Strontium Facts (Atomic Number 38 or Sr)

Strontium is a yellowish-white alkaline earth metal with atomic number 38 and element symbol Sr. The element is known for producing red flames in fireworks and emergency flares and for its radioactive isotope that is found in nuclear fallout. Here is a collection of strontium element facts. Fast Facts: Strontium Element Name: StrontiumElement Symbol: SrAtomic Number: 38Appearance: Silvery-white metal that oxidizes to pale yellowGroup: Group 2 (Alkaline Earth Metal)Period: Period 5Atomic Weight: 87.62Electron Configuration: [Kr] 5s2Discovery: A. Crawford 1790 (Scotland); Davey isolated strontium by electrolysis in 1808Word Origin: Strontian, a town in Scotland Strontium  Basic Facts There are 20 known isotopes of strontium, 4 stable and 16 unstable. Natural strontium is a mixture of the 4 stable isotopes. Properties: Strontium is softer than calcium and decomposes more vigorously in water. Finely divided strontium metal ignites spontaneously in air. Strontium is a silvery metal, but it rapidly oxidizes to a yellowish color. Because of its propensity for oxidation and ignition, strontium is typically stored under kerosene. Strontium salts color flames crimson and are used in fireworks and flares. Uses: Strontium-90 is used in Systems for Nuclear Auxilliary Power (SNAP) devices. Strontium is used in producing glass for color television picture tubes. It is also used to produce ferrite magnets and to refine zinc. Strontium titanate is very soft but has an extremely high refractive index and an optical dispersion greater than that of diamond. Element Classification: Alkaline earth metal Biological Role: Radiolarian protozoa belonging to the group Acantharea make their skeletons of strontium sulfate. In vertebrates, strontium replaces a small amount of calcium in skeletons. In humans, absorbed strontium is primarily deposited in bones. In adults, the element only attaches to bone surfaces, while it can replace calcium in growing bones of children, potentially leading to growth problems. Strontium ranelate can increase bone density and reduce the incidence of fractures, but it also increases the risk of cardiovascular problems. Topically applied strontium inhibits sensory irritation. It is used in some toothpastes to reduce sensitivity. While stable strontium isotopes present no significant health threat, the radioisotope strontium-90 is considered dangerous. Like the stable isotopes, it is absorbed into bones. However, it undergoes beta-minus decay and thus poses a radiation hazard. Strontium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 2.54Melting Point (K): 1042Boiling Point (K): 1657Appearance: Silvery, malleable metalAtomic Radius (pm): 215Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 33.7Covalent Radius (pm): 191Ionic Radius: 112 (2e)Specific Heat (20 °C J/g mol): 0.301Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 9.20Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 144Pauling Negativity Number: 0.95First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 549.0Oxidation States: 2Lattice Structure: Face-Centered Cubic Sources Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-08-037941-9.Lide, D. R., ed. (2005). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (86th ed.). Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-0486-5.Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4.

Social Status in Great Expectations - 1198 Words

Social and financial status play a big role in our environment today. The wealthy tend to get more recognition for having more money and the lower class tend to get a bad reputation of being uneducated people who have no rights as citizens. Social status in a large town relates to how well people treat a person and see them as they represent themselves throughout the community. In the book Great Expectations, Charles Dickens explains wealth and popularity in the 1800 s as a key factor of life. He allows the reader to see how important it is to be in the upper class, but he also makes the reader realize that whether being wealthy or poor that certain person is always judged in their life and sometimes being judged can ruin who they†¦show more content†¦He is finally realizing that money doesn t buy everything in this world and one day wealth can rule his life and purchase anything that his heart desires, but in the end he ll always be the boy who is broke. Miss Havisham w as a very wealthy woman. Her money was earned by the family brewery they owned. In this book, Miss Havisham has power over everyone that stands before her. Miss Havisham keeps Estella and wants to perfect her and make her into a young lady. She thinks she can because she has become a woman of money, but Estella doesn t play into her games and makes her own living with Drummle. At this point Miss Havisham begins to realize she can not control everything she wishes she could. Miss Havisham tries to control Pip and seduce him into the thoughts of being with Estella forever. She uses her power and reign as the woman in charge of his love life and allows him to believe Estella is the one for him. Although she has money, Pip finds out she black mailed him and she only could do what she did because she was a wealthy woman. On page 334 Pip says, But when I fell into the mistake I have so long remained in, at least you lead me on? Miss Havisham replied, Yes, I let you on. She all owed Pip to fall for Estella and make him believe he was chosen for her. Through all of this she realized that even withShow MoreRelatedEssay on Happiness and Social Status in Great Expectations1520 Words   |  7 PagesCharles Dickens uses his own opinions to develop the larger-than-life characters in Great Expectations. The novel is written from the point of view of the protagonist, Pip. Pip guides the reader through his life, describing the different stages from childhood to manhood. Many judgments are made regarding the other characters, and Pips views of them are constantly changing according to his place in the social hierarchy. For instance, Pip feels total admiration that, later, turns to total shameRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1375 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr Ripley by Anthony Minghella present similar criticisms of society to a large extent. 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The Role That the HR Strategist Plays in an Organisation

