Principles of Financial Markets

Question: Discuss about the Principles of Financial Markets. Answer: Introduction Fundamental analysis is conducted in tow approaches namely a top down and a bottom up analysis. The former analyzes industrial factors that influence the economy with respect to a company in a given industry (Marta Brusuelas, 2009). A bottom up analysis, on the other hand, assesses the financial condition of a particular company and its contribution in an industry. The fundamental analysis compares companies in a sector and not those in different sectors (Murphy, 2013). Top Down Analysis The airline industry faces many significant financial risks that affect the vulnerable returns on stock. Often, these risk exposures emanate from the ever changing economic conditions, the unstable and volatile movements in oil prices, and fluctuations in the exchange rates (Berghfer Lucey, 2014). These three risk exposures are the biggest threats to the stock prices. The risks are related to a competition in price, cyclical demand, capital investment, elevated levels of gearing, regulatory impediments arising from landing rights and ownership restrictions, and the fixed labour and equipment restrictions (Yasmin-Yashodha, et al., 2016). Evidently, the management of these exposures will determine how firms in the aviation industry progress. Companies such as Qantas Airway Limited and the Virgin Australia Group have experienced challenges such as high fuel prices, dwindling revenues, and economic uncertainties. These challenges paved way for low cost carriers to enter the market, especially for the economy class returns. The global financial crisis implied a drop in profits by many companies due to the increase in fuel costs, one-off gains, and a slower demand (Jorge Augusto, 2011). Qantas Airways Limited recorded an underlying profit of 1.53 billion dollars whereas Virgin Australia Group realized a figure of 41.0 million dollars. Despite the high prices both carriers still managed to record profits. Exchange Rate Exposure and the Stock Price Virgin Australia and Qantas are exposed to several risks that influence the companies objectives, both short-term and long-term. Some other factors that determine the stock price include the effects of pandemics, over-capacity in the market, competition on fares, and the low entry barrier of getting into the market. Foreign currency exposure is the sensitivity of the firms market value to unanticipated exchange rate movements. The exchange rate movements are solely determined by the foreign exposure of the firm (Laux, Yan, Zhang, 2015). This foreign exposure is derived from the operating revenue, risks due to costs, and the operating cash flow margin. Currency hedging practices and measurements also determine the exposure. Most of the expenses incurred by airplane carriers are handled in terms of major currencies (Chew, 2008). Consequently, a fluctuation of the currency will affect the profitability of the airlines in a number of ways. When the borrowing costs are handled in different currencies, it is expected that some liabilities will change alongside the equity of the company. The influence of tourism demand from overseas will influence the exchange rate risk factor because of the levels of exchange rate and competition the company is likely to face locally (Lee Hooy, 2012). Companies can thus be forced to adjust their revenue from overseas ventures appropriately. The exchange rate exposure is related to a number of variables. The companys revenue is subject to this exposure. Tickets are sold both locally and to international customers so it is difficult to avoid the exposure (Lima Hong, 2014). The foreign activities may also involve exchange of currency from one value to another and this enhances the level of risk. There is also aggressive competition, particularly in the international routes. This translates to the conversion of currency into the local one. As aforementioned revenues are closely linked to the exchange rates, thus the pricing level can reduce the effects of the exchange rates (Lima Hong, 2014). From a competitive perspective, industry-related factors also significantly affect the exposure levels. The currency exposure movement has an ambiguous effect on revenues. A rise or drop in the value of the domestic currency can either increase or decrease the cost of borrowing foreign debt and other costs. Foreign demand for international and domestic flights moves inversely with the value of the home currency. The demand for domestic travel shares an inverse relationship with the home currency and a demand for international travel changes directly. Hence, any depreciation in currency increases the probability of the residents to favor domestic travel rather than international destinations (Treanor, Simkins, Rogers, Carter, 2014). The competition thus prevents the airlines from preventing their revenues from experiencing currency movements. The significance of the exposure as measured by share returns, is dependent on the specific exchange rate, and varies over time. Airlines with foreign routes or various country offices are likely to have additional foreign sales, and airlines with holdings of international assets are more likely to be exposed to exchange rate movements (Yasmin-Yashodha, Hamid, Habibullah, 2016). With all of these effects offsetting and counteracting each other, the final impact of the currency exposure is uncertain. Fuel Price Exposure The fuel price affects the operational costs of the airline. Of an airlines operational costs, jet fuel accounts for approximately 13% (Laux, Yan, Zhang, 2015). This risk has an economic significance to the airplane carriers in the transportation industry. It is also possible to invest very little especially when the fuel