What to Know About Video Game Addiction

What to Know About Video Game Addiction Addiction Addictive Behaviors Internet Print The Signs and Effects of Video Game Addiction By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Updated on January 19, 2020 Igor Emmerich / Getty Images More in Addiction Addictive Behaviors Internet Caffeine Shopping Sex Alcohol Use Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Video game addiction is compulsive or uncontrolled use of video games, in a way that causes problems in other areas of the persons life. Often considered a form of computer addiction or internet addiction, video game addiction has been an increasing concern for parents as video games have become more commonplace and are often targeted at children. Video games include computer games, console games, arcade machine games, and even cell phone, and advanced calculator games. Games can be embedded in social networking site, such as Facebook. Since the 1950s, gaming has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Some people are concerned about the long-term effects of video game playing, particularly in children. Concerns center on the following questions: “Are video games harmful?”“Do violent video games cause aggression?”“Are video games addictive?” While research is inconclusive, there does appear to be evidence that video games can be harmful, can increase aggression, and can be addictive.?? However, these effects are highly individual and may involve many more factors than simply the amount of time spent playing games. Signs of Video Game Addiction Research studies show that 1 to 16 percent of video gamers meet the criteria for addiction.?? However, the official definition of video game addiction varies across different organizations. Considering this, it is easy to be confused about whether your or someone else’s gaming falls in the average or heavy ranges. As with all addictions, it is important when considering the possibility of a video game addiction to not simply consider the amount of time spent gaming, but also the function it is serving the individual. Video game playing, as one of a range of recreational activities, may not be harmful or indicate an addiction. On the other hand, when game playing is addictive, it takes over as the person’s main way of coping with life, with other important areas of life being neglected or disrupted as a result. Video game addiction or video game overuse is seen most commonly in players of the persistent multiplayer gaming universe, or Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Gameâ€"MMORPG games for short. MMORPGs make up 25 percent of gaming revenue worldwide.?? These games hold many attractions for gamersâ€"they are interactive, social, competitive, and happen in real-time. Research indicates that MMORPGs are more addictive in nature. As a result, they tend to have greater negative impacts on physical health, sleep habits and academic performance.?? The Controversy of Video Game Addiction Like other behavioral addictions, video game addiction is a controversial idea. While video gaming research is showing some disturbing effects, particularly in younger players, there is a lack of long-term research and insufficient evidence to definitively conclude that video game overuse is indeed an addiction. In addition, cautionary messages from groups, such as the American Medical Association, which believes that video games are potentially harmful, have to compete with the aggressive marketing of the video games industry, whose own research, unsurprisingly, shows no ill effects. Internet Gaming Disorder is currently included as a condition for further study in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the gold standard reference for mental health conditions.?? Therefore, although it is not yet recognized fully as a disorder but proposed criteria are published. How Is Video Game Addiction Like Other Addictions? Video game addictions are similar to other addictions in terms of the amount of time spent playing, the strong emotional attachment to the activity, and the patterns of social difficulties experienced by gaming addicts. As with other addictions, gaming addicts become preoccupied with game-playing, and it disrupts family and other areas of life, such as school. The younger that children begin playing video games, the more likely they are to develop dependence-like behaviors. As with other addictive behaviors, there is a range of different responses to the activity. While some gamers feel unable to reduce the time they spend playing, others do not experience cravings if they are unable to play. Harmful Effects of Video Games As well as addiction, the following harmful effects have been found to be related to video game use: Increased risk of light-induced seizures, musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities and increased metabolic rate.Increased aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors, particularly in children under age 10.Reduced pro-social (cooperative) behaviors in social interactions. Research with people who are addicted to video games shows that they have, poorer mental health and cognitive functioning including poorer impulse control and ADHD symptoms, compared to people who do not have video game addiction.?? People who are addicted to video games also have increased emotional difficulties, including increased depression and anxiety, report feeling more socially isolated, and are more likely to have problems with internet pornography use.

