather than positive motivation. On the whole, however, competition teaches people to be good losers, to push themselves and to analyse their skills and formulate plans to improve those skills. These are all positive attributes that make an individual successful in the world of work and are undeniably associated with being successful at computer games. Page 4 of 10 Since online multiplayer games have become mainstream, people have enjoyed playing a range of different games against friends or strangers. Some of the consoles that are aimed at younger children, such as the Nintendo† Wii or DS, restrict online play to those who are known to the player in day-to-day life rather than introducing them to people through the game that they have never met face to face. How to cite Psychological factors, Papers

Electricity and Economy in Kenya free essay sample

ICT has been the main driver of Kenyas economic growth over the last decade, growing on average by 20 % annually, and propelling the combined transport and communications sector into the economys second largest after agriculture. In chapter three I have discussed the impact of electricity on key economic sectors in Kenya which are agriculture, educational services, banking and communication services, microenterprises and tourism all of which are key pillars of Kenya Vision 2030. It costs approximately Ksh. 5,000 to connect to the grid and about 15 US cents equivalent per kWh of electricity service. This high cost is a major obstacle to the expansion of electricity connection to low-income households. Chapter 1: Introduction 1. 1 Overview and statement of the problem Broad agreement exists that the level and the intensity of energy use in a country is a key indicator of economic growth and development. A number of researchers claim that for modern energy to make a difference on povert y, it must necessarily contribute to productive uses that generate income and create jobs. We will write a custom essay sample on Electricity and Economy in Kenya or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Kenya’s Vision 2030 identified energy as one of the infrastructure enablers of its pillars and it is expected that more energy will be required to realize the objectives of the Vision. The economic pillar of Vision 2030 aims at providing prosperity for all Kenyans through an economic development programme aimed at achieving an average GDP growth rate of 10% per annum over the next 25 years. Electricity remains the most sought after energy source by the Kenyan society and access to it is normally associated with rising or high quality of life. Its current consumption is at 143 kilowatt hours (kWh) per capita and national connectivity rate of about 28. 9% which is below the average of 32% for developing countries. Electrification plays an important role in the start-up and growth of microenterprises which may lead to sustainable livelihoods and poverty reduction. Energy can be directly linked to improved food security because energy can be used in any part of the food supply chain, from growing, processing, storage and cooking, through to marketing and distribution.