General Energetics: Energy in the Biosphere and Civilization

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive review of population energetics.......2007-05-17

This book is a comprehensive introduction to energetics. The book takes the view that energy balance calculations are useful predictors of biological population dynamics. There is first a review of the current terrestrial energy provided by the sun and the earth (the earth's core is very hot). This may seem like a simple topic, but there are an enormous number of ways energy reveals itself for measurement, so a third of the book is devoted to this subject.

The middle third considers the energy balance implications of various plant and animal populations. The final third considers the human energy balance.

I would have liked to have seen consideration of power-law distributions of energy consumption by population group, but this omission doesn't subtract from the value of the book.

General Energetics: Energy in the Biosphere and Civilization. (book reviews): An article from: The Geographical Review

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General Energetics: Energy in the Biosphere and Civilization. (book reviews): An article from: The Geographical Review
Philip L. Wagner
Manufacturer: American Geographical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000925IZG
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Geographical Review, published by American Geographical Society on January 1, 1993. The length of the article is 819 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: General Energetics: Energy in the Biosphere and Civilization. (book reviews)
Author: Philip L. Wagner
Publication: The Geographical Review (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 1993
Publisher: American Geographical Society
Volume: v83 Issue: n1 Page: p110(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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ORIGINAL PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 19,996 FOR A NEW METHOD OF KILLING MICROBE-LIKE MINUTE LIVING ORGANISMS, SUCH AS YEAST CELLS, BACILLI, AND THE LIKE CONTAINED IN WINES, ALCOHOLIC, AND OTHER SIMILAR LIQUORS.
Wilhelm , Hermann Bendel, Max Hahn & Carl Loewe (inventors). Spilker
Manufacturer: HMSO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O6QEOQ

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Yeasts and Yeast-Like Organisms
Anna Kockova-Kratochvilova
Manufacturer: Vch Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Fungi | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0895732297

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Experimental studies on a yeast-like organism isolated from sputum
Richard W Simmers
Manufacturer: s.n
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007J3RZE

Book Description

National Geographic brings 113 years of incomparable travel expertise to today's sophisticated globe-trotters. Each practical and portable National Geographic Traveler features:

Detailed background and site descriptions plus fascinating vignettes on history, culture, and contemporary life
Mapped walking and driving tours
A complete directory of visitor information, including notable hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping
Foldout end flaps, printed with maps and quick reference information that serve as handy bookmarks
Top-rated travel writers who bring sophisticated, authoritative guidance and a strong, individual voice to each book
Superior photography and artwork

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful book in need of update.......2007-01-10

National Geographic Traveler: India is a beautiful book, useful for exploring sites and historical background but terribly outdated in practical information about prices for hotel rooms and such because of the incredible recent growth and inflation in India and the shortage of accommodations there.

National Geographic Traveler: India 2nd Edition (National Geographic Traveler)

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National Geographic Traveler: India 2nd Edition (National Geographic Traveler)
Louise Nicholson
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

National Geographic Traveler | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1426201443
Release Date: 2007-10-16

Book Description

The "land of princes" becomes accessible to every traveler in this gorgeously illustrated guide to India. Special mapped tours—including a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi and a drive through colonial Mumbai—provide intimate glimpses of daily life. Sidebars explore historical and cultural topics: Indian spices, palace hotels, the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Readers discover popular attractions—the Taj Majal, the pink sandstone city of Jaipur, the water palaces of Udaipur—and lesser known treasures.

Each Traveler guide includes such practical information as getting there and around, where to stay, and cultural and recreational activities to help make the most of your vacation.

Book Description

Why do we die? Do all living creatures share this fate? Is the body's slow degradation with the passage of time unavoidable, or can the secrets of longevity be unlocked? Over the past two decades, scientists studying the workings of genes and cells have uncovered some of the clues necessary to solve these mysteries. In this fascinating and accessible book, two neurobiologists share the often-surprising findings from that research, including the possibility that aging and natural death may not be forever a certainty for most living beings. André Klarsfeld and Frédéric Revah discuss in detail the latest scientific findings and views on death and longevity. They challenge many popular assumptions, such as the idea that the death of individual organisms serves to rejuvenate species or that death and sexual reproduction are necessarily linked. Finally, they describe current experimental approaches to postpone natural death in lower organisms as well as in mammals. Are all organisms that survive until late in life condemned to a "natural" death, as a consequence of aging, even if they live in a well-protected, supportive environment? The variability of the adult life span—from a few hours for some insects to more than a millennium for the sequoia and thirteen times that for certain wild berry bushes—challenges the notion that death is unavoidable. Evolutionary theory helps explain why and how some species have achieved biological mechanisms that seemingly allow them to resist time. Death cannot be understood without looking into cells—the essential building blocks of life. Intriguingly, at the level of cells, death is not always an accident; it is often programmed as an indispensable aspect of life, which benefits the organism as a whole.

