Understanding How Detergents Actually Work

Detergents and soaps are used for cleaning because pure water cant remove oily, organic soiling. Soap cleans by acting as an emulsifier. Basically, soap allows oil and water to mix so that oily grime can be removed during rinsing. Surfactants Detergents were developed in response to the shortage of the animal and vegetable fats used to make soap during World War I and World War II. Detergents are primarily surfactants, which could be produced easily from petrochemicals. Surfactants lower the surface tension of water, essentially making it wetter so that it is less likely to stick to itself and more likely to interact with oil and grease. Additional Ingredients Modern detergents contain more than surfactants. Cleaning products may also contain enzymes to degrade protein-based stains, bleaches to de-color stains and add power to cleaning agents, and blue dyes to counter yellowing. Like soaps, detergents have hydrophobic or water-hating molecular chains and hydrophilic or water-loving components. The hydrophobic hydrocarbons are repelled by water but are attracted to oil and grease. The hydrophilic end of the same molecule means that one end of the molecule will be attracted to water, while the other side is binding to oil. How Detergents Work Neither detergents nor soaps  accomplish anything except binding to the soil until some mechanical energy or agitation is added into the equation. Swishing the soapy water around allows the soap or detergent to pull the grime away from clothes or dishes and into the larger pool of rinse water. Rinsing washes the detergent and soil away. Warm or hot water melts fats and oils so that it is easier for the soap or detergent to dissolve the soil and pull it away into the rinse water. Detergents are similar to soap, but they are less likely to form films (soap scum) and are not as affected by the presence of minerals in the water (hard water). Modern Detergents Modern detergents may be made from petrochemicals or from oleochemicals derived from plants and animals. Alkalis and oxidizing agents are also chemicals found in detergents. Heres a look at the functions these molecules serve: Petrochemicals/Oleochemicals: These fats and oils are hydrocarbon chains which are attracted to the oily and greasy grime.Oxidizers: Sulfur trioxide, ethylene oxide, and sulfuric acid are among the molecules used to produce the hydrophilic component of surfactants. Oxidizers provide an energy source for chemical reactions. These highly reactive compounds also act as bleaches.Alkalis: Sodium and potassium hydroxide are used in detergents even as they are used in soapmaking. They provide positively charged ions to promote chemical reactions.

What Is a Retention Rate for Colleges and Universities

A schools retention rate is the percentage of new first-year students that enroll in the same school the following year. The retention rate refers specifically to freshmen students that continue at the same school for their sophomore year of college. When a student transfers to another school or drops out  after their freshman year, it can negatively impact their initial universitys retention rate. Retention rates and graduation rates are two critical statistics parents and teens should evaluate when considering prospective colleges. Both are markers of how happy students are in their school, how well-supported they feel in their academic pursuits and private lives, and how likely it is that your tuition money is being well spent. What Influences Retention Rate? There are a number of factors that determine whether a student will stay in college and graduate within a reasonable amount of time. First generation college students tend to have a lower retention rate because they are experiencing a life event that no one in their family has accomplished before them. Without the support of those close to them, first-generation college students are not as likely to stay the course through the challenges that come with being a college student. Past research has indicated that students whose parents have no education beyond high school are significantly less likely to graduate than peers whose parents have at least a bachelor’s degree. Nationally, 89 percent of low-income first-generation students leave college within six years without a degree. More than a quarter leave after their first year — four times the dropout rate of higher-income second-generation students. - ​First Generation Foundation Another factor that contributes to retention rates is race. Students enrolled at more prestigious universities tend to stay in school at a higher rate than those at lesser schools, and Whites and Asians tend to be disproportionately represented at the top-tier universities. Blacks,  Hispanics,  and Native Americans are more likely to enroll at the lower-tier schools. Although enrollment rates for minorities are on the rise, retention, and graduation rates are not keeping up with the enrollment rates.   Students at these less prestigious institutions are much less likely to graduate. According to data from  Complete College America, a coalition of 33 states and Washington, D.C., dedicated to improving graduation rates, full-time students at elite research universities were more than 50 percent more likely to graduate within six years as those at less selective institutions. - Fivethirtyeight.com At schools such as Columbia University, University of Chicago, Yale University and others at the top end of the desirability rankings, retention rate hovers near 99%. Not only that, but students are more likely to graduate in four years than they are at large public schools where classes are more difficult to enroll in and the student population is much larger. Which Student Is Likely to Stay in School? The factors that influence the retention rate for most universities and colleges are closely associated with the vetting process that prospective students use to evaluate schools. Some key points to look for that can positively influence retention rate include: Living in the dorms during freshman year, allowing for a full integration into college life.Attending a school where one is admitted early action or early decision, indicating a strong desire to attend that particular institution.Paying attention to the cost of the school chosen and whether or not it is within budget.Knowing whether a small or large school is a better choice.Being comfortable with technology  Ã¢â‚¬â€ computers, smartphones —  to use for research purposes when studying.Visiting a college before deciding to enroll.Getting involved in on-campus activities —  clubs, Greek life, volunteer opportunities —  that instill a sense of belonging.Being genuinely ready to leave home and have the college experience.Self-motivation and a commitment to succeeding in college.Listening to ones gut and knowing when and if a change in plan is needed regarding career goals and college major.Understanding that college is not just about getting a job after grad uation, but is also about the experience of learning and growing through the interactions with professors and other students who are from different places and different types of families and communities. Once upon a time, some large public universities actually saw low retention as a good thing - a mark of how challenging their curriculum was academically. They greeted freshmen at orientation with such bone-chilling pronouncements as, Look at the people sitting on either side of you. Only one of you will still be here on graduation day. That attitude no longer flies. Retention rate is an important factor for students to consider when choosing where to spend four years of their lives. Edited by Sharon Greenthal