price is high despite the existence of investment opportunities. The investment opportunities and the jet fuel costs in the airline industry have a direct correlation even as the higher costs are consistent with a lower flow of cash (Yasmin-Yashodha, Hamid, Habibullah, 2016). While the costs of jet fuel can be hedged, the airlines may desire to expand and hence hedge future purchases of fuel. Hedging increase the value in capital investment. Short-term cash flows are likely to be directly related to changes in fuel prices due to price change inertia (Marta Brusuelas, 2009). Revenue responsiveness may initially be slow due to advance sales, pre-committed advertised package fares, pre-booked seats, and so on. The fuel price exposure is more likely to be specific to a firm and echo various degrees of competitive power and fuel efficiency across the various airlines (Murphy, 2013). The effects of the price are thus more likely to be transferred because of the uniformity in fuel costs. The cash flows of the airlines are inversely proportional to the changes in fuel prices (Rich, Jones, Heitger, Mowen, Hansen, 2012). The profitability of the airline is thus reduced by the evident costs associated with jet fuel prices. Interest Rate Exposure The interest rate determines the loans, operating, and financial leases that are used to finance the acquisition of airplanes. The sector is relatively capital intensive due to the nature of the assets. Equity investment can be difficult to source because of the high earnings volatility. Equity financing is also greatly reduced due to the characteristic lower than average price-earnings ratios (Baker Filbeck, 2015). Borrowing costs are directly related to interest rate changes especially when the companies have variable rate leases and loans. The progression of the business cycle and the economic conditions are also affected by the interest rate (Berghfer Lucey, 2014). Eventually, the effects are felt in customer demand because here the demand is seasonal and cyclical. The exposure also brings financial distress on the airline industry. This distress is due to the forced sale of assets such as the aircraft fleet at heavily discounted prices because distressed airlines are forced to sell aircraft at below market prices, the purchase of new aircraft due to competition or contractual obligations, above industry average debt levels, and a decrease in revenue due to competition (Jorge Augusto, 2011). In the airline industry, an increase in the interest rates can increase the costs of distress as the operating and financial leverage is also high (Lima Hong, 2014). One reason why firms may under-invest is because of the distress costs. That behavior shows how the firm value can decrease as an indirect consequence of financial distress and under-investment costs. Profitability Analysis This analysis demonstrates how profits can be generated from the revenue. The ratios show how the companys investors have played a role in generating revenue for the company (Holtzman, 2013). The company uses this information to assess the managements effectiveness. The following table compares profitability ratios with respect to Qantas Airways Limited and Virgin Australia Limited. 2016 2015 2014 Gross Profit margin (%) Qantas Virgin Australia 1.11 1.29 1.06 1.14 1.03 1.11 Return on Equity (%) Qantas Virgin Australia 4.98 3.32 4.89 3.14 4.67 2.85 Return on Assets (%) Qantas Virgin Australia 0.97 0.76 0.88 0.72 0.72 0.68 Table 1: Comparative profitability analysis for the last 3-year period The gross margin ratio measures the companys ability to convert its inventory into cash when it sells (Jiambalvo, 2010). Therefore, a high value of gross margin is better because the company can fund its operations. The two companies reported values close to 1 (Maher, Stickney, Weil, 2012). The return on assets ratio is used to evaluate how a company can generate profits from its assets.. This ratio compares the earnings of the company to its total assets (Holtzman, 2013). The ratio is derived from the net profit or loss and the total assets. A high return on assets ration values means that the business realizes more profits from its assets. The value thus indicates how the management make use of the companys assets to generate revenue (Jiambalvo, 2010). The return on equity makes a comparison between the net income and the stockholders equity (Warren, Reeve, Duchac, 2014). The ratio is thus a measure of the profits that an investment from the shareholders has the potential to generate. This ratio is derived by finding the quotient between the net income and the average stockholder equity (Rich, Jones, Heitger, Mowen, Hansen, 2012). High values of ROA are preferred because they underline how management utilizes the stakeholders investments to create more income (Warren, et al., 2014). On comparison, Qantas Airways Limited is more likely to generate better returns as compared to Virgin Australia Limited because the former has performed better. Financial Strength Analysis This method analyzes the business capabilities of paying its long-term and short-term debts (Jiambalvo, 2010). The table below compares the financial strengths of Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia Limited. 