Why the Legal Drinking Age Shouldnt be lowered Essay Example for Free

Why the Legal Drinking Age Shouldnt be lowered Essay In the United States, the legal drinking age for all fifty states and the District of Columbia is twenty-one. The drinking age is twenty-one because the government decided this is when a person becomes legally responsible to handle the repercussions of consuming alcohol. The U. S. has the highest legal drinking age in the world. Only four countries in the world have a legal drinking age over eighteen, making the US an exception rather than the rule. Some people may argue that the government should lower the drinking age since you legally become an adult at age eighteen, but I completely understand this law and am totally for it. Underage drinking has become an epidemic that has spread all over the world, but more so in the United States than any other country. This is disturbing because the brain is not fully developed until a person is around twenty-two years of age. Therefore, it should be harder for minors to obtain alcohol, and the legal drinking age should not be lowered. What is alcohol, and where did it come from? Alcohol is a natural substance formed by the reaction of fermenting sugar with yeast. The production of alcohol started about 10,000 years ago. It all started around the Black and Caspian Seas with wine, and slowly made its way around the surrounding areas. Mesopotamia and Egypt were thriving with wine productions by 3,000 B. C. (Narconon). A thousand years later, a Roman God, Dionysus, started appearing in the literature, and was the god of the grape harvest. Then, about 700 years after that, in addition to wine, India started manufacturing beer. This new production spread rapidly, and the Hebrews adopted the new beverage for many different new medicines. After that, the Jews began to use wine and beer in sacred rituals and ceremonies. Although some cultures accepted alcohol, others rejected it completely. Because these alcoholic beverages were spreading so quickly, they raised curiosity. A medical school in Italy began doing experiments, and finally developed something called distillation- a purer, stronger alcohol (Narconon). From Italy, these new drinks spread to England and Scotland, and eventually found their way over to America. Drunkenness became a huge problem in America, so the government passed the Prohibition Act of 1920. Originally, the eighteenth amendment to the U. S. Constitution prohibited the manufacture, sale, transport, import, or export of all alcoholic beverages. Upon its ratification by the states, Congress voted its approval in 1919. Thus the law was passed, and became known as the National Prohibition Act of 1920 (American Medical Association). The eighteenth amendment was repealed in 1933, which made the Prohibition Act null and unenforceable. After prohibition, most states restricted the minimum legal drinking age to twenty-one. Between 1970 and 1975, twenty-nine states lowered the minimum legal drinking age to eighteen, nineteen, or twenty. These changes were made when other activities, such as voting, were lowered. In between September 1976 and January 1983, the minimum legal drinking age for every state was set at the age of twenty-one. Although this is the law in our country, it is also incredibly easy for minors to obtain alcohol. As always, there are different ways to work around the law. These are issues that must be addressed. Some of these ways include a fake I. D. , a minor giving someone money to go buy it for them, going somewhere that will sell to minors, or even stealing it from their parents liquor cabinet. A fake I. D is fairly cheap and also easy to get if you know the right people. For the most part, if you were a minor trying to get alcohol you could go up to any random person, and eight times out of ten that person would go buy it for you. There are also places minors could go to buy it themselves like little gas stations around the lower socioeconomic societies. The reason that these gas stations will sell to minors is because it increases their sales, and because they will get little penalty for selling to minors. If they do get fined for it, the fine isn’t enough to make them stop. Alcohol generally is not secured in most homes so there is easy access for minors who have no fears about taking it from their parents. There has also been the increasing trend of parents not only providing alcohol, but encouraging its use in the home, under the assumption that minors will do it anyway and it’s better to do so in a supervised, safe environment. Underage drinking is one of the biggest problems that the U. S. faces, and is now considered a public health problem. Young adults have the highest prevalence of alcohol consumption than any other age group (Century Council). They also drink more heavily, experience more negative consequences, and engage in more harmful activities. Drinking at any age can have some of the worst effects on you and the people around you. Many young teens that experiment with alcohol believe there are no consequences to their actions. It is actually quite the opposite. Alcohol is associated with driving under the influence, violence and aggressiveness, sexual activity, smoking, and poor school performance. There are all of these problems, and then some that all started with alcohol. Driving under the influence or a DUI is classified under two categories, and can be given out if the person is under the influence of an intoxicating drink or a combination of an alcoholic beverage and drugs. There are felonies and misdemeanors. The difference between a misdemeanor and a felony is misdemeanor DUI charges means that the charge involved no injury or property damage, and the penalty can be up to 6 months in jail. A felony has injury and/or property damage, and the penalty could be up to three years in a state prison. This number fluctuates depending on the number of misdemeanors or felonies a person has had in the past. These laws are in place to not only protect the youth in America, but to also ensure that other innocent people on the roads do not get hurt. There are plenty of accidents that come from texting and driving already (which is the equivalent to drinking and driving) that to lower the drinking age, I think, would cause more alcohol-induced accidents. Underage drinking already contributes to more than 4,700 automobile wrecks a year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and studies have shown that every twenty-two minutes someone will die of an alcohol related traffic accident (First Eagle Insurance Services). Although you probably think that it could never happen to you, other studies have shown that everyone has a forty percent chance of being in an accident involving alcohol use at some point in their life (Drug Free World). â€Å"Vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for minors age 15-20 years old† (Century Council). Aside from drinking and driving, there is also a two-way association between alcohol consumption and violence or aggressiveness. While individual behavior is shaped in large part by the environment, it is also manipulated by biological factors, and ultimately directed by the brain, but the brain is affected if large amounts of alcohol are consumed. The consumption of alcohol may promote aggressiveness and lead to victimization, which in turn leads to excessive consumption of alcohol. Violence and aggressive behaviors are those that are threatening, hostile, or damaging in a physical or nonphysical way. There have been multiple studies conducted that show there is a link between violent crimes and alcohol consumption. In 2012, the percentages of violent offenders who were drinking at the time of the offense were: â€Å"eighty-six percent of homicide offenders, thirty-seven percent of assault offenders, sixty percent of sexual offenders, up to fifty-seven percent of men, and twenty-seven percent of women involved in marital violence, and thirteen percent of child abusers† (NIAAA). A lot of times alcohol is accompanied by cigarettes, marijuana, or other hardcore drugs. Many researchers hypothesize that the ethanol in alcohol triggers a feeling of pleasure, and those feelings are reinforced when nicotine is added to the mix. Others think that those who abuse one substance will be more inclined to abuse other substances. Nicotine lowers blood alcohol concentration, so therefore a person who is smoking and drinking simultaneously would have to consume more alcohol in order to reach intoxication. Most people react differently to alcohol than others do. A lot of this has to do with the person’s age, gender, race/ethnicity, physical condition (weight, fitness level etc. ), amount of food consumed before drinking, use of drugs/prescription medications, and family history of alcohol problems. Usually when there is a family history of alcohol problems you will often see a history of some other type of disease linked to it. Some of these include: breast cancer, oral cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and cirrhosis of the liver. Twenty percent of alcohol is absorbed directly through the stomach walls into the bloodstream, and reaches all organs and tissues of the body within moments. The other eighty percent is processed through the gastrointestinal system. It is considered a drug, and is a sedative depressant of the central nervous system (Reeves). Alcohol can damage the dendrites at the end of a nerve cell causing disorder to brain functions. It is also capable of rupturing blood capillaries and veins. Aside from damaging nerves and veins, it can also damage the liver. It stops the liver’s ability to process fats, and can cause disease. The high sugar content in some alcoholic or mixed beverages can lead to hypoglycemia and predispose one to diabetes. Alcohol can also alter sleep patterns, basic motor functions, thoughts, and emotions. The consumption of alcohol on or at an above average rate can lead to alcoholism. Women metabolize alcohol more slowly than men. Because it stays in a womans bloodstream longer, it can cause more cellular damage of the kind that can trigger cancer. Alcohol also influences blood levels of estrogen and other hormones in ways that may make cancer more likely. For example, â€Å"compared to women who dont drink at all, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer. Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer goes up another 10% for each additional drink women regularly have each day. Girls ages 9-15 who have 3-5 drinks a week have 3 times the risk of developing benign breast lumps†(Breastcancer. org). These benign breast lumps can be a precursor to breast cancer. From this it is easy to see that the younger that someone starts consuming alcohol, the increased risk of cancer and loss of life is more likely. It might be easy to dismiss this issue as one of personal choice or preference. This discounts the social impact of drinking on society. â€Å"Alcohol costs American employers an estimated $134 billion in productivity losses, mostly due to missed work† (Ensuring solutions. org). The impact is not only economical though. Missed work impacts every worker at a job who must work that much harder to accomplish their work tasks. It also can decrease teamwork and morale due to resentment from the missed time at work, therefore decreasing productivity as well. Additionally, alcohol impacts every workers paycheck in other ways. As a rule, workers in America pay taxes on their pay as part of the social contract. These taxes are used for a variety of federal projects, such as ensuring a strong infrastructure, including maintenance of our highway system. â€Å"Alcohol related crashes costs the public $114. 3 billion annually† (MAAD). This is money that could be spent improving our roadways, bridges, and mass transit systems. This would also address shortfalls in other areas of the government budget, such as possibly addressing the furlough of air traffic controllers due to the current sequester. Not only is alcohol affecting society in terms of road safety, it is impacting air safety too. These quotes and statistics are not specifically for underage drinkers but as a sampling of society as a whole we can see that if adults are unable to drink heavily and prolonged without negative effects the same should be true of minors who have not yet developed full brain capacity and critical thinking skills. It is not just physical and social effects that are felt by people who overuse or abuse alcohol. â€Å"Among high school students, those who use alcohol are five times more likely to drop out than those who dont use alcohol. Alcohol is implicated in more than 40 percent of all college academic problems and in 28 percent of all college dropouts† (Alcoholcostcalculator. org). This has a ripple effect. High school and college dropouts on average earn less than those with secondary and post secondary degrees. This not only impacts the immediate quality of life it has long term effects reaching into retirement. Social Security is based on lifetime earned income. With the reduced earning potential of not having a diploma or degree underage drinkers set themselves up for living on a fixed income once they become old or infirm. This is not the only economic impact. A quick look at Rehabilitation Centers shows price ranges from $2,000-$30,000 for a 28 day stay. This does not include continuing aftercare. There are also legal fees for DUIs or Public Intoxication citations, plus bar tabs prior to the cessation of drinking. â€Å"Out of every $100 American consumers spend, about $1 goes to alcohol† (Vo). The average household income is around $50,000 per year, meaning that on average $500 a year is spent on alcohol, for an approximate lifetime average of $35,000. â€Å"In 2007 the death toll from teen drunk driving accidents was 1,393† (Drug Free World). The economic impact of funeral expenses, which on average total around $6,000, is nothing in terms of emotional cost. Many parents who lose a child end up divorcing, tearing apart families in the process. This may also lead to alcohol or other drug abuse in the parents or siblings, resulting in further economic, social, and societal impacts. It’s a vicious cycle and one that could be avoided by continuing to keep the drinking age at the current level. There are numerous warning signs that a minor may have an issue with underage drinking and it is important for those involved in the minor’s life to recognize these to curb an issue before it begins. These include physical, emotional, family, school, and social problems. Parents, teachers, and friends should look for physical signs such as fatigue, red and glazed eyes, or a lasting cough. Emotional indicators include personality changes, sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low self esteem, poor judgment, and depression. The minor may start more arguments, break more rules and withdraw from their family. There will be a decreased interest in school, drop in grades, increased absences, truancy, and a rise in discipline issues. The minor may show a big social change, with new friends, a change in style of dress, and possible problems with the law. This list is not exhaustive, but from the examples given it shows that underage drinkers have a wealth of issues that will affect them negatively for quite some time. With all of this in mind, I do not feel that lowering the legal drinking age would be in our county’s best interest. The government has these laws in place to keep our country and the people in it safe, and if these laws were to change it would send our country into a downward spiral. I feel that the rates of alcohol induced traffic accidents, rates of violent crimes related to alcohol, rates of certain types of diseases, and much more would upsurge drastically. I also feel that if our government doesn’t address these issues with more force and power, minors will keep doing what they have been doing and nothing will change. Works Cited â€Å"Alcohol Alert. † www. pubs. niaaa. nih. gov/publications/aa38. htm. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). N. d. Web. 25 April 2013. â€Å"Drinking Alcohol. † www. breatscancer. org. 18 January 2013. Web. 4 May 2013. â€Å"Drunk Driving in America. † www. maad. org/media-center. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MAAD). N. d. Web. 25 March 2013. â€Å"Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems. † www. ensuringsolutions. org. N. d. Web. 4 May 2013. â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Age. † www. cdc. gov/alcohol/facts-sheets/mlda. htm. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 7 November 2012. Web. 19 March 2013. â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Age: Brief History. † www. ama-assn. org. American Medical Association (AMA). N. d. Web. 19 March 2013. Narconon Drug Information Department, ed. â€Å"Alcohol History. † www. narconon.org/drug-information/alcohol-history. Narcanon International. N. d. Web. 25 March 2013. â€Å"Problems at School. † www. alcoholcostcalculator. org. Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems. N. d. Web. 4 May 2013. Reeves, Pat. â€Å"What Alcohol Does to Your Body. † www. foodalive. org/articles/alcohol. htm. Complementary Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). N. d. Web. 23 March 2013. â€Å"Teenage Drunk Driving. † www. firsteagle. com/tdd. htm. The First Eagle Insurance Services. N. d. Web. 22 April 2013. Vo, L. T. â€Å"What American Spends on Booze. † www. npr. org. National Public Radio. 2013. Web. 4 May 2013.

A Case Study Of Social Work With Families Social Work Essay

A Case Study Of Social Work With Families Social Work Essay This was my third contact with Mrs G however my first contact with Mrs G on her own without Ps presence. The purpose of the visit was to carry out a carers assessment which focused on Mrs Gs needs separate from Ps needs. It was important that I tuned into the visit in order to work with Mrs G effectively. The process of tuning in helped me consider the legal mandate for the intervention, it helped me prepare myself for areas Mrs G may have wanted to discuss, I was able to consider relevant theories, Mrs Gs feelings, my feelings as a worker and how I would address these feelings through the use of good knowledge, skills and values. Before meeting with the family I had read through the existing case file which allowed me to gain an insight into the social work involvement of MS the transition co-ordinator to date, other professionals involved and an insight into the family background. I had previously carried out a UNOCINI assessment on P, had been on a few visits to P and Mrs G and liaised with several other professionals involved with P such as the Renal Team at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (RBHSC), the school, Ps G.P, Clinical psychologist etc. I had already gathered relevant information and thus obtained a good insight into the family situation, particularly through liaising with the Clinical Psychologist who had done some brief family work with the family. From liaising with him, I was able to determine that there were strained relationships within the home. As my role in this instance involved assessing the needs of a carer, I read around carers in Northern Ireland, their needs and what the y often experience etc. This allowed me to tune into what Mrs Gs life may involve with regards to caring for P and consider some of the challenges carers experience on a regular basis. As I had already been involved with the family and completed a UNOCINI assessment, I gained a great insight into the familys circumstances, history/background. During this contact I wanted to obtain a greater insight into how Ps disability impacted is currently impacting on Mrs G, the primary carer of P. I prepared myself for the contact by familiarising myself with the carers assessment form however I had already decided to approach the situation by allowing Mrs G to take control and explain openly how she was coping etc. My practice teacher also discussed her expectations with me during supervision. My primary purpose in this piece of work was: The purpose of the work was to meet with Mrs G in her home. Carry out an assessment of Mrs Gs needs as a carer separate from Ps needs by allowing Mrs G to talk openly about her situation, how she was coping as a carer etc, express any concerns she had and ask her how she feels we could best support her at this time. This allowed Mrs G to take control of the discussion and identify areas to discuss. My main aims and were they achieved I contacted Mrs G prior to the visit to explain the observation so that she was aware of the situation before we arrived at the house. On arrival, I discovered that Mrs G had forgotten about the visit and planned to go into town. I asked Mrs G if she would like to reschedule but she said she would prefer to go ahead with the visit. I did not have to introduce myself at the beginning of this contact as I had clarified my role and function within the agency during