Physics of Rainbows :: physics rainbow weather

Imagine a sky full of dark fluffy clouds. The air feels wet and sticky, and rain drops begin to fall. Soon the drops become a sheet of rain and this makes you sad because your outdoor fun is over. But, just as you turn your back to go inside, you feel the sun break through the clouds and warm your back. A smile fills your face because you realize that rain plus sun equals a rainbow. You turn around to see a glorious rainbow in the sky. As you gaze, questions begin to pop into your head. What are rainbows? Who are some scientists that studied them? What makes the colors? Why is there a double bow? So what are rainbows? It might be easier to start with what they aren't by clarifying some common myths about them. * "There is an end to the rainbow." -- This is not true. A rainbow is relative to the observers position. Because of this, as an observer moves, so does the rainbow. This means that the "end" moves as well, and can never be found. Also once the sun has disappeared or the observer turns to face the sun, the rainbow disappears. * "There is a pot of gold waiting for me at the end." -- For the resaons stated above, there is no end. Because there is no end, well...there is no gold. Sorry! * "Rainbows are real physical tangible things."-- Rainbows are optical illusions. They are something that a person can see, but are not something that a person can really touch. If Rainbows aren't real...and there is so end to them...and therefor no gold....so what is a rainbow if it's not a magical gold giving wonder? * According to Websters Dictionary "A rainbow is an arc containing the colors of the spectrum formed in the sky by the refraction, reflection, and dispersion of light in rain or fog." * Rainbows are an optical illusion. -- As stated before, they are an illusion and are dependent on the observers point of view. When it starts to rain and an observer has his back to the sun, refraction, reflection, and dispersion occurs and a rainbow is most likely to be seen.

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The brain and spinal cord are made up of many cells, including neurons and glial cells. Neurons are cells that send and receive electro-chemical signals to and from the brain and nervous system. There are about 100 billion neurons in the brain. There are many more glial cells; they provide support functions for the neurons, and are far more numerous than neurons. There are many type of neurons. They vary in size from 4 microns (. 004 mm) to 100 microns (. 1 mm) in diameter. Their length varies from a fraction of an inch to several feet.Neurons  are nerve cells that transmit nerve signals to and from the brain at up to 200 mph. The neuron consists of a  cell body (or soma)  with branching  dendrites(signal receivers) and a projection called an  axon, which conduct the nerve signal. At the other end of the axon, the  axon terminals  transmit the electro-chemical signal across a  synapse  (the gap between the axon terminal and the receiving cell). The word â€Å"neuro n† was coined by the German scientist Heinrich Wilhelm Gottfried von Waldeyer-Hartz in 1891 (he also coined the term â€Å"chromosome†).The  axon, a long extension of a nerve cell, and take information away from the cell body. Bundles of axons are known as nerves or, within the CNS (central nervous system), as nerve tracts or pathways. Dendrites bring information to the cell body. Myelin  coats and insulates the axon (except for periodic breaks called nodes of Ranvier), increasing transmission speed along the axon. Myelin is manufactured by Schwann's cells, and consists of 70-80% lipids (fat) and 20-30% protein.The  cell body (soma)  contains the neuron's nucleus (with DNA and typical nuclear organelles). Dendrites branch from the cell body and receive messages. A typical neuron has about 1,000 to 10,000 synapses (that is, it communicates with 1,000-10,000 other neurons, muscle cells, glands, etc. ). DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEURONS There are different types of neuron s. They all carry electro-chemical nerve signals, but differ in structure (the number of processes, or axons, emanating from the cell body) and are found in different parts of the body. Sensory neurons or Bipolar neurons  carry messages from the body's sense receptors (eyes, ears, etc. ) to the CNS. These neurons have two processes. Sensory neuron account for 0. 9% of all neurons. (Examples are retinal cells, olfactory epithelium cells. ) * Motoneurons or Multipolar neurons  carry signals from the CNS to the muscles and glands. These neurons have many processes originating from the cell body. Motoneurons account for 9% of all neurons. (Examples are spinal motor neurons, pyramidal neurons, Purkinje cells. * Interneurons or Pseudopolare (Spelling) cells  form all the neural wiring within the CNS. These have two axons (instead of an axon and a dendrite). One axon communicates with the spinal cord; one with either the skin or muscle. These neurons have two processes. (Examples are dorsal root ganglia cells. ) LIFE SPAN OF NEURONS Unlike most other cells, neurons cannot regrow after damage (except neurons from the hippocampus). Fortunately, there are about 100 billion neurons in the brain. GLIAL CELLS Glial cells make up 90 percent of the brain's cells.Glial cells are nerve cells that don't carry nerve impulses. The various glial (meaning â€Å"glue†) cells perform many important functions, including: digestion of parts of dead neurons, manufacturing myelin for neurons, providing physical and nutritional support for neurons, and more. Types of glial cells include Schwann's Cells, Satellite Cells,  Microglia, Oligodendroglia, and Astroglia. Neuroglia (meaning â€Å"nerve glue†) are the another type of brain cell. These cells guide neurons during fetal development.