The Role of Government and Personal Freedoms Essay

When the leaders of the American Revolution began their journey of independence, they revolted against the increasingly totalitarian monarchy of King George III. Representatives from across the colonies met numerous times to discuss the intrusive and burdensome policies implemented by the British Government, and to unify their efforts to have the government address their grievances. After numerous overtures were spurned by the British Government, the colonial leadership embarked on a path of overt defiance against a government which they believed no longer held the right to govern. In this struggle the founders of the United States answered the important generational question, â€Å"Should we consent to be governed?† Their answer concerning†¦show more content†¦While a small of amount of incidental injustice is tolerable in any form of government, it is important that government should contain an ideological focus on maintaining the maximum number of negative rights a mong individuals within the state fairly and equally. Whenever the state systemically undermines the rights of a large segment of the population, people have the right to protest against any laws or institutional structures which perpetuates injustice. Although protesting and disobedience to laws are morally justifiable, the scope in which people are allowed to rebel against government must be proportional to the injustice committed. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail provides a useful framework to explain under what condition a law is â€Å"unjust† and should be disobeyed. In his letter, King Jr. argues that an unjust law is, any law that degrades human personality . . . is a code that a numerical or power majority group compels a minority group to obey but does not make binding on itself . . . [or] a law [that] is just on its face and unjust in its application (King Jr.). By utilizing King Jr.s criteria, people can determine if the preconditions exist for the consent to be governed. Another important condition that a government must ensure in order to receive consent to be government is its adherence to the protection of third party interests to fully protect the rights and freedoms of individuals fromShow MoreRelatedThe Relation Between Economic Freedom And Political Freedom1216 Words   |  5 Pagesrelation between Economic Freedom and Political Freedom and also the Role of Government in a Free Society written by Milton Friedman. Many of us believe that politics and economics are separated and that individual’s freedom is a political problem and material welfare is an economic problem, but according to Friedman Political freedom and economics freedom are related. He believes that you cannot have one without the other, because taking an individual political freedom is actually depriving thatRead MoreThe Loss Of Privacy And Freedom Essay1625 Words   |  7 Pages Through the example of Mae, Eggers states that the loss of privacy and freedom, through technology and through the technology companies running the government, is posing a great danger to the survival of humanity. Privacy is also something that Kaczynski worries about when talking about what he believes to be the greatest dangers to the survival of humanity. In order to talk about his ideas of this topic, his definition of what makes us fundamentally human needs to be established first. KaczynskiRead MoreDoes San Francisco Have The Obligation Of Provide Citizens With Health Access?1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe question of whether governments have an obligation, legally or morally, to provide citizens with access to health care is one that has been debated for decades and will more than likely continue to be for years to come. Some say governments are morally obligated to provide access and others say they are bound by the right to health. Do governments, whether federal, state or l ocal, have the obligation to provide citizens with health access? Do they have an active role in regulating healthy andRead MoreEssay on Healthy San Francisco Plan883 Words   |  4 Pagesaddress are: What is the governments role in regulating healthy and unhealthy behavior? Has the balance between personal freedom and the governments responsibility to provide health and welfare of its citizens been eroded? Why or why not? The government’s role in regulating healthy and unhealthy behavior The question of what is the government’s role in regulating healthy and unhealthy behavior is one that would probably spark a debate every time. Originally, the role was to assist in regulating andRead MoreModern Liberalism: Rousseau ´s Theory of Freedom894 Words   |  4 PagesFreedom is a difficult doctrine that takes part in politics. Philosophy emphasized entirely determined by public, particularly in sociology and economics. Liberty can clarify the distinction between negative and positive liberty, the following part of this essay covers two issues. Meanwhile, the second purpose in this essay is to explore the implication of negative and positive freedom on the relationship between the individual and the states which will utilize different real instance in the worldRead