Amalgam Definition and Uses

An amalgam is a type of alloy found in dentistry, mining, mirrors and other applications. Here is a look at an amalgams composition, uses, and the risks associated with use. Key Takeaways: Amalgam Simply put, an amalgam is an alloy of the element mercury.While mercury is a liquid element, amalgams tend to harden.Amalgams are use to make dental fillings, to bind to precious metals so they can be isolated later, and to produce mirror coatings.As with elements in other alloys, a small amount of mercury may be released by contact with an amalgam. Because mercury is toxic, amalgams may present health or environmental risks. Amalgam Definition An amalgam the name given to any alloy of mercury. Mercury forms alloys with almost all other metals, except iron, tungsten, tantalum, and platinum. Amalgams may occur naturally (e.g., arquerite, a natural amalgam of mercury and silver) or may be synthesized. Key uses of amalgams are in dentistry, gold extraction, and chemistry. Amalgamation (the formation of an amalgam) is usually an exothermic process that results in hexagonal or other structural forms. Amalgam Types and Uses Because the word amalgam already indicates the presence of mercury, amalgams are generally named according to the other metals in the alloy. Examples of important amalgams include: Dental Amalgam Dental amalgam is the name given to any amalgam used in dentistry. Amalgam is used as a restorative material (i.e., for fillings) because its fairly easy to shape once mixed, but hardens into a tough substance. Its also inexpensive. Most dental amalgam consists of mercury with silver. Other metals that may be used with or in place of silver include indium, copper, tin, and zinc. Traditionally, amalgam was stronger and longer-lasting than composite resins, but modern resins are more durable than they used to be and strong enough for use on teeth subject to wear, such as molars. There are disadvantages to using dental amalgam. Some people are allergic to the mercury or other elements in amalgam. According to Colgate, the American Dental Association (ADA) reports fewer than 100 cases of amalgam allergy have been reported, so its very rare. A more significant risk is posed by the release of small amounts of mercury vapor as the amalgam wears over time. This is primarily a concern for persons already exposed to mercury in daily life. Its recommended pregnant women avoid getting amalgam fillings. The ADA does not recommend getting existing amalgam fillings removed (unless they are worn or the tooth is damaged) because the removal process can damage existing healthy tissue and may result in the unnecessary release of mercury. When an amalgam filling is removed, a dentist uses suction to minimize mercury exposure and takes steps to prevent mercury from entering the plumbing. Silver and Gold Amalgam Mercury is used to recover silver and gold from their ores because the precious metals readily amalgamate (form an amalgam). There are different methods of using mercury with gold or silver, depending on the situation. In general, the ore is exposed to mercury and the heavy amalgam is recovered and processed to separate the mercury from the other metal. The patio process was developed in 1557 in Mexico to process silver ores, although silver amalgam is also used in the Washoe process and in panning for the metal. To extract gold, a slurry of crushed ore can be mixed with mercury or run across mercury-coated copper plates. A process called retorting separates the metals. Amalgam is heated in a distillation retort. The high vapor pressure of mercury allows for easy separation and recovery for re-use. Amalgam extraction has largely been replaced by other methods because of environmental concerns. Amalgam slugs may be found downstream of old mining operations to the present day. Retorting also released mercury in the form of vapor. Other Amalgams In the mid-19th century, tin amalgam was used as a reflective mirror coating for surfaces. Zinc amalgam is used in the Clemmensen Reduction for organic synthesis and the Jones reductor for analytical chemistry. Sodium amalgam is used as a reducing agent in chemistry. Aluminum amalgam is used to reduce imines to amines. Thallium amalgam is used in low temperature thermometers because it has a lower freezing point than pure mercury. Although normally considered a combination of metals, other substances may be considered amalgams. For example, ammonium amalgam (H3N-Hg-H), discovered by Humphry Davy and Jons Jakob Berzelius, is a substance that decomposes when it comes into contact with water or alcohol or in air at room temperature. The decomposition reaction forms ammonia, hydrogen gas, and mercury. Detecting Amalgam Because mercury salts dissolve in water to form toxic ions and compounds, its important to be able to detect the element in the environment. An amalgam probe is a piece of copper foil to which a nitric acid salt solution has been applied. If the probe is dipped in water that contains mercury ions, a copper amalgam forms on the foil and discolors it. Silver also reacts with copper to form spots, but they are easily rinsed away, while amalgam remains.