2016 2015 2014 Debt to Equity Ratio Qantas Virgin Australia 4.13 4.11 4.09 4.01 3.98 3.95 Debt Ratio Qantas Virgin Australia 0.80 0.98 0.80 0.96 0.81 0.95 Return on Equity (%) Qantas Virgin Australia 4.98 3.32 4.89 3.14 4.67 2.85 Table 2: Financial strength analysis for the past 3-year period The debt to equity ratio represents a companys financing in relation to its creditors and investors. When this ratio is high, it implies that much of the business finance comes from the creditors (bank loans) and not from the shareholders (Holtzman, 2013). The debt to equity ratio is determined from the total liabilities and the shareholders equity by finding their quotient (Holtzman, 2013). Lower values of this ratio are preferred since they indicate less risk in investing into the company (Maher, Stickney, Weil, 2012). The debt ratio measures the level of debt or the liabilities of the business with respect to the total assets (Maher, Stickney, Weil, 2012). It is determined by finding the quotient of the total debt incurred and the total assets of the company. The ratio measures of the quantity of debt that is being financed by the assets owned by the company. The total debt refers to both long-term and short-term debt. A comparison of the ROE value between the two companies shows that investment into Qantas Airways is more likely to generate better returns as compared to investing into Virgin Australia because the former has a higher value. Management Efficiency Analysis Management of efficiency analysis determines how efficient a manager is (Jiambalvo, 2010). To perform the analysis the ROE, fixed asset turnover, and total asset turnover were used for this case. The analysis from the two companies is broken down in the table below. 2015 2014 2013 Asset turnover ratio Qantas Virgin Australia 4.68 3.98 3.13 4.07 2.85 4.13 Return on Equity (%) Qantas Virgin Australia 4.98 3.32 4.89 3.14 4.67 2.85 Total Asset Turnover Qantas Virgin Australia 0.96 0.62 0.89 0.61 0.83 0.57 Table 3: Management efficiency analysis A high total asset turnover figure demonstrates how the company can generate sales despite having limited fixed assets. A low ratio, on the other hand, may indicate that the business has many fixed assets or it needs to rejuvenate its sales (Rich, Jones, Heitger, Mowen, Hansen, 2012). The total assets and net sales are used to determine the ratio. The asset turnover evaluates a business efficiency when it utilizes its assets to create revenue. The sales are analyzed with respect to the assets (Warren, et al., 2014). If the companies were to generate more revenue from very few assets, it will indicate their efficiency at managing their assets (Warren, Reeve, Duchac, 2014). Recommendations Not much research has been documented on the financial risk exposures affecting the aviation industry. However, the fundamental analysis carried out with respect to Qantas Airways Limited and Virgin Australia Limited is sufficient to determine the financial performance of the two companies and the state of the aviation sector in the transportation industry. The financial risks under study: the exchange rate exposure, fuel price risk, and the foreign currency all play a crucial role in the value of a companys stock in this particular industry. The financial analysis helped to underline individual financial performance of the companies. Qantas Airways performed better than Virgin Australia as it had higher values in various ratios. While the company recorded a net profit of $1.54 billion, Virgin Australia managed $41 million in profits. References List Baker, K. Filbeck, G., 2015. Investment Risk Management. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Berghfer, B. Lucey, B., 2014. Fuel hedging, operational hedging and risk exposure Evidence from the global airline industry. International Review of Financial Analysis, Volume 34, pp. 124-139. Chew, D. H., 2008. Corporate Risk Management. New York: Columbia University Press. Holtzman, M. P., 2013. Managerial Accounting For Dummies. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Jiambalvo, J., 2010. Managerial Accounting. New York: John Wiley Sons. Jorge, M. J. d. S. Augusto, M. A. G., 2011. Financial risk exposures and risk management: evidence from european nonfinancial firms. RAM. Revista de Administrao Mackenzie, volume 12 issue 5, pp. 65-97. Krause, T. A. Tse, Y., 2016. Risk management and firm value: recent theory and evidence. International Journal of Accounting Information Management, volume 24 no. 1, pp. 56-81. Laux, P. A., Yan, H. Zhang, C., 2015. Cost, risk-taking, and value in the airline industry, Delaware: s.n. Lee, C.-H. Hooy, C.-W., 2012. Determinants of systematic financial risk exposures of airlines in North America, urope and Asia. Journal of Air Transport Management, Volume 24, pp. 31-35. Lima, S. H. Hong, Y., 2014. Fuel hedging and airline operating costs. Journal of Air Transport Management, Volume 36, pp. 33-40. Loudon, G. F., 2004. Financial Risk Exposures in the Airline Industry: Evidence from Australia and New Zealand. Australian Journal of Management, 29(2), pp. 295-316. Maher, M. W., Stickney, C. P. Weil, R. L., 2012. Managerial Accounting: An Introduction to Concepts, Methods and Uses. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Marta, T. Brusuelas, J., 2009. Forex analysis and trading : Effective top-down strategies combining fundamental, position, and technical analyses. New York: Bloomberg Press. Murphy, J. J., 2013. Intermarket analysis : profiting from global market relationships. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Poitras, G., 2013. Commodity Risk Management: Theory and Application. New York, NY: Routledge. Rich, J. et al., 2012. Cornerstones of Financial and Managerial Accounting. Mason, OH: Cengage Brain. Treanor, S. D., Simkins, B. J., Rogers, D. A. Carter, D. A., 2014. Does Operational and Financial Hedging Reduce Exposure? Evidence from the U.S. Airline Industry. The Finanical Review, 49(1), pp. 149-172. Warren, C. S., Reeve, J. M. Duchac, J., 2014. Financial Managerial Accounting. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Yasmin-Yashodha, Hamid, B. A. Habibullah, M. S., 2016. Financial risk exposures of the airlines industry: Evidence from Cathay Pacific Airways and China Airlines. International Journal of Business and Society, 17(2), pp. 221-244.