More The Governments and States of Locke, Aquinas, and St. Augustine1375 Words   |  6 Pages In John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, he identifies a government that is of the peoples consent with his essential raison damp;#900;à ªtre being the preservation and protection of personal property. This type of government is extremely comparable with the type of government that St. Augustine describes in his work City of God, while at the same time contrasts the views of Aquinas in the ways a state should operate. The end goal of how each of these philosophers’ states purposes presentsRead MoreThe Governments and States of Locke, Aquinas, and St. Augustine1373 Words   |  6 PagesIn John Lockes Second Treatise of Government, he identifies a government that is of the peoples consent with his essential raison d#900;à ªtre being the preservation and protection of personal property. This type of government is extremely comparable with the type of government that St. Augustine describes in his work City of God, while at the same time contrasts the views of Aquinas in the ways a state should operate. The end goal of how each of these philosophers states purpose s presents theRead MoreDifferences Between 1920 And The 1920s1367 Words   |  6 PagesFreedom has long since been defined by those who hold to most prosperous and advantageous positions in society. With changing definitions representing changing social, political and economic policy, it is no surprise that freedom and prosperity exclude different groups of people, such as immigrants and African Americans during both the 1920s and the 1950s. While both of these periods saw great changes to policies and increased prosperity under these times, the shadows of war and discrimination stillRead MoreIdeologies Defined656 Words   |  3 Pagesintellectuals of the Enlightenment and given legitimacy by the economics of the Industrial Revolution, Liberalism in Europe developed and newly espoused the notion that man was free to choose to live his life and earn his way as he saw fit. Personal freedom was an inherent right, and that society would best be served by each individual being able to perform to the best of his ability, and that the needs of society as a whole would be better met by a population choosing to perform its function Read MoreFreedom Of Speech : Positive And Negative Impact On The World1251 Words   |  6 PagesFreedom of speech had a link of positive impacts to the world. One positive impact would be the citizens questioning the government about their personal interests and opinion on free speech. This means that before freedom of speech was questioned, many citizens did not have a voice. The government was not concerned with increasing individual’s voices based on personal opinions and beliefs. When citizens began to question the government, the government had not one motive behind not giving individuals

Capitalism Is An Economic System Of Production And...

Capitalism is an economic system of production and allocation based on private property. The main characteristic of making economic decisions is the willingness to accumulate more capital and gain profit. In this economic system businesses manufacture goods for market, which is controlled by supply and demand. Economists often think of capitalism as a system of free market economy ruled by competition, but it is impossible to find capitalism in this ideal form anywhere in world today. Nowadays economic systems in western countries are the mixture of free competition and governmental control. Modern capitalism can be considered as the combination of private enterprise and governmental control. In the book â€Å"Twenty-first century capitalism† Robert Heilbroner †ª puts capitalism into an historical perspective in order to identify the characteristics that could prove to be relevant in the near future. Heilbroner contrasts capitalist societies with traditional and command s ocieties and highlights the division between public and private realms of society as the primary structural advantage - an advantage resulting in prosperity but also instability. In his book Robert Heilbroner argues that the two realms of capitalism are both beneficial and dysfunctional for society. †¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¬ Capitalism has a few key characteristics by which it is defined. First of all, all production facilities must be privately owned. Secondly, all economic activities are organized and coordinated by the law ofShow MoreRelatedThe Political Terms Left And Right Were Devised During The French Revolution898 Words   |  4 Pagesthis position based on natural law, economics or traditions. On radical ideology that might take place in the United States is capitalism. The capitalist theory isn’t a new one, rather it has been a part of the economic industries around the world. Capitalism is defined as an economic system is which individuals own the means of production and can legally amass unlimited personal wealth. Capitalist theory holds that governments should not impose any unnecessary restrictions on economic activity, thatRead MoreRogarian Arguments1169 Words   |  5 Pagesabove can be attributed 2. According to author