The Impact Of Pop Culture On The Music Industry - 1720 Words

The 1990’s was a stepping ground for the development of society as it is today. Through television, music, art and technology American social structures experienced huge changes. Gone were the days of the Huxtables where nuclear families displayed perfect, well put together families. 80’s music once filled with electric synthesizers and singers professing their love for their partners evolved into Hip Hop and Grunge music that discussed the grittiness of real life and the human struggle most people actually faced. As the decade passed pop culture continued to influence the youth culture with the help of artists such as Robert Wyland and Banksy who brought in a new enlightenment for the preservation of nature and social commentary of war and social injustices. In addition, with technological advancements and the mainstream use of cell phones, personal computers and the advent of the internet, the teens of the 1990’s began to pave the way towards a more global s ociety. Pop culture in the 1990’s had a strong presence in the development of the music industry as a whole; particularly the grunge and hip hop music industries. Shifting from the usual Pop music that once invaded the list of Top 40’s by artists such as Duran Duran and the Human League, music soon evolved into a darker, more introspective genre called Grunge. This style of music derived from Seattle, Washington in the late 1980’s but was not popularized until the early to mid-1990’s. Grunge music addressedShow MoreRelatedWhy Study Pop Music Essay1354 Words   |  6 PagesWhy Study Pop Music â€Å"Pop culture used to be all the stuff you had to wait for after school to enjoy. But these days, pop culture is just as likely to be the stuff you study in school† . In 1986 Michael Hannan establish a contemporary Popular Music program at Southern Cross University a trained classical pianist and musicologist he had previously worked in rock bands and for AC/DC’s publisher. Hannan recounts how in 2000 â€Å"at least 8 of the 37 universities in Australia are now offering degreesRead MoreThe Mafia s Influence On Hip Hop1603 Words   |  7 PagesThe Mafia’s influence on Hip-Hop In Rap, there is a unique culture, history, social impact and influence on society. Hip-Hop/Rap is one of the most popular genre of music. It has helped shape the pop culture into what it is today. What is popular culture? The ideas, activities or products, which are popular among the general mass. In today’s pop culture, one subject that is at the top of the list is hip-hop/rap. Hip-Hop music highlights verses consisting of slang and catchy phrases, which someRead MoreThe Impact Of Media On Korean Economic1651 Words   |  7 PagesImpact 7.1 Positive influences on Korean Economic After the success of H.O.T, government promoted a policy relating to spread the K-pop music to other countries. The government has acknowledged that the cultural products can be used as a way to benefit the country’s export sector. According to government estimates, a US$100 increase in the export of cultural products results in a US$412 increase in the export of other consumer goods (Tuk 2012, 12). On the other hand, the Ministry of Culture and TourismRead MoreConsequences of Popular Culture1060 Words   |  5 PagesConsequences of Popular Culture A Consequence can be defined as, Something that logically or naturally follows from an action or condition. In this matter we are referring to the consequences of Pop Culture towards violence. Violence in general has one meaning, an act of aggression. We will be examining three types of violence in our culture, Domestic violence, Youth violence, and of course Gun violence. We feel that all three of these types of violence have increased in today s society asRead MoreMichael Jackson Impact On Music770 Words   |  4 PagesKing of Pop. And he was right. 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Deception Point Page 99 Free Essays

Pickering sighed. â€Å"NASA, for all its flaws, must remain a government entity.† Certainly she can understand the dangers. We will write a custom essay sample on Deception Point Page 99 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Privatization would send NASA’s best minds and ideas flooding into the private sector. The brain trust would dissolve. The military would lose access. Private space companies looking to raise capital would start selling NASA patents and ideas to the highest bidders worldwide! Rachel’s voice was tremulous. â€Å"You faked the meteorite and killed innocent people†¦ in the name of national security?† â€Å"It was never supposed to happen like this,† Pickering said. â€Å"The plan was to save an important government agency. Killing was not part of it.