Students Need To Be Able To Learn How To Become Effective Problem Solv

Students need to be able to learn how to become effective problem solvers. They should be able to identify problems, evaluate those problems and then decipher a way to transfer their learning to those problems in a way that will bring about a solution. If a student is able to perform in a problem solving situation a meaningful learning should then occur because he has constructed an interpretation of how things work using preexisting structured. This is the theory behind Constructivism. By creating a personal interpretation of external ideas and experiances, constructivism allows students the ability to understand how ideas can relate to each other and preexisting knowledge. A teacher must then recognize the importance of the cognative and social approaches for learning and teaching so that she may aid the students' development in constructivist learning. Both approaches are valuable because one will emphasize the role of cognative processes and the other will emphasize culture and social interaction in the role of meaningful learning. One, however, may wonder how to go about enforcing these approaches. One method is through scaffolding, providing a student with sufficient information to be able to complete a task on his own or, to present a gradual decrease in the amount of help availible allowing the student the capacity to work independantly. Situated learning will present the student with a set of learning tasks placed in realistic contexts. This will include the abilities to use knowledge in a functioning learning approach and acquiring inert knowledge based on the learning of isolated facts in limited conditions. Lastly, students should, through the use of multiple perspectives, be able to view problems and ideas. These ideas presented will then be able to shed light on the nature of problem solving. There are three most common types of problems, the first being well-structured problems. Well-structured problems are ones clearly stated with known solution procedures and evaluation standards; an example being a mathamatical process. Another type of problem are those that are ill-structured; they are stated vaguely, have unclear solution procedures, and vague standards of evalalution. The third type, issue problems, are ill-structured problems that will arrouse srtong feelings in the students. The first step in helping students become adaquate problems solvers is assuring they realize that a problem does exist. Once a problem is identifiedm students should be expected to understand the nature of the problem. The next logical step would then be for those students to compile all relevant information to their problem allowing them to formulate and carry out a solution. Lastly, the students would th en be required to evaluate their solutions working out the imperfections, clarifying the results. Problem solving is a very necessary abilty for a student which will, in a way, garuntee his future abilty to transfer knowledge. The student needs a firm base understanding of the problem solving concepts to induce a positive transfer of his later ideas. He should be able to recognize the need for different problem solving techniques and how to relate and separate theories in his knowledge. The teacher should be able to present the starting grounds to enable her students a method of producing the solutions to their problems. Bibliography Snowman, J., & Biehler, R. (2000). Psychology Applied to Teaching (9th edition) Boston, MA: Houghton Miflin Company.