the first visit with the family. I firstly introduced my practice teacher, reassuring Mrs G that she was there to assess me and my practice and that anything she would be writing would be about myself and not her. I further reassured Mrs G that anything discussed within the visit would not be discussed outside of the visit. At this stage I feel I could have explained the boundaries of confidentiality. I explained to Mrs G she was entitled to a carers assessment under the Carers and Direct Payments Act and that this would focu s on her needs as a carer as apposed to Ps needs. On reflection I do feel I could have explained to Mrs G at this stage what the assessment involved and I could have summarised what I intended to cover during the visit. Instead I just explained her entitlement to a carers assessment and that it focused on her needs. I acknowledged how difficult life has been for Mrs G and her family up until this point and asked Mrs g what it was like caring for P. Mrs G gave a very detailed account of Ps medical history and how his condition affected him. Issues arising were Ps restricted diet intake, Ps noncompliance to take medication and his personal care. On reflection, although I did attempt to probe further on these issues as an attempt to determine if and what triggers may have been contributing, looking back I do feel I could have used more effective questioning as an attempt to determine the impact this has had for Mrs G as a carer. Other issues arising were Ps lack of self-esteem and body issues which clearly contributed to his low mood. Looking back I feel I could have explored into this area more through probing more however I recall the carer at this stage having given me allot of in-depth information. I had reacted by probing further on another topic and had forgotten to go back and explore this a rea. On reflection I feel it would have been important to have explored this area further to gain a greater insight into how Mrs G coped with knowing that her son was insecure and body issues. Does she attempt to talk to P? Does this worry her, make her feel stressed etc, how does she cope seeing how Ps disability impacts upon him? Looking back another issue which Mrs G explained was the fact that P had fell out with their local Church over his diet. This was a clear issue/concern for Mrs G, however looking back, I did not probe further on this issue as once again, I recall Mrs G explaining a number of issues at once. I explored further on one issue and again I forgot to go back and explore this concern. At this point I feel I should have listed back to Mrs G the concerns that were arising and explored each of them one by one. Instead I feel I became overwhelmed by all of the information she was giving me, I consequently responded by exploring into one issue, which then led into another issue and I forgot to cover the other issues arising a the beginning. This has been a big learning curve for me as a worker. From this in particular I have learnt that I need to be more assertive and take more control of the conversation, particularly if you are with a service user who is quite talkative. In future I plan to say , ok, mrs G, youve given me quite a lot of information there. You have raised concerns about this, this and this. I would then cover each of the issues separately to ensure I have explored all areas fully that the service user has identified as being problem areas. I will also ensure to take more control of the conversation by stopping the service user if I feel she has overwhelmed me with information and pace the flow of the interaction to ensure each area is being fully explored. I recall Mrs G explaining that P had been abiding by his restricted fluid and diet intake recently as apposed to what he had done in the past. Mrs G did however express that P would still sometimes push the boundaries. I recall just reassuring Mrs G that this was very positive, however on reflection, I feel that I could have picked up on the fact that she had expressed he still pushes the boundaries at times and explored more into how they managed this, how he reacts when she reminds him the importance of his restricted diet and how Ps reactions impacted on Mrs G and other family members within the home. Mrs G went on to explain that the clinical psychologist P had been to see recently had diagnosed P as being biologically depressed and not clinically depressed. I recall probing further as an attempt to determine how Mrs G felt about this diagnosis, and asked whether P would continue to see the psychologist. However on reflection I do feel I could have explored further with regard to the possible risks this presented for P, how P was behaving, had she noticed any significant changes in his mood, behaviour etc. Looking back I feel this would have been very important and usually I feel a very obvious area to cover however I recall reminding myself of my role within that visit and that was to focus on Mrs G as a carer and how she was coping as a carer. Looking back however I do feel it was important to have explored further on this issue as there evidently could have been risks involved which could have led me to determining how Mrs G felt and coped with these. I recall Mrs G explaining about Ps argumentative nature. I did attempt to explore this area further however again at this stage I recall Mrs G giving a lot of detailed information and again I do feel it would have been beneficial to have redirected the information she had given back to how Mrs G was affected and how she was coping. I summarised by explaining to Mrs. G the main issues which we had discussed during the visit and what Mrs G was currently dealing with. I then reminded Mrs G of the main reason for the contact which was an assessment of Mrs Gs needs as a carer, how things have impacted on her and how she was coping as a carer. I summarised by asking Mrs G to once again eplain what the main concerns were for her in coping and caring for P at the minute. Mrs G once again clearly highlighted that the main concern for her as a mother was the fact that P had no opportunities at the minute to meet, socialise and interact others his own age group. She further explained that she felt this would undoubtly help to promote Ps independence while giving her and her husband a little respite. I paraphrased this back to Mrs G to have her clarify what I understood in relation to Ps needs and how this would ultimately benefit them as carers. I summarised by acknowledging and explaining to Mrs G that I understood the l evel of Ps care needs, what the family have come through in their lives to date and the impact of caring for P and other family members. At this stage I recall advising Mrs G of some support groups which may be of support to Mrs and Mrs G. Mrs G however clarified that she felt it was not them as parents who needed the support but their son, P who would benefit from some sort of social outlet. Furthermore, she did highlight she felt this would additionally benefit her and her husband as P relied quite a lot on her and her husband to take him out. Mrs G expressed she felt it would be beneficial for P if someone Ps age were to come and bring P out for a few hours. I mentioned a voluntary befrienders scheme however I was unsure as to the likeliness of getting a befriender that age within the locality thus I reassured Mrs G I would follow this up and get back to her. At this stage I recall introducing the topic of direct payments. Looking back, I feel the conversation had flowed up until this point. On reflection I had no reason to bring up the topic of direct payments as the conversation up until this stage had been centred on Mrs G, her life as a carer and how this was impacting on her. I had prepared to cover this topic solely on the basis that this was one of the topics covered within the agencys Carers Assessment forms. Looking back, I feel there was no reason to introduce this topic as there was simply no purpose in this instance. I recall asking Mrs G if she was aware of direct payments and or if she received direct paymen ts. Mrs G was not and asked if this was the same as carers allowance. At this stage I recall going completely blank. I knew it wasnt however I went completely blank and I could not think and turned to my practice teacher for reassurance and ask her if they were the same. At this stage I felt quite nervous and found it hard to refocus my mind back on the topic of conversation. I then recall trying to explain the concept of direct payments to Mrs G. I was able to explain that It focused on empowering service users through allowing them to be employers and this was a payment paid to them which would allow them to effectively employ someone if for example they wanted to pay someone to come in and care for their disabled child. I recall stumbling through this explanation as I consciously knew I wasnt communicating my understanding of direct payments effectively in a way to ensure that Mrs G understood it and furthermore I doubted what I was saying. I feel I cold have tuned in better to w hat direct payments were, whether Mrs G and P would have been eligible for this service, what the options were for them and been able to explain to them in a way that they understood and have given an example of their circumstances as apposed to a child. i.e. considering the fact that P was turning 18 in a few months. I feel if I had prepared better by doing this, there would have been more structure and purpose to introducing the topic in the first instance, Mrs G would have grasped a clear and concise understanding of what direct payments were, I would have come across as a more competent and knowledgeable worker and this would have lessened the likeliness of confusion or unrealistic hopes and expectations on Mrs Gs behalf on their eligibility and entitlement for the service. Straight away following the visit I acknowledged how my responses could have potentially have given Mrs g unrealistic hopes and expectations with regard to what they could get. I feel nervousness and lack of concise preparation significantly contributed to my inability to explain the service effectively and concisely, particularly after I was unable to explain the difference between carers allowance and direct payments initially. I finally summarised what I was going to do for Mrs G such as looking into the befriending scheme, their eligibility for direct payments, as she queried if she would be able to pay someone to come and take P out for a few hours a week etc. I then