Customer Reviews:

Why we die, technically explained.......2004-12-05

It may come as a surprise for you to learn (I know it did for me) that science is not quite certain as to why we die. I mean generally. In each specific case a cause of death is usually made: heart attack, cancer, gunshot wound, etc. But as far as why human beings in general die rather than go on living indefinitely, the answer is murky.

It used to be the case (and perhaps still is) that coroners would cite "natural causes" as the cause of the death of certain old people. However in some places this is no longer allowed since science has established that there is no such thing as the nebulous "natural causes." If the medical examiner looks closely enough it will always be found that some part or parts of the body failed for one reason or another and should be cited as the cause of death.

Some people think we die (theoretically) because it is good for the species. Some people think we die because it is programmed into our cells to die. Others think we die because our bodies wear out. These are proximate reasons perhaps, but they do not explain why the evolutionary mechanism does not allow us to be immortal. The authors recall the idea that death is a byproduct of sexuality, noting that dividing nonsexual bacteria, for example, are theoretically immortal (as are cancer cells). They also point out that many species (salmon, for example) die immediately after reproduction. They cite studies showing that such species may go on living if they do not reproduce. Furthermore, they note that natural selection works most effectively when the organism is at or near sexual maturity. The further the organism gets from the onset of sexual maturity, the less effect natural selection has on making it adaptive; that is, making it healthy and effective in warding off dangers from the environment.

This is really a fine explanation for why we die, and one that is cited by all the authorities I have read. Put another way, what it means is that the evolutionary mechanism "cares" less about older organisms that are no longer sexually reproductive than it does about younger ones that are. Or put still another way, the harmful mutations that would be selected against in younger organisms are not selected against in older individuals because those individuals are so few in number, relatively speaking; (and more generally), because they produce so few offspring, the effect of their genes is small in the overall gene pool. I think it can be added that the young are better adapted (if only slightly, and in general) to the environment and therefore should be expected to out-reproduce the old.

If this is not clear, let me say that I did not understand these subtle points for a long time. Furthermore, they seem to beg the question of why the evolutionary mechanism does not allow organisms to continue to reproduce as they get older. In lobsters, the authors point out, their reproductive capability actually increases with age, and indeed this is understood as being one reason they live relatively long lives.

A more profound way of looking at this conundrum was suggested by G.C. Williams who explains that a flying fish always falls back into the water and that natural selection does nothing and needs to do nothing to return the fish to the water. (Gravity does it!--and note that gravity is in this example analogous to the natural forces--accident, predation, disease, etc.--that will eventually kill an organism.) What natural selection works on is making the fish more effective at staying in the air longer. Eventually however the fish must return to the water. The authors explain, "Natural selection gives the organism the means...to remain alive longer than if it were abandoned only to physical forces...these means are inevitably limited. Again, they can only delay the final outcome." (p. 188)

The authors further explain that "natural death has no value in and of itself [giving the lie to the good-for-the-species argument]; its existence is simply the result of a central biological pointlessness to repair systems that would prevent aging. All...organisms...are doomed to exist temporarily...and the time they have to procreate cannot be extended indefinitely. Natural selection 'judges' each organism by the yardstick of procreation... The goal is successful reproduction...[even if it leads to a shortened lifespan]." Consequently, "[w]ithout going to the extreme examples of mayflies or salmon, this arrangement leads the organism to neglect itself just enough so that aging and natural death occur." (pp. 182-183)

Another point is that programmed cell death (apoptosis) is NOT the cause of the death of the organism. In fact, apoptosis works in exactly the opposite direction: the death of certain cells is for the betterment of the organism, as the authors argue in Chapter Six.

This is the fourth book I have read on this subject. The other three books are: Austad, Steven N. Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body's Journey Through Life [1997)]; Clark, William R. A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death [1999]; and Hayflick, Leonard. How and Why We Age [1994]. This book is more technical than the others and is more clearly aimed at the professional scientist. I would recommend it least except for the fact that it is the most current. For those interested in what is going on at the cellular and molecular levels in research, this book is perhaps the best choice.

THE BIOLOGY OF DEATH: ORIGINS OF MORTALITY

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THE BIOLOGY OF DEATH: ORIGINS OF MORTALITY

Manufacturer: Cornell University Press Ithaca, NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IB1RJO

Book Description

This book describes the instruments and techniques that are used in an organic lab. It contains vital directions for obtaining information on organic chemistry labs from the Internet.

