Silica Tetrahedron Defined and Explained

The vast majority of minerals in the Earths rocks, from the crust down to the iron core, are chemically classed as silicates. These silicate minerals are all based on a chemical unit called the silica tetrahedron. You Say Silicon, I Say Silica The two are similar, (but neither  should be confused with silicone, which is a synthetic material). Silicon, whose atomic number is 14, was discovered by Swedish chemist Jà ¶ns Jacob Berzelius in 1824. It is the seventh most abundant element in the universe. Silica is an oxide of silicon—hence its other name, silicon dioxide—and is the primary component of sand. Tetrahedron Structure The chemical structure of  silica forms a tetrahedron. It consists of a central silicon atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms, with which the central atom bonds. The geometric figure drawn around this arrangement has four sides, each side being an equilateral triangle—a  tetrahedron. To envision this, imagine a three-dimensional ball-and-stick model in which three oxygen atoms are holding up their central silicon atom, much like the three legs of a stool, with the fourth oxygen atom sticking straight up above the central atom.   Oxidation Chemically, the silica tetrahedron works like this: Silicon has 14 electrons, of which two orbits the nucleus in the innermost shell and eight fill the next shell. The four remaining electrons are in its outermost valence shell, leaving it four electrons short, creating, in this case, a   cation with four positive charges. The four outer electrons are easily borrowed by other elements. Oxygen has eight electrons, leaving it two short of a full second shell. Its hunger for electrons is what makes oxygen such a strong oxidizer, an element capable of making substances lose their electrons and, in some cases, degrade. For instance, iron before oxidation is an extremely strong metal until it is exposed to water, in which case it forms rust and degrades. As such, oxygen is an excellent match with silicon. Only, in this case, they form a very strong bond. Each of the four oxygens in the tetrahedron shares one electron from the silicon atom in a covalent bond, so the resulting oxygen atom is an anion with one negative charge. Therefore the tetrahedron as a whole is a strong anion with four negative charges, SiO44–. Silicate Minerals The silica tetrahedron is a very strong and stable combination that easily links up together in minerals, sharing oxygens at their corners. Isolated silica tetrahedra occur in many silicates such as olivine, where the tetrahedra are surrounded by iron and magnesium cations. Pairs of tetrahedra (SiO7) occur in several silicates, the best-known of which is probably hemimorphite. Rings of tetrahedra (Si3O9 or Si6O18) occur in the rare benitoite and the common tourmaline, respectively. Most silicates, however, are built of long chains and sheets and frameworks of silica tetrahedra. The pyroxenes and amphiboles have single and double chains of silica tetrahedra, respectively. Sheets of linked tetrahedra make up the micas, clays, and other phyllosilicate minerals. Finally, there are frameworks of tetrahedra, in which every corner is shared, resulting in a SiO2 formula. Quartz and the feldspars are the most prominent silicate minerals of this type. Given the prevalence of the silicate minerals, it is safe to say that they  form the basic structure of the planet.