Questions: Post no.1 The role that the HR strategist plays in an organisation can vary due to the different models that companies apply when connecting HR to strategy. Most companies agree that it is thepeople that make the organisation(Persaud 2014), which demonstrates just how important the role of the HR strategist is. The competencies and skills expected of an HR strategist will be examined further, considering the varying roles that organisations expect HR to play. Strategy making is an analytical process that ascertains an appropriate future calculated path with coherent goals and objectives (Andersen and Minbeava 2013, p. 810). If applying the best-practice model, the HR strategist must be analytical in devising practices that are set to enhance performance. Such a model denotes that practices devised by the HR strategist are applicable to all organisations, regardless of market type or size. This would suggest that there is a generic set of competencies for this role that can be applied to any organisation. Some scholars would disagree with this, finding that varying cultures within different organisations will require different skills (Emanoil and Nicoleta 2013, p. 1529). For example, I have worked for one recruitment company called Retail Human Resources (RHR), which consisted of a handful of national branches. The HR strategist here would have been integrated with standard internal procedures. This company was very small, stagnant and fam ily-like. However, the last organisation that I worked for: Randstad, is an international organisation. One can imagine that the HR strategist would need to be headstrong and more adaptable, moving fast according to the different mergers, acquisitions and other frequent changes taking place. The best-fit approach suggests a need for the HR strategist to be up-to-date with elements both internal and external to the organisation. Many regard this as a more realistic approach to have when considering the skill set required. The success of the workforce and the organisation is reliant upon the culture, mindset, expertise and strategy. Therefore, the HR strategist needs to be incorporated into processes around these factors, morphing the action plan around these (ASHE Higher Education Report 2012, p. 43).This approach calls for an HR strategist to be integrated within the industry of the organisation, so as to maintain awareness of internal and external issues affecting employees. This model has been criticised for the fact that it is of a more static nature, not placing focus upon the changes that organisations are facing today. The resource-based view regards organisations as unique collection of assets, with people being the main focus. The HR strategist in this context would be expected to identify such assets and ensure that they are used to their full advantage, to ensure that the organisation maintains its competitive edge. They would need to be much more personable within the organisation so as to gauge the skills of employees and suggest where they are best allocated. Those who favour the best-fit approach regard the resource-based mindset as weaker, due to the fact that it is very internal and does not take into account the external environmental factors within HR strategy. Talent acquisition is a significant portion of the role of an HR strategist. Therefore, they must be able to combine their talent strategy with the business strategy of the organisation (Gochman and Storfer 2014, p. 25). HR decisions are often made based upon the past or present requirements of the organisation, but it is actually thefutureneeds of the company that need to be taken into account. Analytical and critical thinking are essential skills required. Leadership skills are vital, as all HR strategists will at some point have to consensus-build so as to argue a case for additional funding or headcount for certain departments. Communication and listening are of equal importance, as this role entails acknowledging feedback and making changes known. As there is more involvement in changes such as restructures to the business, management skills of a business nature are necessary (Mayhew 2015). With all of these aspects considered, an HR strategist needs to be approachable to all departments, so as to allow for honest and open communication regarding concerns and suggestions. They would need to recognise the relationship between their role and the success of the company (Buller and McEvoy 2012, p. 43). Todays fast-paced climate means that this job role would require an individual equipped in managing change, intervening where necessary to make necessary decisions. As opposed to many decades ago where HR was predominantly admin-based, a HR strategist would now need to be a strong decision-maker. Post no. 2 Changing trends in the business environment now depend on having adequate human capital to gain competitive advantage. More and more organizations are recognizing the need to develop their human resource departments to standards necessary for optimal performance and a key means of achieving organizational objectives that goes beyond setting policies and processes. HR strategists are therefore consulted to work with managers in creating the adequate human assets and strategies needed to do so. Certain skills and competencies are required of these HR strategists to enhance firm effectiveness and include the following: Personal qualities. The HR strategist need to be skilled enough to carry out tasks that center on developing HR strategies that will align with organizational strategies using HR logic, concepts, language and practices (Ramlall, 2006). Credibility, integrity, ethics, commitment, innovative, and taking initiatives for continuous growth and change are some of the attributes required (Schoonover, 2003). Leadership and management skills are critical to successful performances in strategy development (Schoonover, 2003). Understanding the business. Knowledge of the diverse social, economic and business practices amongst competitors being developed from specific business scenes can go a long way to assist HR strategists in integrating with organizational goals (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2010). This is an important competence necessary to create sustainable competitive advantage. By this, strategists can spend time with transformational HR activities that create value and affect the firms bottom line results such as on cost reduction and profit maximization, and less focus on transactional non value-added activities (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2010; Ramlall, 2006). Partnering with senior executives in strategy development and contribution, maintaining customer focus and employee advocacy enhances the business skills they need to become more effective in supporting firm capability and facing competition (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2010; Ramlall, 2006). Technology and Delivery. Technological competence will be required for HR strategists who find themselves in complex business settings. By this they can ensure HR processes center on ethical practices, talent management, information spread, virtual team outreach, employee support, customer intervention, and