Trip and Foreign Country free essay sample

Why is travelling considered such an enriching experience? 15. What are some of the most interesting roads in the world to travel on? 16. What facts about India do foreigners not believe until they come to India 17. What are some different walk/ don’t walk signals around the world? 18. Where are the world’s greatest coastlines? 19. Top 10 places to visit before you die? 20. Where can I get information about Space Available travel? 21. If you could travel anywhere in the world in 2013, where would it be and why? 22. What’s the best method of getting over jetlag? 23. What are some little known or not so famous but must see place in Hanoi? 24. Why do high and hotels insist on charging for Wifi service or â€Å"resort fees†? 25. What citizenship does a child have if they are born on an international flight? 26. If you had one week to visit France, what would you do? 27. What blend of websites and apps do you use while travelling? 28. We will write a custom essay sample on Trip and Foreign Country or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Tell us about the special food in the USA you like most.? 29. What are different things between cultures in the USA and Vietnam? C. Reference articles: [Nhung]: Today I want to tell you about one of my hobby that is traveling. I have heard much about the beauty of the East as well as the West. In short, the whole world seems to be full of beautiful places. The country that I would like to visit, however, is the United States of America. My knowledge of the USA is only derived from media such as TV, internet, book, †¦ In my imagine, the USA is a beautiful country with many famous landscape such as Hollywood, Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, †¦ They are interesting places that everyone want to visit. As you know, the USA is a vast country with a mixed population. Many people from different lands have come and settled here. The exchange of ideas among the people of so many racial origins here has contributed greatly to the progress and prosperity of the nation. There are world famous scientists, doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers and politicians whose original homes were in many different lands. This mixture of different races of people with different customs, religions, cultures have created a nation unique in history. I really like learning about new cultures in the world. So, I think the USA is a perfect place for me. Moreover, the USA is famous for modern lifestyles, high technology and sky-scrapers. I only have seen them in films. I also was attracted by the roads, the food and the cinemas there. They maybe said to be the best in the world. Someday, I want to see the things that I have ever heard about the USA actually. Well, as you know, if one travels across the land, one will find different kinds of scenery in different places. Further, as the people here still follow their original customs and traditions, one will also have the feeling that one is passing through many different countries. In general, such a country must be a wonderful land, and it is for this reason that I would like to visit this country some day. Huong Anh]: 1. Do you like travelling? Yes, I do. Travelling is one of my hobbies because I want to broaden my knowledge about the cultures of all countries in the world. Travelling really helps me relax after long time studying at school. One more thing is that I’d like to make many new friends all over the world. 2. Have you been to a foreign country? Yes, actually 2. I’ve been t o Hungary and Russia. When I was very young, about 18 months old, I used to travel to Hungary with my family for 3 years. Then when I was in grade 6, my mother and I came to Russia to visit my father. Hungary and Russia are both beautiful countries. 3. Can you tell me about some places in VN that you have visited Sure, as you know, VN has many famous places such as: Ha Long Bay, Sa Pa, Da Lat, Da Nang, Hue, Hoi An†¦ But the most impressive to me is Nha Trang. Nha Trang has many clean beaches with soft sand and fresh air. If you have come to NT, you will know that we can see the fish in the water so swimming at NT beach is wonderful. Besides that, I’ve visited Ha Long Bay – one of seven wonders in the the world. 4. Who do you usually go with when travelling? I often go with my family. But sometimes I just go with my mother to HL Bay, Do Son beach in Hai Phong†¦ Besides that, I go with my classmates on one-day trip. 5. How often do you or your famile travel in a year? Well, we often travel about once or twice a year on summer vacation. Because my parents have to work everyday and I am busy with the academic at school so we don’t have much time travelling. 6. Tell us about a memory about travelling that you remember most Well, I still remember the trip 2 weeks before I went with my K39 to Ninh Binh. I have to say that It’s an amazing trip. Especially when we went boating, each boat had 5 people. We saw many caves and sang many songs. And my boat was the first to the destiniation. That was really an unforgetable time 7. If you can travel to a place, which country will you choose? Oh there are many places I want to visit. But In my opinion, I will choose Dutch. As you know, Dutch is the world of the flowers and I love flowers. In addtion to this, it is also a peaceful country with friendly people and the windmills. I’ve never seen the windmills in reality so if I have chance to go there, I will see the windmills first. 8. Do you want to get a job relevant to travelling in the future? Actually, my major is international economics but I really want to apply for a job relevant to travelling. Firsly, a foreign country is a very professional environment to work so I can improve my skills in language as well as in communication. One more thing is that the facilities are very modern so that it will be easier for us to work efficiently. 9. Do you want to spend the rest of your life in another country? The answer is yes, as long as I can go with my family. I want to be in Europe because the I ‘d like to see the snow in winter and I love the weather in summer. I also like Europe food and drink. So if I can, I will choose Dutch or Italia 10. Are you planning on going anywhere for your next vacation? Ofcourse, I have never been to Da Nang so I am planning to go there. Da Nang has many beautiful beaches and specialities. Especially, I ‘d like to visit Ba Na Hill . People say that the air is very fresh and the weather is also cool so we ‘ ll fell comfortable and relaxed here 11. What do you often prepare before travelling somewhere? repare but in my opinion Money and Knowledge are the most important. The first one is the money. You have to bring quite a lot of money, especially when going to a foreign country because we need to buy many items such as: clothes, souvenirs, food†¦. The second is your knowledge about your place’s culture. This is very necessary because the culture in our place is different from the culture in others 12. How do you go on short-day travelling or long-day travelling? On short-day travelling, we can choose many transports like: car, coach, train, ship†¦ so it will be more economical. But if we travel for many days ( over 7 ), we can choose airplane. 13. Do you think it is a good idea to travel alone? I think it is a good iead because it makes us more independent when deciding to do something. It also help us have more experiences in comunicating with people or be more confident of ourself. 14. If you have a chance to visit the USA, who do you want to go with? If I have a chance to visit the USA, I want to go with my best friend. I think we are have the same interests and ideas. We will have a plan to have a trip together and it must be a good and memorable time. 15. To plan for your trip to the USA, what should you prepare? I should prepare many things. Firstly, money is the most important. As you know, the USA is very expensive. I will save much money for my trip. Secondly, I should find information about the city or places in the USA that I want to visit. The cultures in the USA are very different from the cultures in Vietnam. Finally, I have to improve my knowledge of English and communication skills. 18. Which places would you like to visit in the USA most? In the USA, I would like to visit Hollywood most. It is a famous place with many beautiful landscapes, famous actresses, actors, director, †¦ If I have an opportunity come to Hollywood, I will meet some famous people who maybe my idols or someone else.