William Greider, executives and marketers must take into account the following new realities in the global economic situation: a. production has become â€Å"uncoupled† from employment b. the world economy dominates the scene c. the struggle between capitalism and socialism is over d. the growth of e-commerce diminishes the importance of national barriers e. all of the above 3. The rampantRead MoreRelationship Between The Worker And The Capitalist997 Words   |  4 PagesIn recent times, inequality has been found on high levels all around the world, this is due to how the market functions and the relationship between the worker and the capitalist. In this essay, the characteristics of Capitalism will be described followed by an analysis of how it produces wealth inequality, however a political economical approach will be used. Emphasized are the thoughts of Karl Marx and Adam Smith. To begin with, Adam Smith in his book Nature and Causes of the Wealth of NationsRead More Free Trade V.S. Command Economy Essay797 Words   |  4 Pageschange the way their societies ran things.  · Resource allocation  · Resource ownership  · Type of incentives  · Level of government decision making The 2 major economic systems are market and Marxist: The first is Capitalism: an economic system characterised by private ownership of the factors of production, market allocation of resources, use of economic incentives, decentralised decision making. E.g.(the US adopts an economic system very much similar to the one above but does have someRead MoreAnalysis Of Capitalism And Freedom By Milton Friedman1741 Words   |  7 Pages First, let’s begin by analyzing the arguments put forwards for a market system by poster boy for modern laissez-faire capitalism, Milton Friedman. His arguably most famous text Capitalism and Freedom puts rests the argument for free market capitalism upon three pillars of thought that Friedman believes to be self evident: privately operated markets are naturally occurring, significantly more efficient than a centrally planned economy because of the limited information available to individual actorsRead MoreCommunism Vs. Socialism : Difference Between Communism And Socialism1201 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom socialist principles. Socialism is sometimes used interchangeably with communism but the two philosophies have some stark differences. Most notably, while communism is a political system, socialism is primarily an economic system that can exist in various forms under a wide range of political systems. Philosophy of communism believes in free-access to the articles of consump tion is made possible by advances in technology that allow for super-abundance. From each according to his abilityRead MoreComparative Critique Of Comparative Capitalism1214 Words   |  5 PagesCOMPARATIVE CAPITALISM Case Study #4: Comparative Capitalism Florence F. Messi St Thomas University Miami Gardens, Florida Abstract The Merriam-Wester dictionary defines capitalism as an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market. (2015). However for an ideal capitalism to fully operateRead MoreCapitalism vs Socialism1746 Words   |  7 PagesOutline: Essay question: What is the best policy for any country: capitalism or socialism? Introduction: Thesis statement: It is much better to live in the country where the gap between poor and rich people is sharply noticeable, than to know that a person will never differ from the mass of people or feel a real freedom in his/her own country. Body: A. Capitalistic policy gives an equal opportunity to everyone to become a wealthy person. * Person can have his own business and developRead MoreResources Allocation in Capitalist and Socialist Systems Like Russia and the USA2322 Words   |  10 PagesHow resources are allocated under capitalist and socialist systems The case of Russia and the USA Amanda Carla Montague 9/28/2009 Introduction This project evaluates how resources are allocated under socialist and capitalistic economic systems. But firstly, let us define the key terms: economic systems, socialism, capitalism and resource allocation. An economic system is characterized as all the institutional means through which resources are used to satisfy human wants. By institutionsRead MoreEssay on Marxism Applied to the Modern State1216 Words   |  5 Pagesfacilitations of inner state trade in exchange for citizen loyalty. The goal of the modern state is to maintain order and happiness of its citizens; the establishment of courts of law and laws to abide by, soldiers to protect the state and a currency system only realizes the goal. In today’s society there are several different modern states that are run and organized quite differently, this paper will examine how, of the three given theories, Marxism best applies to Canada as a modern state. The decision

Book Review Heartland the Darkest Hour Free Essays