Double Consciousness and the Stranger Essay - 1565 Words

Throughout history, Georg Simmel and W.E.B. Du Bois have had a significant influence on important theories and ideas developed in the Social Sciences. Perhaps two of the most relevant and well-known concepts developed by both of these theorists are the concepts of â€Å"double consciousness† and â€Å"the stranger†. In this paper I will be analyzing both of these pieces of work to draw upon differences and similarities between the two. The similarities I will be elaborating on are the usage of the paradoxical figure, which both Simmel and Du Bois discuss in their theories, and the coexisting feeling of division from mainstream society. The difference between the two theories that I will be exploring is the perception that mainstream society has of†¦show more content†¦He is fixed within a certain spatial circle- or within a group whose boundaries are analogous to spatial boundaries- but his position within it is fundamentally affected by the fact that he does not belong in it initially and that he brings qualities into it that are not, and cannot be, indigenous to it† (Simmel, 143). Simmel defines the stranger as one that is both close and far; that is physically close, but socially distant. He disassociates his concept from the understanding of the stranger as one who comes and goes. Rather, the stranger he speaks of in this case is one who comes and stays, but has not been socialized under the same conditions as mainstream society. Despite this, the stranger is not a person who is withdrawn from society and is unaware of social norms. Rather, someone is inorganically appended to the society, but still an organic member of the group (ibid, 149). The stranger is seen as and valuable member of society because it is, in no way connected to any one individual. The stranger holds a certain objectivity, and can be confessed to without the threat of judgment on the confessor (ibid, 145). Simmel believes that the role of stranger is hist orically related to certain forms of economic interaction, particularly trade. Because the role of the stranger is never theShow MoreRelatedSimmels versus Du Boiss Theories in the Social Sciences1254 Words   |  6 PagesDu Bois have had a substantial influence on imperative theories and concepts developed in the area of social sciences. Two of the most significant and distinguished concepts fostered by both of these theorists are the concepts of â€Å"double consciousness† and â€Å"the stranger†. In this essay, I will be analyzing each of these works to draw upon differences and similarities concerning the two. The resemblances I will be expanding on are the usage of the paradoxical figure, which both theorists discussRead MoreDifferences Between Du Bois And Marx1365 Words   |  6 Pagesto the work of Georg Simmel. Simmel coined The Stranger theory in his 1908 essay of the same name. The Stranger is defined as â€Å"an individual who is a member of a system bu t who is not strongly attached to the system† (Rogers,1999). According to the theory, a person may be close to others in proximity yet does not conform completely to the system and maintains their own customs and norms. As a result, a division arises in society between â€Å"the stranger† and other of different social groups who viewRead MoreGeorge Simmel s The Stranger 992 Words   |  4 Pages George Simmel’s, ‘The Stranger’ and W.E.B. Du Bois’, ‘Souls of Black Folk’ pose very parallel arguments in understanding the role of a ‘stranger’ in society. In Simmel’s work, he examines the trajectory of the stranger through an abstract lens. He establishes a conceptual framework for the ‘stranger’ within society while Du Bois presents a more tangible illustration through the experiences of African Americans in the United States. Although each approach is discrete from the other, the theoriesRead MoreD u Bois’s Concepts of the Color Line, the Veil, and Double Consciousness1280 Words   |  6 Pagesracism was one of the biggest concerns.   He believed that â€Å"the problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line (pg 347). Du Bois introduced us to the concept of life, or in other words â€Å"the veil†, which eventually led to â€Å"double consciousness†, which he explained as seeing yourself through others’ eyes.      Du Bois concept of the â€Å"color line† is very fascinating to me, because it talks about the collective/rational, collective/nonrational, and individual/nonrational realms, inRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Gloria Anzaldua Essay1362 Words   |  6 Pageswill provide clear evidence that the author is actively engaging her readers to experience the otherness of the colonized. I will do this by pinpointing the use of the Spanish language embedded within the lines of each stanza, the display of double consciousness with subtle uses of imagery, and the overall sense of empowerment. As an English speaker, I notice Anzaldà ºa strategically using several lines of the Spanish language that forces me and her readers not privy to the language to cross referenceRead MoreIdentity in Zora Neale Hurston’s How It Feels to Be Colored Me1408 Words   |  6 Pagesinterpreted as a reverse response of W. E. B. DuBois’ concept of â€Å"double consciousness† that h e describes in â€Å"The Souls of Black Folk.† Hurston shows that not all African Americans experience a sense of double consciousness and that some are instilled with the self confidence required to embrace one’s â€Å"blackness.† First, it may be helpful to define consciousness before attempting to explain the notion of double consciousness. Consciousness is defined as the state of being mentally aware of something:Read MoreEmile Durkheim s Sociology And The Implications Of Sociology1733 Words   |  7 Pagesconceptualization of â€Å"social facts† in order to understand the development of the African American race in the 20th century, as described by Du Bois. The social facts in relation to race at the time were: (1) Du Bois’s concept of African American double-consciousness and duality in the form of the problem of the â€Å"color line†; (2) The internalization of anti-black sentiment by the Negroes (3) Du Bois’s concept of the V eil and the separation of the white race from the black; and (4) Du Bois’s concept of theRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie Paris Is Burning 1244 Words   |  5 Pagesthemselves of a different gender, and being constantly put down and told that they’re not something that they feel like they really are. This is what the term â€Å"double consciousness† by W.E.B Dubois means, how people throughout history born in the United States into a non-white family with every right as any other American, feels like a complete stranger oppressed by others because they don’t get the same equality and treatment as others would, resulting in them viewing themselves the way others see themRead MoreEssay on William E.B. Dubois1164 Words   |  5 PagesBlack Folk, published in 1903, he developed the idea of double consciousness, a concept which has haunted the African American since the sixteenth century. ...the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with a second-sight in this American world,- a world which yields him no true self consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at ones self throughRead MoreThe Streets Of The Crowd1066 Words   |  5 Pagesdominated by a vast variation of crowds, where some of these crowds bring out Georges Bataille’s definition of animality in the humanity that is engaged in the crowds. There are a multitude of types of crowds, from open crowds to invisible crowds to double crowds. As stated by Elias Canetti, the dominating two kinds of crowds in our world are the open and the closed crowd. An open crowd is defined by its ability to continuously grow. Once the growth of the crowd comes to a stop, the open crowd disintegrates