† The meteorite deception, Pickering knew, like most intelligence proposals, had been the product of fear. Three years ago, in an effort to extend the NRO hydrophones into deeper water where they could not be touched by enemy saboteurs, Pickering spearheaded a program that utilized a newly developed NASA building material to secretly design an astonishingly durable submarine capable of carrying humans to the deepest regions of the ocean-including the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Forged from a revolutionary ceramic, this two-man submarine was designed from blueprints hacked from the computer of a California engineer named Graham Hawkes, a genius sub designer whose life dream was to build an ultra-deepwater submersible he called Deep Flight II. Hawkes was having trouble finding funding to build a prototype. Pickering, on the other hand, had an unlimited budget. Using the classified ceramic submersible, Pickering sent a covert team underwater to affix new hydrophones to the walls of the Mariana Trench, deeper than any enemy could possibly look. In the process of drilling, however, they uncovered geologic structures unlike any that scientists had ever seen. The discoveries included chondrules and fossils of several unknown species. Of course, because the NRO’s ability to dive this deep was classified, none of the information could ever be shared. It was not until recently, driven yet again by fear, that Pickering and his quiet team of NRO science advisers had decided to put their knowledge of the Mariana’s unique geology to work to help save NASA. Turning a Mariana rock into a meteorite had proven to be a deceptively simple task. Using an ECE slush-hydrogen engine, the NRO team charred the rock with a convincing fusion crust. Then, using a small payload sub, they had descended beneath the Milne Ice Shelf and inserted the charred rock up into the ice from beneath. Once the insertion shaft refroze, the rock looked like it had been there for over three hundred years. Unfortunately, as was often the case in the world of covert operations, the grandest of plans could be undone by the smallest of snags. Yesterday, the entire illusion had been shattered by a few bioluminescent plankton†¦ From the cockpit of the idling Kiowa, Delta-One watched the drama unfold before him. Rachel and Tolland appeared to be in clear control, although Delta-One almost had to laugh at the hollowness of the illusion. The machine gun in Tolland’s hands was worthless; even from here Delta-One could see the cocking bar assembly had kicked back, indicating the clip was empty. As Delta-One gazed out at his partner struggling in the Triton’s claws, he knew he had to hurry. The focus on deck had turned completely to Pickering, and now Delta-One could make his move. Leaving the rotors idling, he slipped out of the rear of the fuselage and, using the chopper for cover, made his way unseen onto the starboard gangway. With his own machine gun in hand, he headed for the bow. Pickering had given him specific orders before they landed on deck, and Delta-One had no intention of failing at this simple task. In a matter of minutes, he knew, this will all be over. 122 Still wearing his bathrobe, Zach Herney sat at his desk in the Oval Office, his head throbbing. The newest piece of the puzzle had just been revealed. Marjorie Tench is dead. Herney’s aides said they had information suggesting Tench had driven to the FDR Memorial for a private meeting with William Pickering. Now that Pickering was missing, the staff feared Pickering too might be dead. The President and Pickering had endured their battles lately. Months ago Herney learned that Pickering had engaged in illegal activity on Herney’s behalf in an attempt to save Herney’s floundering campaign. Employing NRO assets, Pickering had discreetly obtained enough dirt on Senator Sexton to sink his campaign-scandalous sexual photos of the senator with his aide Gabrielle Ashe, incriminating financial records proving Sexton was taking bribes from private space companies. Pickering anonymously sent all the evidence to Marjorie Tench, assuming the White House would use it wisely. But Herney, upon seeing the data, had forbidden Tench to use it. Sex scandals and bribery were cancers in Washington, and waving another one in front of the public only added to their distrust of government. Cynicism is killing this country. Although Herney knew he could destroy Sexton with scandal, the cost would be besmirching the dignity of the U.S. Senate, something Herney refused to do. No more negatives. Herney would beat Senator Sexton on the issues. Pickering, angered by the White House’s refusal to use the evidence he had provided, tried to jump-start the scandal by leaking a rumor that Sexton had slept with Gabrielle Ashe. Unfortunately, Sexton declared his innocence with such convincing indignation that the President ended up having to apologize for the leak personally. In the end William Pickering had done more damage than good. Herney told Pickering that if he ever interfered in the campaign again, he would be indicted. The grand irony, of course, was that Pickering did not even like President Herney. The NRO director’s attempts to help Herney’s campaign were simply fears over the fate of NASA. Zach Herney was the lesser of two evils. Now has someone killed Pickering? Herney could not imagine. â€Å"Mr. President?