explained Mrs G that I would be in touch to arrange a time and date to talk through the assessment once I had completed it and have her sign it. Mrs G agreed. Skills I do feel I listened to Mrs G and demonstrated respect by being empathetic towards her and her situation past and present. I was very aware of the sensitivity around what Mrs G has come through in her life to date and used silence allot to allow Mrs. G to gather her thoughts before answering the questions. When she was talking I continued to use silence as a means of letting Mrs G tell her story and express her feelings. I ensured to maintain eye contact. My non verbals I hope indicated to Mrs G that I was listening to what she had to say. Although I contently listened to Mrs G and what she had to say, I do feel she overwhelmed me with information a lot of the time. Although I managed to explore further some of these issues by probing further on certain issues, I feel I failed to probe further on all the issues/concerns expressed by Mrs G. I feel I could taken control of the interaction more by stopping Mrs G at times and sensitively saying for example, ok Mrs G, you have given me quite a lot of information there. You mentioned this, this, this and this.. Can you firstly tell me a bit more about (1st issue), how does this affect you as a carer etc. I would then have gone through each issue separately and have explored each issue fully. I then would have got Mrs G to proceed. This would have ensured that I was using my probing skills more effectively and ensured I was exploring and analysing equally all areas which arose. Furthermore, I feel I did probe further on certain subjects to gain a further insight into how G fe lt about certain things although in doing this I do accept that I still may not have kept the topics focused on Mrs G as much as what I could have. I do feel however that in this instance, the needs of Mrs G was very dependent on that of meeting Ps needs first as she continually stated, if I thought that P was getting ready and looking forward to going out and meeting with others his age, I would be able to relax and when he would be away, this would act as respite for me. I truly feel this was the main issue for Mrs G and she clarified this towards the end of the visit. I was particularly ware of this as I had tuned into the fact that in a typical encounter involving two people, it is estimated that the actual spoken or verbal content is likely to carry only one third of the social meaning in any given event, whereas the non verbal forms convey roughly two thirds of the meaning (Birdwhistell, 1970). Communication is a two way process. It involves listening as well as speaking. Non- verbals used were: nodding, having an appropriate body posture, using eye contact, smiling and sitting in the SOLAR position. Allot of the time Mrs G was talking. I hope my non-verbals indicated to her that I was listening to what she had to say, respected the information she was sharing and demonstrated empathy and respect. I feel I used my interpersonal skills throughout the visit ad this contributed to a relaxed atmosphere and interaction. I do feel however I had developed a good rapport at this stage with Mrs G as I had been on a few previous home visits through carrying out the UNOCINI assessment. I feel I had a generally good structure to the contact however I do feel I could have explained at the beginning the content of what I hoped to cover with Mrs G instead of just summarising that I would be looking at her needs as a carer. I feel I demonstrated good non verbal communication through appropriate facial expressions, a good sitting position with an open posture, good eye contact and nodding my head to reassure Mrs G I acknowledged, was listening and understood what she was saying. I feel I laughed when appropriate and showed empathy when covering sensitive issues such as Ps past medical history of cancer and chemotherapy. I did ask various open questions which I had planned as a means of applyin g the exchange model and allowing Mrs G to talk openly about her life as a carer. This also allowed me to gain an insight into what Mrs Gs life was like, what her caring role entailed and how she coped with her caring responsibilities. I asked closed questions to gain more information on certain issues and clarify information. I feel my tone of voice was appropriate considering we were covering issues which were sensitive to Mrs G. Generally, I feel I effectively communicated with Mrs G. Effective communication is an essential component of traditional social work activities (Lishman, 1994, pg 1). I communicated clearly with Mrs G by explaining why I was there, introducing my practice teacher, explaining her role, reassured Mrs G my practice teacher was there to observe me and not her. I explained clearly what I hoped to cover during the contact and under ground she was entitled to a carers assessment. The process of engaging entails social workers being explicit about what we are do ing and why (Munro 1998a: 98). I feel I engaged well with Mrs G by clearing explaining my role and purpose. I paraphrased back to Mrs G what she had said at certain stages, particularly towards the end of the contact to show Mrs G that I understood what shed told me. This involved me paraphrasing or feeding back to Mrs G what theyd conveyed, in a meaningful way. This was also useful in having Mrs G clarify that this is indeed what she meant. Empowerment- Empowerment is more commonly used to describe service users being given meaningful choice and valuable options (Clark 2000: 57). I feel I provided Mrs G with choice and valuable options by providing her with information, informing her of the services available. I do feel I actively listened to G and responded by probing further on certain issues. On reflection, I feel the type of questions I asked G could have been more focused on the needs of G and Ge as apposed from having her explain about P. Initially I felt this may have given R an insight into what Gs life is like and I thought it may have been a good starting point however I feel I could have covered aspects such as how she coped when P was away to college, to dialysis. In saying this I do feel that G made it very clear particularly towards the end that the main concern for her at the minute was the fact that her son had no friends his age, was unable to get out and had nothing to look forward to. And continually expressed that this was the main issue for her and that if he had an opportunity to get out and socialise with others his age, this would positively impact on her as she would be able to relax if she felt P was happy and this would also act as a few hours respite for her as relationships in the family had been strained recently. I feel I did not communicate to Mrs G in a clear and concise manner what direct payments was and was unable to provide her with a clear distinction between that of carers allowance and direct payments. Looking back I went blank at this point and felt I could not think and panicked. As a result I looked to R for re-assurance. I do not feel I came across as a competent worker as on reflection I turned to my practice teacher when G asked me if a carers assessment was the same as a direct payment. Looking back on this I feel very silly as I knew the difference but I just recall going blank as I stumbled with how to explain the difference. I feel this was down to nervousness and as a result I panicked and turned to R for advice. I will definitely try to avoid doing this in future as it is not professional and service users expect that we as workers know what we are talking about. I feel I could have been better prepared with regard to knowledge in relation to direct payments and carers allowance etc. Although I thought I knew what they were, obviously hadnt read enough around them or had the information prepared in a way that would enable me to effectively communicate to the service user what they were. Although prior to the contact I felt I was prepared, On reflection, I feel I could have been better prepared with regard to familiarising myself better with direct payments and carers allowance etc. I should have prepared in my head how I would explain this to G in a way that was clear and concise that she would have understood. My main aims achieved were: I was successful in getting Mrs G to open up about her situation and her feelings I was successful in determining what it was she felt would best help and support her and her husband at the moment, which was providing them with respite by providing P with opportunities for social interaction. The main knowledge used and how it impacted upon my work: I had an understanding of Mrs Gs circumstances through previous visits with the family and carrying out a UNOCINI assessment and liaising with other professionals already involved with the family. I feel I tuned in thoroughly to Mrs Gs past history, current circumstances and her life and needs as a carer. I did not have a lot of knowledge about the appropriate way of completing the carers assessment form. From discussing the topic with my practice teacher and other work colleagues, I felt it was better to not bring the form in with me during the visit. I felt this may have put Mrs G of or have distracted her. I considered the sensitivity of some of the issues that Mrs G may be relaying to me and I wanted to give her my utmost attention, reassure that I was fully listening to her, engage fully with Mrs G and let her lead the interaction and speak openly about her situation. This then led me to apply the exchange model of assessment which looks upon service users as experts in their ow n lives. I tuned into the fact that no-one knew Mrs G and her life situation as well as herself and so I felt this model was ideal to apply as a method of assessment. The Life needs model is another model which informed my knowledge base prior to the visit. This is a developmental and social-ecological model and increased my knowledge base on key transitions in childrens lives. Although this model informed my knowledge base more so with regards to Ps UNOCINI assessment, it also allowed me to consider how Mrs G as a carer may be coping with Ps transition and current life stage of adolescence, as a carer and mother. Knowledge around assessment theory increased my knowledge base on what assessment is and what it involves. Erik Eriksons life stage theory increased my knowledge base around Mrs Gs life stage. Theories around loss increased my knowledge base as to how