My book was Heartland the Darkest Hour. It was written by Lauren Brooke and was 152 pages long. This book was about a girl named Amy who tries to prove to everyone that she can be as good as a professional horse racer. We will write a custom essay sample on Book Review: Heartland the Darkest Hour or any similar topic only for you Order Now Throughout the book she meets people, that teach her a lesson about how winning isn’t everything. Even though winning is fun, that shouldn’t be why you want to compete. You should have passion in what you’re doing, instead of waiting for fame and fortune. Amy doesn’t realize that you should have passion in what you love to do.She thinks that she is the best horse racer in the world, but that changes when a certain horse and a certain person came into her life and taught her about passion. Ty a friend of hers, had a horse that was the best Amy had seen in her life! It had every trick that had ever been in horse racing history perfected. It had the most amazing speed, and it was very rare. Amy wanted that horse so bad, because she knew she could win with it. She wanted to buy it off of Ty, but he wouldn’t let her. One day Amy asked Ty why she couldn’t buy the beautiful horse, but then Ty asked her a very important question.He said â€Å"Why do you want this horse? † Amy stood there for a minute and thought about what he had asked her. The next day she felt bad because she had been selfish and only wanted the horse for fame and money, not because she loved the horse. At the end of the book, Amy realizes that she needs to have passion in all she does, because without passion â€Å"You’ll never love what your doing. † I think Amy was changed at the end because her attitude was different from the way she treated others in the beginning.At the end of this book, Amy is more kind and doesn’t think to much about her self. I would recommend this book to others because it teaches you not be bratty and selfish, but to be humble and passionate. If you like books about horses, this series would be awesome for you to read. I loved this book because, I started to read it in the beginning, but I didn’t get the story. Towards the middle I finally figured out what the author was trying to say, and it was a very good inspirational message throughout the book. The End How to cite Book Review: Heartland the Darkest Hour, Papers

Massage Essays - Manual Therapy, Mindbody Interventions,

Massage My discovery of massage therapy's healing powers resulted directly from trying to break a friend's ribs. I was taking my first kickboxing class, and Hugh, a two-year veteran of the sport, encouraged me to try my roundhouse kick on him "a bit faster and harder." Who could pass up such an invitation? Crouched down, I swivelled my body and, with venom, kicked the punching bag he was holding. It felt good. Next I went for the kill, and connected so high and fast that I ripped my hip muscles. That was sixteen months ago, and while the muscle tears quickly healed, every time I worked out hard or got stressed out, my thigh and back muscles seized up. About eight months ago my chiropractor, concerned at how often my hip was being pulled out of alignment with my spine, suggested massage therapy for giving the muscles a much needed vacation. The healing effects of touch have been celebrated since they were first documented some 2,000 years ago in the ancient Chinese text The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. Today massage therapy is one of the most popular forms of unconventional medicine in the United States and massage therapists are licensed in roughly half the states. Specific injuries aside, the greatest cause of muscle aches is everyday emotional stress. "What we don't realize is that our tissues have a memory," says Thomas Claire, a trained shiatsu therapist and the author of the massage-therapy book, Bodywork. "Our feelings get lodged in our muscles and tissues, and in turn, pain and discomfort result in disharmony in the body and the mind." This conflict can be seen in both the way muscle pain in one part of the body can aggravate surrounding areas and the effects physical imbalance can have on mind and spirit. Massage therapy aims to return the body to balance and promote health and relaxation. There are more than a hundred varieties of massage practiced in the United States, but they can be divided into roughly two main areas. The first is Western, or Swedish, massage, and it targets the body's muscle and tissue structure. The second, Eastern massage, of which shiatsu and reflexology are the best-known branches, focuses on leveling the body's natural energy.. The Swedish School is named for its nineteenth-century Swedish innovator, Per Heinrik Ling, who sought to relieve the pain he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. Swedish, or traditional, massage works the muscles to promote relaxation through the release of endorphins and enkephalins. Endorphins and enkephalins are the body's natural painkillers, which are released during strenuous exercise and cause "runner's high". The recipient lay naked on a padded table and a towel or a sheet covers the person. Only the part of the body being worked on is exposed. The practitioner uses a series of five basic strokes, administered by the fingers, hands, forearms and elbows, with the help of massage oils or creams. Muscles are freed up throughout the body, increasing blood flow and helping the body purge toxins and deliver nutrients to cells and tissues. Today many structural-massage