Physics Practical; Comparing and improving two rainfall gauge experiments Essay Example

Physics Practical; Comparing and improving two rainfall gauge experiments Essay Example Physics Practical; Comparing and improving two rainfall gauge experiments Essay Physics Practical; Comparing and improving two rainfall gauge experiments Essay The aim of this experiment is to test and improve an existing rainfall measuring experiment using a potential divider. I have done this by modifying the equipment I use; this has given me a better resolution and more linear results. Apparatus For the first unimproved experiment * 5 volt Dc power supply * Rotary potentiometer * Float * Voltmeter * Beaker * Metal rods * Blue tack * Clamp stand * Ruler For the second experiment; * 5 volt DC power supply * Rotary potentiometer * Clamp stand * Arm with joint * Volt meter * Beaker * Float * Ruler Safety If the water is spilt then it must be mopped up. The beaker might break if it falls on the floor therefore all equipment must be kept away from the edge of the table. The rotary potential divider must be secured in a clamp stand. This must be held tightly so that it will not fall on the table as this would damage both he table and the rotary potential divider. Diagram of Experiment 1 Diagram of Experiment 2 Theory A rotary potentiometer has a primary use in fuel gauges in cars however it is also useful in rain detectors or robot arm sensors. It works because, when a 5 volt current is passed through the two potential divider connections and the rotary arm if fully opened up the full current will pass through. However if the arm closes slightly a different output voltage is given. Therefore to measure an amount of liquid in and area the voltage is measured by a voltmeter. The voltmeter must be set across the rotary potentiometer to gain clear results. Method For the first experiment, the rotary potentiometer was connected to the power supply. After this, I connected a voltmeter to measure the voltage across the rotary potentiometer. The rotary potentiometer is then firmly attached to a clamp and stand so as not to fall out on to the table. Then I fixed a metal rod to a right angle of the potential divider from the moving spindle at the centre of the rotary potentiometer, as this moved the out put voltage changed. From this right-angled rod, another rod was attached at an angle of 90à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ downwards. The rods where joined together by blue tack. This downwards rod was connected to a float, which was a ping-pong ball. Assembled it is the immersed into a beaker where the water was added and the out put voltage is to be measured. For the second experiment, I did the same this made my experiment fair. However, I altered the arm, this enabled the arm to rotate more smoothly also I used a larger container for the experiment. Therefore, the float would not constantly hit the sides. In addition, I used a polystyrene float this floated better than a ping-pong ball. All output voltage will be measured in à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m on the voltmeter. Also not only as I add a set increasing ml of water must I measure the output voltage I must measure how much the water level for each addition of 100ml of water has increased. Once I have this result I can calculate the average resolution for my sensor Problems For the second experiment there where minimal errors, due to the fact the aim of the second experiment was to eliminate errors from the first experiment. For the first experiment, the beaker was the wrong shape for the task. This meant that as the arm was elevated when the water started to fill the beaker the float encountered the sides and therefore giving anomalous results. To stop this from happening in the second experiment I used a larger beaker. This stopped the arm and float from hitting the side. The change in beaker shape would have affected the results for the two experiments; therefore, I used a beaker that gave enough clearance however, it was very similar to the first beaker this meant my results would not be affected by a large amount. I measured this out put voltage difference between the two beakers and compensated for it in the results from my second experiment therefore giving accurate results. Also in the first experiment the rods where joined by using two rods at 90à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ through the rotary potentiometers spindle. Alternatively, though this measured the level of water accurately, it gave no give in the joint between the two arms, this allowed the float to hit the sides and give me anomalous results. To stop this from happening in the second experiment I used an arm that had been professionally made this meant that it gave accurate results because it would be at a constant angle of 70à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, and did not twist or hit the side. The two arms where attached between the 70à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ angle with two plastic disks these where on a pivot to allow the arms freedom to move from left to right of each other however it would not spin in the opposite direction. This spin would give the anomalous results. For the first experiment, the ping-pong ball also caused problems. When water