Mrs G had experienced loss as a consequence of Ps physical disability and his cancer. This was very significant as the focu s of the work was on assessing Mrs Gs needs as a carer, considering who she cares for, how that impacts on her life and how she effectively copes with her caring responsibilities. As a carer of a child who has a physical disability and who had had cancer and been treated with chemotherapy and has had two failed kidney transplants, this theory allowed me to tune into a number of losses Mrs G may has or may have had, losses in terms of lack of socialisation, independence etc. This knowledge allowed me to consider that Mrs G may have been affected psychologically, physically, emotionally and socially. One of my objectives for the visit was to discuss direct payments. I feel that I did not carry out sufficient research to allow me to explain this service clearly and concisely in a manner that Mrs G would have understood. I recognise that direct payments is a relatively new way of receiving services and other professionals are still learning about what they are and how they are used. How ever, this is an area I had planned to cover with Mrs G as it is one of the questions within the carers assessment form and thus I do feel I could have researched this area more concisely to ensure I was confident in explaining it in a way that Mrs G would have understood. I also feel I had a good grasp of the current family situation through completion of the initial UNOCINI assessment and thus I could have enquired into the familys eligibility for receiving direct payments prior to the visit. I feel I had already previously adequately researched into Ps renal condition, kidney dialysis, the effects, the importance of a restricted fluid and dietary intake and the consequences of not abiding by a restricted diet from completing Ps UNOCINI assessment. This information allowed me to further consider what life is like for Mrs G as a carer. I had already gained a great insight into the family circumstances through liaising with other professionals and completing the initial UNOCINI asse ssment. This knowledge was significant as it allowed me to consider the challenges Mrs G was facing as a mother and carer and thus I already had an insight into how she was coping with caring for P. I also done some research on carers of children who have disabilities which allowed to familiarise myself with what pressures and stresses carers are faced with on a daily basis. Throughout my work with this family I am constantly aware of overarching legislation such as the Childrens Order (NI) 1995, the Human Rights Act 1998, Disabled Persons Act (NI) 1989, and The Education (NI) Order 1996. The main piece of legislation that informed this piece of work however was the Carers and direct payments Act (NI) 1996. I must always be aware of the legal and statutory context in which I work. It is impossible to practice without coming up against the Law: it is impossible to practice effectively without an in-depth understanding of how the Law affects everyday social work practice (Johns, 2005:1). Looking back I strongly feel I could have increased my knowledge base more effectively around direct payments and familiarise myself with what the criteria is for eligibility for families. I have since spoken to other workers in the team and have read around the topic more and thus feel much more confident about the topic. The main values I used were: The NISCC Codes of Practice for Social care Workers underpins my professional value base and I felt this impacted when working with this family. I feel that I treated Mrs G and her home environment with respect by asking Mrs G prior to the visit if she would mind my practice teacher being present to observe my work. I feel I empathised with G by being understanding of her all that her and her family have come through in their lives to date. I felt I could easily empathise with her when she was referring to P and his medical history and his cancer. I considered prior to contact how devastating this particular time would have been in their lives and acknowledged the importance of showing empathy, particularly if this service user was willing to talk openly to me who she may have looked upon as a stranger, about such a sensitive area in her life. I empathised with her further when she talked openly about her older son also having been born with a renal condition and the ongoing everyday stresses and strains this had. I did not judge Mrs G. I listened openly to what she had to say and demonstrated empathy by being understanding of Mrs Gs circumstances at present and what she has come through to date. By being empathetic and understanding towards Mrs G, I feel she was more motivated to work in partnership with me. I feel I demonstrated respect by explaining the issue of confidentiality, explaining my student status, gaining consent and ensuring Mrs G was happy and content working with myself, a student, by reminding Mrs G of my student status and allowing her to clarify she was happy to proceed. Furthermore, I feel I respected Mrs G by pre arranging the appointment and turning up on time. I feel I demonstrated respect at all times throughout the visit by maintaining eye contact, listening to Mrs G, using silence when appropriate and allowing her to speak, gather her thoughts and express her feelings. I was genuinely interested in what Mrs G had to say, finding out m ore about her life and past experiences and I was honest and open which I feel contributed to an effective, positive working relationship with Mrs G. I made myself aware of any cultural/structural oppression that the service user may be experiencing, such as gender, religious issues. I also considered that Mrs G attended a Church group and that she and her family held firm religious beliefs and attended Church on a regular basis. Future learning requirements indicated by this piece of work What I hope to improve upon in the future: From looking back I can see that there are significant areas I need to develop my knowledge and experience in. For example I strongly feel I could have increased my knowledge base more effectively around direct payments and have familiarised myself with what the criteria is for eligibility for families. My lack of experience delivering direct payments is obvious here. I feel that my understanding on this topic could be improved through reading further on the topic and possibly shadowing other social workers in the team when they visit service users about direct payments. Being well prepared for what it is I want to cover during contacts is another significant area I need to work on. Looking back, I feel the contact had flowed up until the point at which I introduced the topic of direct payments. I feel, I already had an insight into the family situation through completing the initial assessment ad I knew that Mrs Gs main concern was that P did not have enough opportunities for social outlets and if I had prepared to introduce this topic, I should have previously enquired into whether this was an option for Mrs G and her family. On reflection this would have made much more sense as I would have had reasoning for introducing the topic and I would have been able to inform Mrs G of information that was clear, concise and accurate, preventing informing Mrs G of information that was inaccurate, risking false hopes and possible dis

Characteristics Of Vapour Compression Refrigeration Cycles Engineering Essay

Characteristics Of Vapour Compression Refrigeration Cycles Engineering Essay This project is a study on a performance of a Vapor Compression Refrigeration System VCRC. The performance of this type of refrigeration system is being investigated by using different type of expansion valves or also known as throttling valves. I am using three types of valves upon conducting this study which are thermostatic expansion valve, capillary tube expansion valve and constant-pressure expansion valve. Performance of refrigeration systems will be investigated on two kind of surrounding which are closed and open surrounding. A light bulb will act as a heating load which will increase the inlet temperature of air on evaporation. This project also discuss about the ideal application of each type of expansion valves. Which mean, where, when and what application the three types of expansion valves should be used for a better result. Refrigeration is the action of cooling, and in practices this requires removal of heat and discarding it at higher temperature. Therefore, refrigeration is a science of moving heat from low temperature region to the high temperature region. Refrigeration can be defined as a process of achieving and maintaining a temperature below that of the surroundings, with the aim to cool some product or space to the required temperature. The most important applications of refrigeration are the preservation of perishable food products. Refrigeration systems also used for providing thermal comfort to human beings by using air conditioning. Air Conditioning refers to the treatment of air so as to simultaneously control its temperature, moisture content, cleanliness, odor and circulation, as required by occupants, a process, or products in the space. The subject of refrigeration and air conditioning has evolved out of human need for food and comfort, and its history dates back to centuries. In refrigeration system, heat must be removed from the space area specifically the goods or matter we need to cool and released to the environment. Nature of heat movement is, heat always moves from the hotter to the colder space. To transfer heat from hot region to cold region, special device is required. The device is called Refrigerator. Refrigerator is a cyclic device and it is using a fluid called refrigerant as a working fluid. As known there are two common methods for refrigeration which are natural and mechanical. In natural refrigeration, ice is used to generate a circulation of air around the blocks of ice. Therefore some of the heat from the circulating air is transferred to the ice thus cooling the air. This method particularly used in air conditioning application. As in mechanical refrigeration, refrigerant is used as a working fluid. Refrigerant is a substance that is capable to transfer heat that it absorbs at low temperatures and pressures to a condensing medium. Refrigerator is an example of mechanical refrigeration. In a refrigerator, coolant is cooled in a condenser; from there it flow to the evaporator, where air is