therapists have customized the Swedish method with their own techniques. I visited a massage therapist named Arthur Tobias, who specializes in deep-tissue therapeutic massage. The session began with Tobias warming up my back and leg muscles with light hand massage through a towel. Then he focused on the major muscles in my back and shoulders with long, deep strokes of his forearm. The harder he worked my back muscles, the more I whimpered to myself in pain. I then melted into the table, as tension tingled out of my muscles. Aware of the discomfort in my hip, Tobias worked my lower back, butt and upper right leg, pinpointing the muscles that were contorted rock solid. After a one-hour session, my body felt completely relaxed and rubbery. Unlike Swedish massage, shiatsu focuses on not only the physical makeup of the muscles and tissues but also the body's energy system. Yes, energy system. As bizarre as that sounds to those of us firmly rooted in a Western way of thinking about the body, Asian medicine maintains that a life-force energy governs our health (chi in Chinese, ki in Japanese) that regulates the organs and protects the body from disease. According to shiatsu, ki exists in two opposite yet complementary forms, female and male, or yin and yang. Ki runs through twelve lines, or meridians, from head to toe. Each meridian shares the traits and supports the function of the major organ of the body after which it is

buy custom The A-F Letter Grading System essay

buy custom The A-F Letter Grading System essay Introduction The A-F Letter Grading System can be termed as the main reason that is behind the motivational force that students do require in order to add more effort hence succeed in their academic endeavors. Thesis In this regard, it is very vital that the A-F Letter Grading System be maintained in colleges and universities since as is argued in this paper, it is by far the most effective method of not only evaluating but also motivating students to perform better in different fields in the curriculum. Body paragraphs In some of the institutions where the A-F Letter Grading System is not used at all, the students are on the other hand awarded certificates at the end of their course. It becomes unfortunate that it is at the employment levels that the students come to realize that they have just been walking through the academic system. The employers realize that they are employing a workforce that is semi illiterate. It is a sad scenario that without the A-F Letter Grading System, students are just pushed through the system and they realize too late that they have been doing entirely nothing for themselves but just moving from one level to another without any significant difference. In such instances, the learners end up either dropping out of school when they realize that the damage is too much and they can no longer correct themselves or even just accommodate the education system so as to complete it without any significant achievement. The A-F Letter Grading System should therefore be used as it entirely indicates to the learner whether or not he or she has failed or passed a certain point in his studies. In his book, Sherry (553) offers an example of her son who was doing extremely poorly in his English studies. In spite of this, Sherry indcates that their son still got by although performing dismally. This was till Mrs. Stifter came by with the flunk concept. I flunk them. English became a priority in is life. He finished out the semester with an A (Sherry 553). Using the A-F Letter Grading System Mrs. Stifter would clarify to Sherrys son that if at all he failed or got the F-Grade, he would not proceed to the next level. The teacher cited that the fear of success would motivate the young boy to working harder in English and definitely performing better at the end of the day. True to her strategy, the young boy completed the semester with an A-Grade. This is a clear indication of the effectiveness that the A-F Letter Grading System has in realizing its goals. On the other hand, no matter what sort of environment that students come from, it is very difficult to say that a child would put education first before anything else. It is in regard to this fact that it is true to state that children are only motivated to learn once they have are aware that something is at stake once they do learn or they do not learn. Once students are made aware of the fact that they would fail and end up unemployed, dependent on drugs or even end up in abusive relationships they would be motivated to learn. It is impossible to say that such sense would be created in students unless the A-F Letter Grading System is continually used in colleges and universities. As Sherry (554) indicates, People of all ages can rise above their problems, but they need to have a reason to do so. In this regard, if at all colleges and universities would in any way eliminate the A-F Letter Grading System then students would not be looking forward to anything if at all they worked har d in academics. The A-F Letter Grading System should therefore be maintained so as to offerr the students the satisfaction and motivation that by reading harder, they would get the A-Grade