Osteoporosis is known as a Degenerative Disease

Question: What is Osteoporosis? Answer: Osteoporosis is known as a degenerative disease that decrements the density of the bone material. The outcome of it is structural weakening making the bones brittle. It is common in old women, and the one with insufficient diets. It affects about 25% women who are above 60 years and about 4000 people are killed in Australia because of these hip fractures (Nelson 2000, p4). Osteoporosis affects about 1.2 million Australians and out of these many didnt know they have osteoporosis. Without interventions the number may increase 3 million by the end of 2012. Additionally there are about 6.3 million people having osteopenia that is thin bones. In this paper the findings about the osteoporosis, the prevention methods of disease, the occurrence of osteoporosis among the Australian population is given in detail. Two types of osteoporosis occur in the individuals. One is Type I that occurs in woman in late age due to drop in estrogen levels which occurs due to menopause and affects the spongy bones. Second is Type II that increases with the increase in age, and affects spongy as well as compact bone. It occurs both in males and females (Anderson 2003, p152). The risk factors for osteoporosis are improper nutrition, Low physical activity, low vitamin D intake low calcium intake and low exercises. According to the Geelong osteoporosis study in Australia 87% of female who are 55 years or more than that have low calcium intakes that is below the optimal level. According to a survey in Australian population the major fractures occur in the Hip and pelvis that is about 40.5% and the wrist and forearm that is about 17.1% (Eismen et al, 2007). The Australian government is doing a lot and performing various researches to prevent osteoporosis. In 2011 Osteoporosis Australia Summit was organized aiming to build healthy bones throughout the life (Krisfield, 2005). It was develop information and recommendations about calcium, vitamin D and exercises to build up health bones in children, adults and old ones. It was seen in a survey that in 2011-12 the occurrence was about 15% in women and 3% of Australians, among them the ones aged above 50 were the major sufferers. All of these strategies has lessen the number to a certain extent from last ten years. The prevalence strategies include providing proper nutrition, providing pre hospital care, providing free exercise classes and spreading education to safe the individuals from the disease. In the hospitals the government has appointed lot of GPs to treat the patients, the facilities like medications, prescriptions, surgeries has been increased to safe the lives of the Australian po pulation. Summing up, osteoporosis has become a great burden to Australian population. Many researches are performed in past and still many are being performed to safeguard the one who are the victims of osteoporosis and the ones who are not by providing prevention methods and making aware them about the risk factors. References Anderson M A 2003,Caring for older adults holistically, 3rdEdn, F.A. Davis Company, USA. Center JR, Bliuc D, Nguyen TV Eisman JA 2007. Risk of subsequent fracture after low-trauma fracture in men and women. Journal of American Medical Association 297:38794 Draper G, Turrell G, Oldenburg B 2005. Health inequalities in Australia: mortality. Health inequalities monitoring series no.1. Cat. no. PHE 55. Canberra: Queensland University of Technology and AIHW. International Osteoporosis Foundation Bone Health n.d., Pathophysiology: Biological Causes of Osteoporosis, International Osteoporosis Foundation, accessed 31May 2012 www.iofbonehealth.org/bonehealth/pathophysiology-biological-causes-osteoporosis Kreisfeld R Harrison J 2005. Injury deaths, Australia, 1999. Cat. no. INJCAT 67. Canberra: AIHW. Nelson M E, Wernick S 2000,Strong Women, Strong Bones,Lotian Books, South Melbourne, Victoria