The Tragic Heroes Of A Tragic Hero - 1955 Words

Oedipus Essay Tragic fates and the downfalls of others have always seemed to interest a crowd. Audiences will travel from afar and pay to witness such performances. They listen and sit at the edge of their seats wondering when and how the catastrophe will occur in the protagonist’s doomed life. The reason for this is because almost all of the spectators can relate to the protagonist due to the fact that the protagonists of these tragedies are tragic heroes. These tragic heroes have qualities that render them both tragic and heroic, and they display five key characteristics according to Aristotle’s definition. The criteria of a tragic hero is that they must suffer throughout the play, have a tragic flaw, eventually recognize their tragic flaw and take responsibility for their actions, be neither completely good nor completely bad, and arouse pity and fear in the audience. These traits allow the people in the audience to relate to the tragic hero because no one is complet ely good, no one is completely bad, many have felt suffering, fear having a tragic flaw of their own, and long to recognize their own tragic flaw and take responsibility for their actions. This reliability has helped tragedies, specifically Greek tragedies, become some of the most influential pieces in theatre and literature. In the play Oedipus the King, the protagonist Oedipus is an excellent example of a tragic hero. The first trait of a tragic hero that applies to Oedipus is that he suffers greatly inShow MoreRelatedThe Heroes Of A Hero1082 Words   |  5 PagesChristopher Reeve once said, â€Å"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.† In today’s society, what describes a hero is different to each person you ask. In my opinion, there are three different heroes today. There are the heroes you read about in books and watch in movies such as The Avengers and X-Men, and there are the everyday heroes such as doctors, police, and soldiers. There are also tragic heroes. Shakespeare is famous forRead MoreHeroes and How to Represent Them929 Words   |  4 Pages The word hero is Greek, from a root that means â€Å"to protect and serve†. A hero is someone who is willing to sacrifice his own needs on behalf of others, like a Sheppard who will sacrifice to protect and serve his flock. At the root, the idea of hero is connected with self sacrifice† (Vogler, pg. 29). A hero represents an ego which distinct them from the rest of the human race. The journey of many heroes separates them from a family or tribe. They begin a long journey of only wisdom and power whichRead More Shakespeare - Tragic Heros Essay625 Words   |  3 Pages The name amp;quot;tragic heroamp;quot;, which has become synonymous with Shakespearean dramas, was developed before Hamlet, Macbeth or any of Shakespeare’s well-known plays were written. The literary term was actually discovered around 330 BC by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Through his theory of catharsis, Aristotle debated that the great plays of Sophicles, Euripides, and other Greek playwrights contained tragic heroes similar to each other, which all portrayed four basic characteristicsRead MoreAristotle s The Tragic Hero1561 Words   |  7 Pagesclaims four requirements for the tragic hero. The hero must be good. The hero must have appropriate quality of his or her gender and class. The hero must be true to life. Lastly, the hero must be consistent. These four characteristics are present in many tragic heroes. However, there are so many different authors with different interpretations of the tragic hero, that to define the tragic hero with merely four traits is not plausible. Aristotle defines the tragic hero in a way too simple manner. Aristotle’sRead MoreRole of Gods and Goddesses in Homers Iliad845 Words   |  4 Pagesdeveloped into one of Western philosophys greatest questions: why is it that people are drawn to watching tragic heroes suffer horrible fates? Aristotles ideas revolve around three crucial effects: First, the audience develops an emotional attachment to the tragic hero; second, the audience fears what may befall the hero; and finally (after misfortune strikes) the audience pities the suffering hero. Through these attachments the individual members of the audience go through a catharsis, a term whichRead MoreAristotle and the Tragic Hero1067 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle and the Tragic Hero The traditional hero stresses courage and nobility as essential traits of heroism. He lived by a code of honor and valued certain things as more important than others, so that he is willing to take risks and endure hardships for their sake. He is often a leader and protector of a community. The fact that the hero not only performs great deeds but performs them out of worthy principles renders his deed even more admirable. On the other hand, the Greek tragic hero is best definedRead More Shakespeares Macbeth and Hamlet as Tragic Heroes Essay893 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet as Tragic Heroes      Ã‚   William Shakespeare has written many literary works - from his sonnets to his plays, each has its own individual characteristics.   One popular characteristic that comes from his plays is the tragic hero.   The audience can always relate to the tragic hero and the many trials he faces.   Macbeth and Hamlet are just two of Shakespeares plays that involve the tragic hero.   Through their nobility, tragic flaws, and dignity Macbeth and Hamlet prove to be tragic heroes. Read MoreTragic Hero1598 Words   |  7 PagesTragic Hero From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A tragic hero is a protagonist with a tragic flaw, also known as fatal flaw, which eventually leads to his demise. The concept of the tragic hero was created in ancient Greek tragedy and defined by Aristotle. Usually, the realization of fatal flaw results in catharsis or epiphany. The tragic flaw is sometimes referred to as an Achilles heel after the single fatal flaw of the Greek warrior Achilles. [citation needed] Aristotelian tragicRead MoreRomeo and Juliet Tragic Hero Essay748 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeare. For a play to be a tragedy there must be a tragic hero. In Shakespeare plays, tragedy is identified as a story that ends unhappily due to the fall of the protagonist, which is the tragic. In this play there are two tragic heroes. Romeo and Juliet are both the tragic heroes. To be a tragic hero they must be from a high estate, have a tragic flaw, and the tragic flaw is the cause of their downfall. A tragic hero must be from a high estate or well- known family. For a familyRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Things Fall Apart 1283 Words   |  6 Pagesyou hear the word hero? You may think of superheroes, a significant figure in your life or anyone else who generally brings greatness about the world. A tragic hero on the other hand is a character who has a flaw that eventually helps aid to their downfall as a tragic hero. In the novel Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe and Macbeth written by Shakespeare, we meet two prime examples of tragic heros. The elements of a tragic hero include hamartia, anagnorisis and the tragic downfall. Hamartia