cooled by contact with the coil. Figure : Example of Refrigerator [ ©2006 Publications International, Ltd.] Types of refrigeration cycle Vapor Compression Refrigeration System Vapor compression refrigeration system is the most common refrigeration system used nowadays. In vapor compression refrigeration cycle (VCRC), there are four major thermal process take place which is expansion, evaporation, compression and condensation. In all practical applications, the actual VCRC is lower than the ideal cycle. This caused by several factors such as friction losses, heat exchanges between parts on the system and pressure drops in suction and discharge lines. http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT-X7cy0Nn5FpUh23SVRaPzAFG_o0lp2WxOEMmReUZSPjiYERUt=1usg=__BGAiwbpSspuI0lSI-ZibGb3mh0Q= Figure : Single stage VCRC [The Full wiki/ refrigeration cycle] Based on Figure 2, compression process is done on compressor followed by condensation process on condenser, expansion process on expansion valve and lastly evaporation process on evaporator. Compression Process on Compressor Low-pressure vapor of refrigerant enters the compressor and then being compressed and moved to condenser as a high-pressure vapor (superheated). Condensation Process on Condenser The superheated vapor of refrigerant is then travels through the condenser  which first cools and removes the superheat and then condenses the vapor refrigerant into a liquid refrigerant by removing additional heat at constant pressure and temperature. Expansion Process on expansion Valve The liquid refrigerant is then goes through the  expansion valve  which is also known as throttling valve where its pressure will abruptly decreases, causing  flash evaporation  and auto-refrigeration of, typically, less than half of the liquid. By undergoing expansion process, mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant is produced at low temperature and pressure. Evaporation Process on Evaporator The cold liquid-vapor refrigerant is then travels through the evaporator coil or tubes and it is completely vaporized by cooling the warm air (from the space being refrigerated) and being blown by a fan across the evaporator coil or tubes. The resulting refrigerant vapor returns to the compressor inlet to complete the thermodynamic cycle. Vapor compression refrigeration system using high-grade energy such as mechanical work. It has more noise and wear is possible to occur in the compressor since moving parts is placed there. Coefficient of performance, COP of VCRC will decrease if the pressure of the evaporator decreases. Performance of VCRC is adversely affected at partial load. Vapor Absorption Refrigeration System Vapor Absorption Refrigeration System  uses a heat source such as solar and kerosene-fueled flame to provide the energy needed to drive the cooling system. Vapor absorption Refrigeration system is a popular alternative to regular  compressor refrigerators  where electricity is unreliable, costly, or unavailable, where noise from the compressor is problematic, or where surplus heat is available such as from turbine exhaust or industrial processes. Absorption refrigerators powered by heat from the  combustion  of  liquefied petroleum gas  are often used for food storage in  recreational vehicles. There are two type of vapor absorption refrigeration system that is single-effect and double effect. Single-effect absorption system is using neither ammonia or water while double-effect absorption system uses lithium bromide or water. Since the presence of ammonia or lithium bromide directly into a confined space which is full of human is dangerous, vapor absorption system which used this material should be placed outside the building to be cooled. However, vapor absorption that using ammonia or lithium bromide is not practical to be used on a building since it is impossible to pipe this material into the building. Therefore all absorption cycle equipment is then designed to chill water which is then piped into the building. The chilled water is piped through to fan coil units in each of the conditioned spaces. The application of vapor absorption system using water is therefore well suited to multiple room systems or large spaces requiring air conditioning. This is because absorption chillers are a well-established technology that can offer considerable advantages over conventional, mechanically driven, vapor compression chillers.   Absorption cycle is using a fluid pair rather than using a mechanically driven or an electrically powered compressor to be function. The absorption cooling cycle is driven by the heat source, such as gas burner, steam or hot water. This heat source is used to boil and drive the refrigerant out of the refrigerant/absorbent mixture. This mixture is normally termed solution.   The refrigerant is then going through a condenser to remove the latent heat of condensation, thus returning the refrigerant into liquid form. The refrigerant is then passed to the evaporator where evaporation process draws heat from the recirculating chilled water. The resulting vapor from the evaporator is attracted and absorbed by the absorbent solution to complete the cycle. In effect, the mechanical compressor of a conventional vapor compression cycle has been substituted with a chemical pump driven by heat. http://www.acr-news.com/news/images/651_2.jpg Figure : Single Effect Absorption Cooling [ ACR News ] Steam Jet Refrigeration system Steam Jet Refrigeration system is using the principle of liquids flashing under vacuum in a chamber. If the flash vapor removed from the chamber, the liquid will cool to the required temperature. In practice, more than one cooling stage is usually present. Steam Jet Refrigeration system will become more economical when both steam and cooling water is readily available. Steam jet refrigeration system working start with the steam passed through a  vacuum ejector  of high efficiency to exhaust a separate, closed vessel which forms part of a cooling water circuit. The partial vacuum in the vessel causes some of the water to evaporate, thus giving up heat through  evaporative cooling. The chilled water is pumped through the circuit to air coolers, while the evaporated water from the ejector is recovered in separate  condensers  and returned to the cooling circuit. In  steam jet refrigeration systems, water can be used as the refrigerant. Water is perfectly safe for human. These kinds of systems were applied successfully to refrigeration in the early years of century. At low temperatures the saturation pressures are low (0.008129 bar at 4 °C) and the specific volumes are high (157.3 m3/kg at 4 °C). The temperatures that can be attained using water as a refrigerant are not low enough for most refrigeration applications but are in the range which may satisfy air conditioning, cooling, or chilling requirements. These systems also used in some chemical industries for several processes, such as the removal of paraffin wax from lubricating oils. The application of steam jet refrigeration system also including cooling a hot corrosive liquid efficiently to any desired temperature and the cooling of fruit juices instantaneously.Note that a steam jet refrigeration system is not suitable to be used when the required temperatures are below 5 °C. Steam jet refrigeration systems use steam ejectors to reduce the pressure in a tank containing the return water from a chilled water system. The steam jet ejector utilizes the energy of a fast-moving jet of steam to capture the flash tank vapor and compress it. Flashing a portion of the water in the tank reduces the liquid temperature. High-pressure steam expands while flowing through the nozzle 1. The expansion causes a drop in pressure and an enormous increase in velocity. Due to the high velocity, flash vapor from the tank is drawn into the swiftly moving steam and the mixture enters the diffuser. The velocity is gradually reduced in the diffuser but the pressure of the steam at the condenser is increased 5-10 times more than that at the entrance of the diffuser (e.g. from 0.01 bar to 0.07 bar). The main advantages of this system are the utilization of mostly low-grade energy and relatively small amounts of shaft work. Using Steam Jet refrigeration system will required negligible maintenance and a plant can be fabricated in any suitable material of construction. In steam jet refrigeration system, there is no moving part involved. http://www.siit.tu.ac.th/image/4ref.jpg Figure : Steam Jet Refrigeration System [Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University] Thermoelectric Refrigeration System An effect of refrigeration can also be achieved without using any moving parts. This is done by simply passing a small current through a closed circuit which is made up from two dissimilar metals. This type of effect is called the Peltier effect, and a refrigerator which is works using this kind of principle is called a thermoelectric refrigerator. The thermoelectric device is like the conventional thermocouple. It is using two dissimilar materials as a medium to transfer heat from one another. In a thermoelectric refrigerator, there are two junction between the two different metals used. One junction is placed in the refrigerated space and the other one is placed in the ambient surrounding. The temperature of the junction which is located in the refrigerated space will decrease when the current passed through and create a potential difference. An opposite effect will occur on the other junction. Under steady-state operating conditions, heat is transferred from the refrigerated space to the cold junction. The other junction will be at a temperature above the ambient, and heat will be transferred from the junction to the surroundings. http://china-heatpipe.net/up_files/image/2008-4-24/826639119.jpg Figure : Thermoelectric Refrigeration Effect The thermoelectric refrigeration effect are too expensive for a normal domestic and commercial applications which are run only on using a regular household current. This concept normally suited to recreational applications due to the weight of thermoelectric refrigerator which is light, compact and it is also insensitive to motion or tilting. This type of refrigerator also has no moving parts, and can operate directly from 12-volt batteries. Using thermoelectric refrigerator will give a advantages to the food and beverages. It will keep the food and beverages cold and dry. There also no wasted space for ice. The advantages of thermoelectric refrigeration system