and recognized as excellent students. Finally, it is also appreciative to recognize the fact that the A-F Letter Grading System could be a cause of failure in schools. As Rose (188) indicates, grades form part of extrinsic forms of motivation to students. In this regard, it can be effectively argued that since extrinsic sources of motivation are responsible for the reduction of the intrinsic motivation in students to learn, grades could be doing more harm than good. The case of Rose herself is a perfect example of this. She cites that I suppose Id be mediocre for too long. (Rose 188). She indicates that she is very much appreciative of the fact that Jack McFarland was the teacher that eliminated all the extrinsic sources of motivation that had been attached to her education. Form that point, she says that she loved reading since she was made to feel special from her brain by Jack. This was despite the fact that she was not one of the favorite students that Jack taught. In the long run, her story ends up a success simply because the A-F Letter Grading System was eliminated and she developed her own reasons as to why she wanted to excel. This came from within and even lasted for a lifetime. Conclusion: Having the A-F Letter Grading System in our colleges and universities can be said to be a huge investment in the education sector. As is expressed in the paper, the A-F Letter Grading System goes a long way in helping both students and instructors to have a clear picture of where they are coming from and where they are going. It therefore clarifies the current successes and failures hence preparing adequately the student and the instructor for a future that is relatively known. Buy custom The A-F Letter Grading System essay

Frequently Asked Questions About Astronomy and Space

Frequently Asked Questions About Astronomy and Space Astronomy and space exploration are  topics that really get people thinking about far away worlds and distant galaxies. Stargazing under a starry sky or surfing the Web looking at images from telescopes always fires up the imagination. Even though a telescope or pair of binoculars, stargazers can get a magnified view of everything from distant worlds to nearby galaxies. And, that act of stargazing spurs a LOT of questions. Astronomers get asked a lot of those questions, as do planetarium directors, science teachers, scout leaders, astronauts, and many others who research and teach the subjects. Here are some of the most-often-asked questions that astronomers and planetarium people get about space, astronomy, and exploration and collected them along with some pithy answers and links to more detailed articles!   Where Does Space Begin? The standard space-travel answer to that question puts the edge of space at 100 kilometers above Earths surface. That boundary is also called the von Krmn  line, named after the Theodore von Krmn, the  Hungarian scientist who figured it out. Earths atmosphere looks very thin when compared to the rest of the planet. The green line is airglow high in the atmosphere, caused by cosmic rays striking the gases up there. This was shot by astronaut Terry Virts from the International Space Station. The legal definition of space is that it begins at the top of the atmosphere. NASA How Did the Universe Begin? The universe began some 13.7 billion years ago in an event called the Big Bang. It was not an explosion (as is often depicted in some artwork) but more of a sudden expansion from a tiny pinpoint of matter called a singularity. From that beginning, the universe has expanded and grown more complex. Most depictions of the beginning of the universe show it almost as an explosion. It was really the beginning of the expansion of space and time, from a small point that contained the entire universe. The first stars formed a few hundred million years after the expansion began. Our universe is now 13.8 billion years old and measures 92 billion light-years across. HENNING DALHOFF / Getty Images What is the Universe Made of?   This is one of those questions that has an answer that is quite mind-expanding. Basically, the universe consists of galaxies and the objects they contain: stars, planets, nebulae, black holes and other dense objects.  The early universe was largely hydrogen with some helium and lithium, and the first stars formed from that helium. As they evolved and died, they created heavier and heavier elements, which formed second- and third-generation stars and their planets. This represents a timeline of the universe from the Big Bang through the present. At the left is the birth event of the cosmos, known as the Big Bang. NASA / WMAP Science Team Will the Universe Ever End? The universe had a definite beginning, called the Big Bang. Its ending is more like the long, slow expansion. The truth is,  the universe is slowly dying as it expands and grows and gradually cools. It will take billions and billions of years to cool completely and stop its expansion.   How Many Stars Can We See at Night? That depends on many factors, including how dark the skies are where. In light-polluted areas, people see only the brightest stars and not the dimmer ones. Out in the countryside, the view is better. Theoretically, with the naked eye and good seeing conditions, an observer can see around 3,000 stars without using a telescope or binoculars.   