The Great Gatsby Character Analysis - 747 Words

The novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† written by F Scott. Fitzgerald is sets in the era of the 1920 ´s, when there were several people making money easily and eventually in an illegal manner. Yet , there were many people making money in the stock exchange which was relatively easy for everybody, farmers and professionals. Farmers were guided by the investments the professionals did, and as a result, they enjoyed easy money. As a consequence of this way of life, the moral standards and principles of many Americans were put aside and hidden along with their past traditions. Now, the American society, which was able to live the American dream, was full of unintelligent and egocentric people and this is why Fitzgerald showed Daisy, Gatsby, Tom, Myrtle†¦show more content†¦Instead, they live their lives in such a way as to perpetuate their sense of superiority, however unrealistic that may be. The people with newly acquired wealth, though, arent necessarily much better. Thin k of Gatsbys partygoers. They attend his parties, drink his liquor, and eat his food, never once taking the time to even meet their host. When Gatsby dies, all the people who frequented his house every week mysteriously became busy elsewhere, abandoning Gatsby when he could no longer do anything for them. One would like to think the newly wealthy would be more sensitive to the world around them ,after all, it was only recently they were without money and most doors were closed to them. As Fitzgerald shows, however, their concerns are largely living for the moment, steeped in partying and other forms of excess. Just as he did with people of money, Fitzgerald uses the people with no money to convey a strong message. Nick, although he comes from a family with a bit of wealth, doesnt have nearly the capital of Gatsby or Tom. In the end, though, he shows himself to be an honorable and principled man, which is more than Tom exhibits. Myrtle, though, is another story. She comes from the middle class at best. She is trapped, as are so many others, in the valley of ashes, and spends her days trying to make it out. In fact, her desire to move up the social hierarchy leads her to her affair withShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1468 Words   |  6 PagesThe classic novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has a storyline that is permeated with many interesting characters. Character flaws are a main aspect that develops the plot line and keeps the readers interested. The characters that have a lot of flaws in their personalities that in the end lead to their demise is Daisy Bu chanan, Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. To start, the character Daisy Buchanan has many internal flaws occurring with her psychologically. Her most prevalent flaw is theRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis956 Words   |  4 PagesIn the book, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there is a strong message about the social class systems about the societies that exists between them. First, there are people like the Buchanans and Jordan Baker who were born into wealth and never really had to work for their money. Secondly, The new money people who can never really be like them, inherently because they have had to work for their money and sometimes finding it had been rough while doing so. (Houghton Mifflin) InRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis720 Words   |  3 Pagesnovels that yield insights into the minds of its characters, but few are as honest or intriguing as Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is a novel that incorporates many different personalities. These personalities in clude kind hearted, vulgar, and heartless people. Fitzgerald uses lies and deception to reveal the characters true intentions. In this essay we will uncover the dark secrets of humanity. Early on in The Great Gatsby we are told that Nicks very wealthy cousin DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1458 Words   |  6 PagesF. Scott’s Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, features the affluent, upper-class characters of Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and the lead, Nick Carraway, and follows them throughout their New York lives in the summer of 1922. Nick is presumably so tolerant and willing to be around these people even when he discovers major character flaws because of their similarity with social placement. As this novel took place in the midst of the â€Å"roaring twenties†, which was filledRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Great Gatsby1227 Words   |  5 Pages Gatsby is acting nervous when Daisy arrives. He runs out of the house and knocks over Nick’s clock. He wants her to be impressed so he has Nick’s lawn cut, flowers brought to the cottage, and brings fancy China. The green light is coming from Daisy’s dock across from Gatsby’s property. As Daisy arrives at the cottage, it’s raining. At this point, neither Gatsby nor Daisy are very comfortable around each other. The rain reflects the gloomy mood between them. As time goes on, the sun comes out.Read MoreCharacter Analysis : The Great Gatsby1312 Words   |  6 PagesFitzgerald’s short story based on his own story involving his daughter Scottie â€Å"Babylon Revisited† is one of the many pieces of literature written by Fitzgerald that has not necessarily been forgotten, but has been shadowed in the success of his novel The Great Gatsby. This story revolves around Charlie, a man who had gone through incredible economic times, felt the crash of the stock market in 1929, and is now starting to get back on his feet, and his battle for custody for his daughter, Honoria, who had beenRead MoreCharacter Analysis : The Great Gatsby881 Words   |  4 Pages Gatsby in love with Daisy Gatsby was only a kid simple , poor but very optimistic despite the conditions he was living. â€Å" He was a very strict about his schedule. Pg 173 † And one day at 17 years of age i leave the house in search of its future. How did Gatsby and Daisy meet? The parents of Daisy offered a party, among so many people dressed very elegant , and people from the army one of them was Gastby, mixed among the guests dressed of the military. But that night Read MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Great Gatsby748 Words   |  3 PagesThe novel The Great Gatsby is told from the point of view of a man name Nick Carraway. Nick Carraway is a young man from Minnesota who went to Yale then to New York to study business bonds. As Nick grew up, he followed a lesson that his father gave him, which was to never judge others. Because of that lesson, Nick grew up to be someone who is tolerant, open-minded, quiet, and a good listener, which made others want to talk to him more. Nick lives on the West Egg district of Long Island next to aRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1552 Words   |  7 Pagesthey do not have instead of what they do? Well in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this is a major part of the book. Fitzgerald’s characte rs are used to show that people are greedy and always will be. Specifically, Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby to show that society is greedy because he always focuses on what he does not have instead of what he does have. First, Fitzgerald shows how Gatsby does everything to impress Daisy, by how Gatsby becomes rich to win her over and how he does everythingRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1169 Words   |  5 Pagesnovel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraways role as both narrator and character makes for a dishonest, unreliable storyteller. Besides Gatsby, Carraway is one of the few characters in the novel whose past and values are truly examined to see what kind of person he is. Also, Carraway can be seen as a somewhat unreliable narrator since he is a sometimes biased, active participant and has a history with almost everyone in the novel. Carraway’s relationship with Gatsby and growth