† an aide said. â€Å"As you requested, I called Lawrence Ekstrom and told him about Marjorie Tench.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"He would like to speak to you, sir.† Herney was still furious with Ekstrom for lying about PODS. â€Å"Tell him I’ll talk to him in the morning.† â€Å"Mr. Ekstrom wants to talk to you right away, sir.† The aide looked uneasy. â€Å"He’s very upset.† HE’S upset? Herney could feel his temper fraying around the edges. As he stalked off to take Ekstrom’s call, the President wondered what the hell else could possibly go wrong tonight. 123 Onboard the Goya, Rachel felt lightheaded. The mystification that had settled around her like a heavy fog was lifting now. The stark reality that came into focus left her feeling naked and disgusted. She looked at the stranger before her and could barely hear his voice. â€Å"We needed to rebuild NASA’s image,† Pickering was saying. â€Å"Their declining popularity and funding had become dangerous on so many levels.† Pickering paused, his gray eyes locking on hers. â€Å"Rachel, NASA was desperate for a triumph. Someone had to make it happen.† Something had to be done, Pickering thought. The meteorite had been a final act of desperation. Pickering and others had tried to save NASA by lobbying to incorporate the space agency into the intelligence community where it would enjoy increased funding and better security, but the White House continuously rebuffed the idea as an assault on pure science. Shortsighted idealism. With the rising popularity of Sexton’s anti-NASA rhetoric, Pickering and his band of military powerbrokers knew time was running short. They decided that capturing the imagination of taxpayers and Congress was the only remaining way to salvage NASA’s image and save it from the auction block. If the space agency was to survive, it would need an infusion of grandeur-something to remind the taxpayers of NASA’s Apollo glory days. And if Zach Herney was going to defeat Senator Sexton, he was going to need help. How to cite Deception Point Page 99, Essay examples

Personal Determinants free essay sample

Personality Determinants On this reflection paper, I want to argue personality determinants which were our second discussion In our second lesson. First of all, I believe that to be successful on one thing, heredity Is not crucial point to discuss on that matter. There are some advantages that your family Is successful In life, because the legacy Is truly permanent. However, it is not the main point to be success the goals in life.About rationalities, the genes are effective but the environment is more effective. For instance, may father was born in Anatolia and had a hard youth life, his environment was not good as mine. Thanks to my dad, I never witness such bad environment as my dad did. We are completely different but our genes are similar. He created his personality in that hard environment but I was born in happy and comfortable environment in every way. I took that example to evaluate personality determinants. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Determinants or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My point of view is on that topic is very simple. The environment affects human being the most. It creates and develops everything about personality. The genes are structure and the environment Is Improvement. The Improvements are a process and In time, It shapes your character and behaviors. There are surveys to prove which side was dominant. The personalities can be rated but I dont believe it will not be proved the beginning of creation personalities. Thats why my belief is environment n this matter.The personality that people have, is improvable in time thats why I call it a process. People affect from the around, it takes bad things and good things. People are adoptable. They take external factors and embrace it. Shortly, on the second class about personality determinants subject, my ideas was dominant in nurture on that matter. The surveys might be right, however my belief is personality is a mixture of legacy and nurture but nurture makes personality shape.