was added to the container the ball did not rise this was because it had holes in the surface and therefore filled with water. To stop this occurring I changed the b all. In the second experiment, I changed the ball to a polystyrene ball, I did this because polystyrene floats better than a PVC ball, and this gave my results for the second experiment an extra degree of accuracy. The second experiment also had fewer problems as it was an improved experiment. At first when I set, the second experiment up the potential divider was faulty therefore; I had to change this for a different rotary potential divider. In addition, my first selected beaker for the second experiment also made the float hit the side and gave me faulty readings this meant I had to change for a slightly larger beaker. Results Results for the first unmodified experiment; voltage output/à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m (+/-0.001V) Rainfall/ml v-out v-out v-out Average output 0 119.5 135.6 124.2 126.4 400 115.2 110.6 120.5 115.4 500 105.6 95.6 103.0 101.4 600 78.0 85.4 83.2 82.2 700 56.2 54.2 51.3 53.9 800 28.1 34.2 31.9 31.3 900 7.9 6.2 9.7 7.9 1000 2.0 0.5 1.1 1.2 Resolution 3mm Results for the second (modified) experiment; voltage output/à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m (+/-0.001V) Rainfall/ml v-out v-out v-out v-out v-out Average output 0 129.4 130.0 132.0 130.8 130.3 130.0 400 117.9 121.7 122.0 120.5 119.6 120.0 500 115.3 110.7 111.9 113.2 114.3 113.4 600 82.5 83.1 81.9 83.1 83.0 82.5 700 60.0 57.5 58.6 59.7 60.7 59.6 800 30.1 29.7 32.1 30.22 27.9 30.8 900 10.5 8.9 9.5 9.6 10.1 9.8 1000 0.9 1.01 0.8 1.03 1.01 1.01 Resolution 2.5mmThese results provide me with the evidence I need to compose graphs and to draw a conclusion. Analysis of my results The second experiment also had fewer errors as it was an improved experiment. At first when I set, the second experiment up the potential divider was faulty therefore; I had to change this for a different rotary potential divider. In addition, my first selected beaker for the second experiment also made the float hit the side and gave me faulty readings this meant I had to change for a slightly larger beaker and recalculate the difference in volt output per measure meant taken. The resolution of the second experiment was around about 3mm this was adequate for measuring rainwater as it normal rains more than 3mm in 1 day. However, I increased the resolution of the rainfall detector by 0.5mm. This shows that these small changes have improved my experiment. The graph for the first experiment is linear, despite this there are some anomalous results for example 900mm, which gave an average volt output, of 0.00079v. This could have been down to a number factor such as parallax error of measuring the water level or taking the reading during a fluctuation of the voltmeter. The results for my second experiment are obviously more accurate when plotted on a graph. This is because on the first graph there are five results that do not fit onto the trend line, however my improved experiments graphical results show that the results are more closely suited to a linear trend line. This is because of the improvements in equipment that was used also more accuracy which means less parallax error. Parallax error is human error of measurement. Evaluation The aim of the experiment was to improve an existing experiment to measure the rainfall by using a rotary potentiometer. The results that I have collected and displayed on the graph show that I have increased the accuracy of the results. The new results form an increased correlation on a trend line. In addition, the resolution of my experiment has increased by 0.5mm of water this is very impressive as I thought at the start of this experiment that the resolution would of remained the same. Also if this was to be made into a really rain measuring gauge it would be easier to keep outside and not have to monitor constantly. This is because of the alterations I have made. Before if the first experiment were left for 24 hours the float would have hit the side if it floated at all, and there would have had to be 3mm of rain for a clear reading to be taken. With the improved experiment, it could now be left outside, because the new arm joint allows the arm movement and to measure at a constant angle however, it will not hit the side of the beaker, only 2.5mm of rain would have to fall for a reading to be take n and the ball is assured to float. If I was to improve the experiment further, I would use a resistance box, and a power supply that gave a constant 5 volts instead of a power supply that gave a fluctuating 5 volts, I would also use a more sensitive voltmeter. A resistance box would not increase the resolution however; it would increase the strength of the signal to the voltmeter and therefore giving a better reading. If I were to use a fixed 5 volt, power supply it would give me a constant 5 volts instead of fluctuating around 5 volts this would also improve my voltmeter readings and linearity of my graph. If I was to use a more sensitive voltmeter I could increase the accuracy of my results by 1 decimal place this although would not improve my results it would make them easier to anomalies and then I would be able to find a more affective way of stopping the anomalous results.