include; Compact size Very little space is required by the cooling system. Lightweight Can be carried with one hand Cheap Use Low Battery to be function. Comparison between refrigeration system Feature Refrigeration System Compression Absorption Steam Jet Principle of cooling Vaporizing a Refrigerant Vaporizing an Ammonia gas Source of Energy Mechanical work Heat Compactness Weight Portability Heavy Must be kept level within 2-3 degrees Price Battery Drain Draw more current when running 6.5-7.5 amp Cooling Performance Most efficient in hot weather Less efficient at high ambient Freezing Ice cubes in hot weather excellent Not practical Safety Leaking of refrigerant Leaking of refrigerant Reliability Exposed to wear and may require expert servicing from time to time Service Maintenance Required trained mechanics and special service equipment Components on Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle Vapour compression refrigeration system consist of several mechanical components that helps the systems to be function. Four major components on vapour compression refrigeration system include compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator. In selection of any components on refrigeration system, there are many factors that we need to consider very carefully, that is: Maintaining total refrigeration availability while the load varies from 0% to 100% Frost control for continuous performance application. Variation in affinity of oil for refrigerant caused by large temperature changes, and oil migration outside the compressor crankcase. Selection of cooling medium. Direct expansion refrigerant Gravity or pump recirculated or flooded refrigerant. Secondary coolan (e.g. brines, salts and glycol) System efficiency and maintainability Type of condenser Air Water Evaporatively cooled Design of the compressor Open Hermetic Semihermetic motor drive Reciprocating Screw Rotary Type of system Single stage Single economized Compound or cascade arrangement Selection of refrigerant. Type of refrigerant basically chosen based on operating temperature and pressure. Compressor Compressor is one of the major components on refrigeration system. There are two main functions of compressors in the refrigeration cycle. The first one is to pump the refrigerant vapour from the evaporator so that the desired temperature and pressure can be maintained in the evaporator. The second function is to increase the pressure of the refrigerant vapour through the process of compression, and simultaneously increase the temperature of the refrigerant vapour. Therefore the pressure will change and make the superheated refrigerant flows through the systems. Compressor also known as the heart of the vapour compression refrigeration system because it is supplied energies to run the system. Compressor can be divided into two main categories which are displacement compressors and dynamics compressors. Both displacement and dynamics compressors can be hermetic, semi hermetic or open types. Both compressors also pumps refrigerant throughout the systems and produce substantial increase in the pressure of the refrigerant. Displacement Compressors These types of compressors used a shaft work to increase the refrigerant pressure by reducing the compression volume in the chamber. Reciprocating compressors, vane (rotary) compressors and helical rotary (scroll) compressors are including in a group of displacement compressors. Reciprocating compressors compress the refrigerant gas only on forward stroke. A piston is build to be single acting in a large capacity range up to hundreds of kilowatts. Condenser Expansion Valve Evaporator Refrigeration Cycle Expansion valve selection Thermostatic Expansion valve Capillary Tube Expansion valve Constant-pressure Expansion valve Refrigerant Types of refrigerant Characteristics of refrigerants Selection of refrigerant Performance of Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER 3 EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY Introduction Background of Study Parameters Involved Equipments and Apparatus set up Standard Operating Procedure CHAPTER 5: RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS REFFERENCES

Innocent: Confession of a Welfare Mother Essay -- welfere, poverty, lif

Innocent: Confessions of a welfare mother is a memoir that defies the stigma that comes along with welfare and poverty. It outlines the trials and tribulations of a single Caucasian mother and her ability to maintain her family. Forced to make pivotal decisions and keep the best interest of her family in mind, she must take welfare handouts to get through her financial struggles. This memoir is a way to highlight the obstacles it takes to keep a stable household and get by at the worst times in a single mothers life. At a time of racism and despair, this single mother was able to find a place to call home and give her family a comfortable life. Barbara Morrison, an educated woman who grew up in a nuclear family home, their home included â€Å"[her] parents and children living in one household† (Moore& Asay, 2013). They lived in Roland Park in Baltimore Maryland. Living the â€Å"Average† lifestyle in her parents’ home she felt as if she were an outsider. Morrison decided to go to Western Maryland and pursue her collegiate education. She could not take the racism that went on in 1970 and decided to uproot her life for the better. Worcester, Massachusetts is where Morrison’s life would further take its course, she finally felt at home in this city. Morrison met her closest friend Jill who would also be an important benefactor in Barbra’s life; the first thing that she explained to Morrison was â€Å"The vast majority of people on welfare were white and lived in rural areas, not inner cities† (Morrison,2011).Morrison did not understand this until she was faced with the reality of pove rty. In order to survive she needed to bring in resources, which are â€Å"anything identified to meet an existing or future need† (Moore& Asay, 2013).In Morrison’s case ... ...o get Welfare assistance was a smart decision, but while on welfare she could have been in search for a better job. She didn’t want to take any time away from her children, but it may have been necessary in order to give them an even better life. Morrison did not weigh in the fact that she could have lived even more comfortably, having a well-paying job. When deciding to get welfare, another alternative could have been to teach in a place where her sons could also attend. Morrison was a good care provider for her children, but if she would have altered her ultimate plan slightly, it could have changed her life in a tremendous way. Works Cited Morrison , B. (2011). Innocent: Confession of a Welfare Mother . (1st ed.). Baltimore,MD: Apprentice House Moore, T. J,. & Asay, A. M. (2013). Family Resource Management. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications inc.

Godfather Moral Downfall Essay example -- essays research papers

Critics agree that in The Godfather, the protagonist, Michael Corleone (Mikey) changes from a person with moral principles and a legitimate role in society to a cold-blooded mobster. In the beginning of the movie, Mikey shows his reluctance to involve himself in the Mafia when he tells his girlfriend, Kaye, about his father’s (Vito Corleone) business methods of coercion and says he will never be like his family. However, as Mikey’s involvement with the family business increases his violent tendencies become more apparent as he volunteers to murder a rival thug and a corrupt police officer. In the final scene, Mikey kills his brother-in-law, and when confronted by Kaye, he looks her in the eyes and claims no role in the murder. At this point, he completely transforms from a military hero and legitimate citizen, to a Mafia don capable of lies and murder. While Mikey’s transformation is quite obvious, the reason for this change in moral behavior is a more complex i ssue. The change in ethical behavior is a result of Mikey’s decision to become more involved with his family, consequently putting him in an environment that promotes immoral behavior. Michael Corleone’s problem is an internal conflict between loyalty to family and moral principle. After an assassination attempt on Mikey's father, Mikey decides to return to the family and assume leadership, even though he disapproves of Mafia business practices. The strength of family ties, ingrained in Mikey as a youth, influenced his choice. Decisions in choosing between right and wrong should not be confined to just a matter of the individual, but a response influenced by the family. Psychologists feel that the rearing of a child during early years plays a particularly important role in influencing behavior throughout a child's life. So, certain choices simply will not be made due to values established at an early age, since cognitive moral development restricts "free will" to some degree. Obviously, growing up in a Mafia family would put Mikey in an environment where he experiences a tainted view of right and wrong. Also, in the family situation, pressures from the group (the family) often influence the individual's behavior making the individual's decisions more difficult. Therefore, someone not taught independence will have trouble standing up against the family. For example, Mikey holds a notion o... ...uot;no regrets." Mikey only nods in agreement showing his acceptance of his new position. Mikey’s moral downfall is most likely a result of genetic influences, coupled with his current situation in a Mafia environment. His genetic makeup prohibits him from withstanding the pressures and influences of Mafia life. His violent behavior in the killings coincide with the Corleone notion of loyalty, and family business practices. Possible inherited defects in the Corleone family, such as those found in the five generations of Dutch men stated previously, fit well with Mafia methods of coercion and getting rid of competition. Also, the fact that Mikey feels responsible in helping with the protection of his father, and his expected role in the matter, affect his decision about involvement in the family business. Since the viewer only sees a short span of Mikey’s life, it is difficult to predict if Mikey will ever deviate from his current unethical practices. Theory suggests that he will change because altering personalities permanently is nearly impossible. However, only by viewing subsequent parts of Mikey’s life can we know for sure if he will return to moral standards of living.