skills measurement are delivered organization-wide in order to endure competition (Ramlall, 2006; Schoonover, 2003). Research has also shown it is imperative that HR strategists develop higher technical competencies such as in accounting and marketing effective for strategy implementation and integration (Ramlall, 2006). HR measurement. As a core competence, strategists need to measure the impact of their contribution to the overall business process. Skills in performance management can help demonstrate the correlation between HR practices and the firms financial output, employee commitment, customer value plan and competitive advantage (Ramlall, 2006). This can also be a key to effective change management involving best practices needed to upgrade the firms profile (Schoonover, 2003). These skills and competencies provide great input into a firms strategy. However, results of Ramlalls research sand various others suggest that HR professionals and strategists still lack in some of these areas of competencies especially those related to technology. Technical competence has a strong relationship with strategic contribution necessary for a business success and this could be obtained from formal education, on-the-job training or the organization itself (Ramlall, 2006). It is now left to the HR strategist to determine the needs within the business environment and the means of obtaining these skills and competencies. Post no. 3 Hr Strategist. Human resource management does not exist in isolation, its practices are tailored towards ensuring the achievement of set goals and objectives of each given organization in which they operate. Modern day business environment dynamics and intense competition owing to the availability of information has influenced the general working of sectors in an organization. HRM is not left out, as such its activities has gone beyond providing, placement and managing of employees to include contributing to the competitive advantage of the organization by investing in quality human capital. HR strategy is built using three models (Pilbeam and Corbridge, 2010): best practices; which is the general or universal HR practices that yield a standardized outcome regardless of the organization or industry, best fit practices; suggests that there are practices that are business/organization specific and resource-based practices; which sees human resource as an essential resource to achieving competitive edge, growth and superior performance. The role of a HR strategist focus is on full participation in the business management team, designing and implementing strategic HR practices and system in other to build the organizations capacity, in addition manage HR practices and services at the point of delivery( Blancero, Boroski and Dyer, 1995). In their study, five unique competencies were identified in regards to customer awareness and ability to leverage on resources for goals accomplishment. Business strategy: provides the framework within which HR activities should be channeled. Human resource planning: this is to ensure the objectives of the firm are achieved through developing and implementing human resource strategy. Vision: establishes the underlining values of strategic HR practice choices. Organizational change: aims at synchronizing employees behavioral patterns into a wholesome move toward the organizations goal. Value creation: the ultimate achievement from aligning HR strategy and corporate strategy, ranging from customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, competitive advantage and improved performance. In conclusion, human resources can be viewed as a link that transforms corporate strategy into successful business performance. The fact still remains that organizational goals can be broken down in workable specific tasks to be carried out by competent employees and the moment employees understand what is expected of them with appropriate incentives and motivation, performance will improve. Researches have shown that various HR practices have individual specific outcomes which when combined could make the world of difference and provide an organization with an edge in a competitive environment. HR strategist connects the dots between business strategy and superior business performance by capitalizing on activities structured towards human resource; recruitment/selection, training/development, employee appraisal/compensation along the lines of increasing competitive advantagess. Anwers: Post 1 Customization and specialization according to the culture of the company should be a characteristic of an HR manager of a strategist. The skills and knowledge domain of HR specialist must be flexible with the company having people oriented approach for a clan cultured company and a leadership and result oriented approach for a market culture of the company. Company such as Google must have an HR strategic as employee oriented and a company such as Zappos should have an autocratic HR leader to manage the globalization. Post 2 The matter concerning the fact that HR strategist lack in technology related skills is a concern for the organizations moving towards agile methodologies. Technological skills must form a toolkit for the HR strategists so as to utilize tools and softwares available in the market and leverage its utilities in the development of the organization. HR strategist must be amalgamation of human resource skills and technological skills to become an all rounder in the business. Steve Jobs was a leader who was proficient in human resource skills to be able to motivate an entire generation and excellent in technical skills to innovative various products and services. Post 3 I go in complete agreement with the post talking about HR strategist being the catalyst for connecting the dots of business performance and strategies. HR strategist should be competent to inextricably intertwine the principles of human resource and use of technology. To grow up the line of bridge, HR strategists must claim 5% of their present work to put into valuable and strategic roles. They can leverage the technology and embrace the automation so as to equip the organization with right tools at right time having a bag full of trips and tricks. This post talks about five competencies that a HR strategist must possess which can be enhanced to plentiful of other skills that he must hold to climb up the ladder of success. References 1. Hartog, D. N., Verburg, R. M. (2004). High performance work systems, organisational culture and firm effectiveness.Human Resource Management Journal, 14(1), 55-78.2. Rao, M. S. (2013). Can HR leaders excel as company chief executive?.Human Resource Management International Digest, 21(5), 3-5.3. Sparrow, J. (2013). The five key roles of managers: how HR can build engagement that lasts.Strategic HR Review, 12(2), 83-88.