Cause and effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cause and effect - Essay Example The party went on until after midnight and with increasing time, he drank even more. By the time the party was over, he was heavily intoxicated and was not even in the state to drive. But he did not have any other option and he had to drive himself. He was not in a very conscious and alert state and did not realize when he crossed the speed limits. He was stopped by the police and they analyzed his level of alcohol which was way above the normal limits. They not only fined him but he was also taken to the police station where he was jailed. His act of carelessness made him land in this trouble. It was a very difficult situation for my friend. He was not only caught by the law enforcement personnel but his parents also got really worried about his whereabouts. They were very disappointed with his act and he also found himself in a very embarrassing position and could not face them. If he would have been careful and would not have consumed excessive alcohol he could have saved himself from this occurrence.

Reasons to Drill Off Shore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Reasons to Drill Off Shore - Essay Example In other words, global economy is inversely proportional to oil prices. When oil price increases, global economy declines and when the oil price decreases global economy achieves growth. American economy also follows the same path as the global economy does. A world without oil fuel is unimaginable at present. Even though we have many other energy sources, none of them are capable of replacing oil. Even though nobody has any doubt about the utility or essentiality of oil in sustaining human life in its present form, some people argues against offshore drilling citing environmental reasons. At the time of crude oil purification and also at the time of operating vehicles, oil liberates so many greenhouse gases like oxides of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, methane etc. Daniel et al (2006) have mentioned that â€Å"between 1976 and 1990, oil companies in Nigeria witnessed a total of 2,796 oil spills. An estimated total quantity of 2,105,393 barrels of oil was spilled on land, coastal and off shore marine environments† (Daniel et al, 2006, p.111). Amidst all such criticisms labeled against offshore drilling, it is a fact that the no other energy sources are capable of substituting oil. In other words, offshore drilling should be continued in its present form until we would be able to find out alternate energy sources to replace oil. â€Å"The United States consumes nearly one-fourth of the world's oil. The big discoveries are happening offshore, says Robert Bryce, managing editor of Energy Tribune† (Jervis et al, 2008). The above statistics and opinion clearly point towards the necessities of offshore drilling. It is difficult for United States to replace oil with another energy source at present because of the huge dependence of America on oil fuels. America is producing only 10% of its total oil needs, which means around 90% of oil required for its domestic usage, is being imported from overseas countries. It is difficult for America like big country to re ly heavily on other countries for energy needs. â€Å"Unfortunately, because of dumb luck, most of the world’s petroleum is controlled by nations that are unfriendly to the United States. Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran were three of the top five producers of petroleum in 2007† (Column: Offshore Drilling Not Hoax, But Necessity To United States, 2009). Arab countries, Russia and China are the major oil producers in the world and America’s relations with these countries are not so good. Under such circumstances, if these countries decide to stop oil supply to America, energy crisis may intensify in America. Under such circumstances, it is necessary for America to increase offshore drilling to find out more oil sources. As Robert Bryce says, the possibility of big discoveries cannot be ruled out in offshore drilling. It should be noted that the entire faces of gulf countries have been changed immensely as result of the discovery of oil sources in those countries. Th e living standards of the people in gulf countries improved a lot as a result of the oil discovery. Such dramatic things can happen in America also and therefore oil drilling or offshore drilling should be continued even though criticisms are there. The following statistics from Louisiana reveals the importance of offshore drilling further. Louisiana has had offshore drilling since 1947. About 172 active rigs dot the Gulf of Mexico waters off the coast, producing about 79% of the oil and 72% of the natural gas that comes from drilling off the nation's

Enrichment Units Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Enrichment Units - Assignment Example student benefit from all the units, it is fundamental to begin by teaching CCSS: MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.B.4, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.C.5, CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.1, and CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.2 in that order. CCSS: MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.B.4 is an important enrichment unit to every student. It mainly deals with operations and algebraic thinking and focuses on gain familiarity and multiples. I chose this because it deepens my understanding of factors and multiples of whole numbers. For instance in solving mathematical puzzles. The combination of math learning with movement gives me multiple ways to engage my brain for instance Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and to cement the learning. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.C.5 5 enables me to generate and analyze patterns. This involves generating a number or shape pattern that follows a given rule. For instance it helped me solve number sequence and series mathematical problems. I also chose CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.1 because it helped me to learn how to apply the concepts of integer exponents to give equivalent numerical expressions. This will simplify my work when working out complicated mathematical problems. This rules will also help me know how to handle exponents for instance when multiplying variables with same base, the two exponents are added. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.EE.A.2 is appropriate when it comes to learning root and cube roots. It also shows students that perfect squares and perfect cubes are integers that result from the squaring or cubing of another integer. It is important for students also to understand that they can find the square root of any positive number and zero. Its also crucial that students know the variation between rational and irrational numbers In conclusion, all the Common Core Standards are important in enrichment units. As seen above, students are advised to learn these units to enable them have a better understanding of the other units ahead. However, this website