Kate Chopin as a Feminist Writer

Kate Chopin is a feminist writer in the sense that she vigorously advocated and hankered after female spiritual liberation. She did not emphasize her beliefs and conceptions in her writings but she has taken into account the ideas of feminine individualism and personal autonomy at the start of twentieth century. Her feminist approach was quite different from the contemporary feminist writers who primarily concerned about the social elevation of women but she craved an understanding of individual sovereignty by penetrating into the conventional needs and wants in the male domain of social life. Helen Taylor proposes, â€Å"†¦shared her concerns with questions of sexuality, bourgeois marriage and woman's role (p.157). All these facets of women life is comprehensively discussed by her.Moreover, Chopin’s idea of feminist emancipation is not limited and of debase nature. Her approach is not restricted to physical liberation but she broadened it to intellectual as well socio-p olitical autonomy. She was of the view that psychological and intellectual emancipation is the primary requisite that would bring forward the social and physical freedom.Social standing of females was a favourite subject to the writers at the start of 20th century. Society was dominated by patriarchy, male chauvinism and supremacy whereas women were perceived as fragile and dependant. In â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† Kate Chopin manifests these themes by means of imagery and characterization. She had enough literary skills and intellectual strength to express these ideas in her writings at a time when writing about these issues was considered a taboo. In her anthology, she clearly illustrate that women are quite accomplished at showing strength and independence. Chopin skilfully utilizes imagery and vigour of her female characters to track female pains to flee from the debase character that societal compulsions have mandated to agree to. She takes into account their pathos and miseries implying that social compulsions are profound, rooted into the intellectual and institutional make-up of human beings and thus can not be easily swayed.In the leading story of her anthology, The Story of An Hour, she begins with portraying the socio-psychological afflictions of her protagonist, Louise. She describes her as â€Å"afflicted with a heart trouble† (Chopin, 170), symbolizing the feebleness and fragility attributed to females at the turn of the last century. But as the story progresses, her characterization turns from feebleness to potent one. For example, when her sister discloses death of her husband in â€Å"†¦veiled hints that revealed in half concealing† (Chopin, 170), she shows strength. Her relief at the news further manifest the fulfilment of her longing for emancipation, both physical and psychological. Contemporary society and reader do not presuppose this outcome i.e. a woman being capable of dealing with such ruthless realities of life, due to their pre-conceived notions. But Louise thinks that â€Å"There would be no powerful will bending her in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow creature† (Chopin, 172).All short stories in the anthology give an idea about the social particularly male response to each difficult situation that a woman faces. Society is too myopic that it only takes a stereotypical view of the situation. To remove or minimize the stereotypical effect, Chopin instigates a elementary change in her disposition as society fixes firmly to its typecasts, disinclined to admit change easily.ReferencesChopin, Kate. The awakening and other stories. New York, Holt, Rinehart and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Winston. 1970.Taylor, Helen. Gender, Race and Region in the Writing of Grace King, Ruth McEnery  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stuart and Kate Chopin. Baton Rouge and London: Louisiana State UP, 1989

Explain why the duke of Wellington’s government fell from power in 1830? Essay

The fall of duke Wellington’s government in November 1830 is regarded as one of the most important turning point and a very pivotal moment in British history. So decisive and seemingly unexpected, was the downward turn in the duke’s political fortune and his government, meant is was caused by an array of reasons. From the standpoint of the 2 major parties, the political stature of Britain was quite weak. As a result of arguments and internal splits within the government, the tory party for the first time in many years had become apart of the minority. The small liberal wing of the tory party, the canningities had left in 1828 after a series of disagreements with the Wellington, whereas the Ultra’s, who were loyal to Wellington and Peel, left the Tory party mainly because the of the passing of catholic emancipation in 1829. Another issue that caused the disintegration of Wellington’s Tory party was not only just catholic emancipation, but also the fact that the duke and peel had to announce it. The Act of C.E was passed in April 1829, with a total of 173 Tory MPs against it. The ultra Tories believed that Catholic emancipation was an assault on the British Constitution, Although many Tories sympathised with Peel, they hated Wellington for falling to catholic pressure and judged him as misguided, or even two faced because he had always been a opponent to Catholic Emancipation. There was also widespread opposition in the country at large, because many in many cities like Liverpool and Manchester, there were many immigrants. This not only fractured Wellington’s capability as leader, but his government as well because the Tory party was now split 3 ways: the canningities soon to be allied with the Whigs, and also the separate faction of ultra’s who felt betrayed by Wellington. But one of the key factors that essentially solidified end of the Wellington’s government, was the speech that he read out in the New parliament meeting of November 1830. In trying to win support from the ultras, he made a speech in which he said he saw no need to consider and change in the current parliamentary system, an opinion rarely shared by other, This can be argued as one of the worst political â€Å"own goals† in British History as he clearly missed the mood of the moment, as there was genuinely a big concern over parliamentary reform. Wellington’s argument seemed entirely wrong almost to the point of stupidity as there was immense support towards parliamentary reform from both inside and outside parliament. Another issue that pushed Wellington’s government to the brink, was the ever growing power of the Whig party. The Whigs were now pushing for parliamentary reform and they were now more stronger and more confident. They had support of the canningites, who were experienced in parliament and the support of the new King William IV, they had a monarch who was not opposed to them like King George the IV had been. Some ultra tories who felt betrayed by Peel and Wellington united with the Whigs and Canningities to defeat the government. By 1827- 30, the divisions within the Wellington’s government had become to severe, the various arguments between factions limited it’s political aims and capability. The Whigs had a big part to play in further fracturing Wellington’s government through it’s alliances with the canningities and the ultras, so inevitably had a big part to play in the demise off Wellington’s government. How close to revolution did Britain come in 1830-32? A revolution can be defined as a drastic and far reaching change in a country’s way of thinking and behaviour. It is usually due to the fact that political change fails to respond to social or economic distress. In Britain, The growing pressure to change an unrepresentative electoral system was strengthened by the deteriorating economy. Against a backdrop of poor harvests, rising rates of unemployment and revival of radical demands for reform – it could argued that at face value, Britain extremely close to revolution from the years of 1830 to 1832. An issue that helped in pushing Britain to the brink of revolution was the crisis caused by the harvest failure, high prices and unemployment. These were some of the many issues which cause unrest within the countryside, as their was protests ranging from the destruction of machinery to the burning of corn. So the swing riots of 1830-1831 had begun. The significance of the agricultural disaster of 1830 and the swing riots, is that is can be argued as one of the initial steps which caused the rebellious and revolutionary attitudes of the people of Britain to grow. A crucial issue that almost caused a revolutionary climate in Britain between 1830-32 was the issue of parliamentary reform. Although changes had been made, like redistributing seats to more industrially centred places like Manchester and Leeds, so giving the middle class factory owners more political power and significance, the fact remained that house of Lords and the government as a whole, was still saturated with Aristocracy. The public were being let down and felt that the house of lords was clearly out of touch with the working and middle classes’ wishes, and example of this was the rejection of the second reform bill by the Lords in 1831, which caused widespread anger throughout the country. Although many groups and coalitions were formed to support the great reform act, one of the most notable political societies’ was the Birmingham Political union. The need for change, and so revolution can be clearly seen in formation of this union, as a crowd of over 15,000 arrived on it’s first meeting. It was inspired by the works of the Catholic Association in attracting mass membership and being well organised, without any form of violence. To gain support, The BPU’s polices were mainly targeted at middle and working classes, but there were other important coalitions like the MPU (Metropolitan Political Union) which was dominated by artisans and craftsman, who had be radicals in the years of 1819. Ultimately, the union of these various craftsmen, businessmen, lawyers and workers increased the tensions and sense of uneasiness with the government, so once again spurs the idea that Britain was edging closer to revolution. As well as pressure from the BPU, Francis Plaice made London the central place of opposition of the Lords, but not the Whigs. Whereas elsewhere by 1832, there were cases of violent protests which appeared throughout the country. Riots spread from the small rural areas to the large industrial towns, as the tensions concerning reforms increased drastically. One extreme case of rioting was in Bristol, when a violent mob burned down almost all of there town centre. All these different forms of protest suggest that, revolutionary circumstances like the overthrowing of Charles X in France or the demolition of Tsar in Russia, was rapidly becoming an inevitability in Britain. Arguably the only thing that prevented full scale revolution was the desire of the Whig party and there newly elected leader lord grey’s partial support towards reform, and efforts in turning violent protests into † safe and legitimate reform.† However there were major political issues that suggested that, Britain wouldn’t have a revolution just yet, unlike it’s neighbour France. Since the late 1770’s the Lord grey had handled issues over parliamentary reform, but in 1831 he finally got his moment. Although the Whigs only partially supported the idea of parliamentary reform, Earl grey was enough of a politician to realise that in the defeat of the first 2 bills and public disturbances, some change will be needed to mediate the situation. A quote for Grey states that † The principle of my reform is to prevent the need for revolution†. Grey was very aware of the public’s opinion and knew that situation would only get worse if they were inhibited any form of change. Grey motives were clear from the start as his idea of â€Å"reforming to change† was faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade to stop Britain becoming a democratic country, and so helped prevent a revolution. Although the Whig party still headed for aristocracy and believed that the amount of property was the basis for representation, the small amount of change or daresay â€Å"reform† allowed them stop further rebellions and prevent Britain disintegrating, and also helped the poor and working classes. Redistribution was vital in preventing the working classes from rebelling, as they could take seats from seemly useless places like Old Sarum and Dunich to newly industrialising cities. The Whigs wanted to protect aristocracy, but firmly believed that to strengthen the constitution they had to give the franchise to people with new forms of property and intelligence, which meant that middle class factory owners could now sit as an MP and vote. There were other changes which allowed the Whigs to control the situation with the public, and so prevent a revolution, this included 31 small boroughs losing half their Mps and also mean that boroughs of less than 2000 votes were totally disfra nchised. Britain was going through bleak times with a deteriorating economy and unemployment rate, and prominent cases of radicalism and violence. The public were being let down and felt that the house of lords was clearly out of touch with the working and middle classes’ wishes: all these factors contributed to the urgent need of political reform, suggesting that to a certain extent that revolution was quite close, if the situation was left not dealt with any longer it probably would have occurred. However It must be said that Grey was speaking the truth when he said the bill was an aristocratic measure that was introduced to prevent the need for revolution. He was very clever in his methods of introducing a small amount of change to delay revolution, and restore order to Britain. Ultimately, aspects of the Whig party ensured that revolution could occur, on the face of it, it shows that they changed the political map forever, but in truth it was a limited, but clever change to preserve there current constitution. So in conclusion, I must say that although to a certain extent Britain had come close to a revolution, but the actions of grey and his Whig party in preventing revolution, meant that that to a slightly further extent Britain had not come close to a revolution.