Tamed Shrews And Twelfth Nights The Role Of Women In Shakespeare Essa

Tamed Shrews and Twelfth Nights: The Role of Women In Shakespeare Tamed Shrews and Twelfth Nights: The Role of Women In Shakespeare It is curious to note the role of women in Shakespearean literature. Many critics have lambasted the female characters in his plays as two-dimensional and unrealistic portrayals of subservient women. Others have asserted that the roles of women in his plays were prominent for the time and culture that he lived in. That such contrasting views could be held in regards to the same topic is academic. It is only with close examination of his works that we are able to suppose his intent in creating characters that inspire so much controversy. Two works, Taming of the Shrew, and Twelfth Night, stand out particularly well in regards to Shakespeare's use of female characters. After examining these two plays, one will see that Shakespeare, though conforming to contemporary attitudes of women, circumvented them by creating resolute female characters with a strong sense of self. The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, and has weathered well into our modern era with adaptations into popular television series such as Moonlighting. For all the praises it has garnered throughout the centuries, it is curious to note that many have considered it to be one of his most controversial in his treatment of women. The "taming" of Katherine has been contended as being excessively cruel by many writers and critics of the modern era. George Bernard Shaw himself pressed for its banning during the 19th century (Peralta). The subservience of Katherine has been labeled as barbaric, antiquated, and generally demeaning. The play centers on her and her lack of suitors. It establishes in the first act her shrewish demeanor and its repercussions on her family. It is only with the introduction of the witty Petruchio as her suitor, that one begins to see an evolution in her character. Through an elaborate charade of humiliating behavior, Petruchio humbles her and by the end of the play, she will instruct other women on the nature of being a good and dutiful wife. In direct contrast to Shrew, is Twelfth Night, whose main female protagonist is by far the strongest character in the play. The main character Viola, has been stranded in a foreign land and adopts the identity of her brother so that she might live independently without a husband or guardian. She serves as a courtier to a young, lovesick nobleman named Orsino. Throughout the play she plays as a go-between for him to the woman he loves. In the course of her service, she falls in love with him. Only at the end, does she renounce her male identity and declares her love for him. Both plays portray female characters unwilling to accept the female role of passivity. Katherine rebels against this stereotype by becoming a "shrew", a violently tempered and belligerent woman. Viola disguises herself as a man for most of the play in order to preserve her state of free will. Katherine endures reprimands, chiding, and humiliation in the course of her chosen rebellion. Viola enjoys life and position as a man, and does not reveal who she is until the last scene of the play. Curiously enough, both women voluntarily accept the roles that society would impose on them again at the close of the plays. It is important to note though, that they freely resume these roles, and that they do so out of their own sense of self. For each woman, it is a personal choice based on their desires. In the case of Katherine, she realizes that propriety is as much a signature of self-respect as respect for others, and she has a husband whom she need prove nothing to because he already respects her. In the case of Viola, she is in love with the young Orsino. Having found the man she would be willing to wed, the pretense of her male identity is no longer necessary, as she desires to be his wife. Having seen the similarities between Viola and Katherine, one should take notice that they do have different circumstances regarding their behavior. The reason for Katherine's shrewish demeanor is never given in the play, though many directors have interpreted it as an act to discourage suitors, much like Hamlet's feigned madness. Others have attributed it to sibling rivalry between Katherine and her sister Bianca. In any case, no clear rationale is given to the audience as to the reason for Katherine's behavior. It is enough to say that the actions of her father and sister