What Types of Stars Are Out There? Astronomers classify stars and assign types to them. They do this according to their temperatures and colors, along with some other characteristics.  Generally speaking, there are stars like the Sun, which live their lives for billions of years before swelling up and gently dying. Other, more massive stars are called giants and are usually red to orange in color. There are also white dwarfs. Our Sun is properly classified as a yellow dwarf.   This version of the Hertzprung-Russell diagram plots the temperatures of stars against their luminosities. The position of a star in the diagram provides information about what stage it is in, as well as its mass and brightness. A stars type depends on its temperature, age, and other characteristics plotted on diagrams such as this. European Southern Observatory Why Do Some Stars Appear To Twinkle? The childrens nursery rhyme about Twinkle, twinkle little star actually poses a very sophisticated science question about what stars are. The short answer is: the stars themselves dont twinkle. Our planets atmosphere causes starlight to waver as it passes through and that appears to us as twinkling.   How Long Does a Star Live? Compared to humans, stars live incredibly long lives. The shortest-lived ones can shine for tens of millions of years while the old-timers can last for many billions of years. The study of stars lives and how they are born, live, and die is called stellar evolution, and involves looking at many types of stars to understand their life cycles.   This is what a sun-like star looks like as it dies. Its called a planetary nebula. The Cats Eye planetary nebula, as seen by Hubble Space Telescope. NASA/ESA/STScI What is the Moon Made of?   When the Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the Moon in 1969, they collected many rock and dust samples for study. Planetary scientists already knew the Moon is made of rock, but the analysis of that rock told them about the Moons history, the composition of the minerals that make up its rocks, and the impacts that created its craters and plains. Its a largely basaltic world, which implies heavy volcanic activity in its past. What are Moon Phases? The Moons shape appears to change throughout the month, and its shapes are called the phases of the Moon.  They are a result of our orbit around the Sun combined with the Moons orbit around Earth.   This image shows the phases of the Moon and why they happen. The center ring shows the Moon as it orbits around the Earth, as seen from above the north pole. Sunlight illuminates half the Earth and half the moon at all times. But as the Moon orbits around the Earth, at some points in its orbit the sunlit part of the Moon can be seen from the Earth. At other points, we can only see the parts of the Moon that are in shadow. The outer ring shows what we see on the Earth during each corresponding part of the moons orbit. NASA Whats in the Space Between Stars? We often think of space as the absence of matter, but actual space is not really all that empty. The stars and planets are scattered throughout the galaxies, and between them is a vacuum filled with gas and dust.  The gases between galaxies are often there due to a galaxy collision that rips gases away from each of the galaxies in involved. In addition, if conditions are right, supernova explosions can also drive hot gases out into intergalactic space. Whats it Like to Live and Work in Space?   Dozens and dozens of people have done it, and more will in the future! It turns out that, aside from the low gravity, higher radiation hazard, and other dangers of space, its a lifestyle and a job.   What Happens to a Human Body in a Vacuum? Do the movies get it right? Well, not actually. Most of them depict messy, explosive endings, or other dramatic events. The truth is while being in space without a spacesuit WILL kill whoever is unlucky enough to be in that situation  (unless the person gets rescued very, very quickly), their body probably wont explode. Its more likely to freeze and suffocate first. Still not a great way to go. What Happens When Black Holes Collide? People are fascinated by black holes and their actions in the universe. Until very recently, its been tough for scientists to measure what happens when black holes collide. Certainly, its a very energetic event and would give off a lot of radiation. However, another cool thing happens: the collision creates gravitational waves and those can be measured! Those waves are also created when neutron stars collide! When two supermassive black holes collide and merge, some of the excess energy from the event is broadcast as gravitational waves. These can be detected on Earth using very delicate instruments at the LIGO observatory. The SXS (Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes) Project There are many more questions that astronomy and space spur in peoples minds. The universe is a big place to explore, and as we learn more about it, the questions will continue to flow! Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.