Feet Descriptive Essay free essay sample

My Feet By Chris Grace Resting on the floor when I look down is one of the least favored parts on my body, my feet. The marble-like color of pink and tan blended together and the almost engraved looking marks around my ankle from wearing socks all day make them just make up some of the characteristics I hate about my feet. From the bottom of them being as rough as sandpaper and flowing into the top where it is smooth as a baby’s face to the tops of my toes coming to a ball shape like an aliens fingers there is just something weird about them. Another thing that characterizes them as weird would be all of the odd shapes and curves they contain. There are the shapes of the muscles of each toe almost shaped like straws under your skin. Along with them are the toes. They vary from being very plump and roundly shaped like the big toe to the long slender shape of the toes next to it or even to the short mangled shape of the pinky toe. We will write a custom essay sample on Feet Descriptive Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I would also characterize my feet as being gross. The dark black hair sprouting out of the tops of my toes is very unappealing. Along with that is the smell of my feet after a long day of work. It is almost as if somebody let a dead animal rot in my shoe and I smell that. Another thing that makes my feet gross to me is the way that they sweat when it is scorching hot outside. I take off my shoe and they remind me of how my feet would be after just stepping out of a shower. The last thing I would characterize my feet as would be amazing. Although they can be gross and weird they are an amazing part of my body. The way you can see all the muscles tighten up and release while walking along with the tendons pulling on your toes is very interesting when you watch it. It makes you wonder how something so odd, disgusting, and very useful is never taken to notice in our lives.