Customer Reviews:

A fantastic little book for students enrolled in organic chem........2007-01-06

This small book was a requirement in my organic chemistry lab last year. Unfortunately, I think I'm the only one who actually read it. Had others cracked the binding a few times I imagine there would have been fewer exploding flasks and spilled beakers. This awesome little text explains (with humor) the best ways to set up apparatus for experiments, to avoid explosions, and to get in and out of the lab quickly with as few mistakes as possible. I'm happy to report that I never lost any glassware to an explosion, though I did lose a couple pieces to carelessness. Zubrick also covers basic distillation, separation, washing, and extraction techniques, as well as briefly covering spectroscopy. A very simple and helpful book for ochem undergrads.

Can't take Ochem lab w/o it!.......2006-09-12

This is a phenomenal book in which Mr. Zubrick brings down the complexities involved in Organic Chemistry Lab into terms that undergraduates can understand. Also, in something I've never seen done before, he adds humor to his writing. I actually enjoy reading this book, and get more out of it then any other lab text I've ever read. If you take Organic Chemistry Lab without it, you're doing yourself a pretty big diservice.

Worthwile.......2006-01-28

Zubrick's manual gives a comprehensive overview of fundamental lab methods. I've found it to be very useful on many ocassions. However, some of the explanations could be improved with discussion of the theory, especially the sections on chromatography. Even so, it's cheaper than other books and explains many techniques very well.

What have I done to you chemistry??.......2005-10-10

I bought the book because they said it was good for writing Lab Reports. But no, I can't, The book is so incomplete, he wastes space trying to make it funny and humorous. I'm not gonna write his jokes on my report. Yeah and remember if you didn't copy the whole lab manual on your notebook, you are dumb and you got the highest F.

great book.......2005-10-10

very helpful for organic chemistry lab, very clear directions and the author writes in a way geared towards students so it is funny

Chemistry, 4th Edition, Student Solutions Manual, Student Access Card eGrade Plus 2 Term and Student Survey Set

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Chemistry, 4th Edition, Student Solutions Manual, Student Access Card eGrade Plus 2 Term and Student Survey Set
James E. Brady
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Written by Jim Brady, an author well known for his ability to communicate chemistry, and Fred Senese, the architect of the most visited general chemistry web site, this book and its media are designed to support a variety of backgrounds. It maintains its hallmark feature of accurate, lucid, and interesting explanations of the basic concepts of chemistry as well as its comprehensive coverage and aid to readers in developing problem solving skills.

Before you buy, make sure you are getting the best value and all the learning tools you’ll need to succeed in your course. This special package includes the complete Student Solutions Manual and two-term access to eGrade Plus. If your professor requires eGrade Plus, you can purchase it here, with your text at no additional cost.

With this special eGrade Plus package you get the new text––no highlighting, no missing pages, no food stains––and a suite of effective learning tools to help you get a better grade. All this, in one convenient package!

eGrade Plus gives you:

A complete online version of the textbook
70 Interactive LearningWare exercises, which focus on developing problem-solving skills
Extensive problems and self-assessment questions.
Mathskills tutorial, which provides interactive tutorials, a diagnostic and practice on math skills students need for general chemistry
A complete online version of the study guide
And more!

eGrade Plus is a powerful online tool that provides students with an integrated suite of teaching and learning resources and an online version of the text in one easy-to-use website.

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Chemistry, Student Manual, 4th Edition
Jerry Mills
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
General & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Chemistry, Eighth Edition

Biology, Sixth Edition

ASIN: 0070105197

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Chemical Principles with Study CD ROM 4th Edition and Study Guide and Student Solutions Manual 4th Edition and Web Assign Passkey and Smart Thinking
Zumdahl
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Internet & Education | Internet | Home Computing | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0618447881

Book Description

In this wide-ranging anthology, Beat scholar Ann Charters brings together more than seventy-five essays, reviews, memoirs, poems, and sketches that evoke the credos and the controversies surrounding the Beat generation writers of the 1950s. Charters includes discussions of all the major Beat figures-Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, Diane di Prima, Gary Snyder, and many more-from commentaries by the Beats themselves as well as by such writers as Henry Miller, William Carlos Williams, Mary McCarthy, Joyce Carol Oates, Tom Wolfe, Grace Paley, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.. Charters also explores the humorous side of the Beat generation, its place in post-war American culture, and the contribution of the important women authors who also wrote Beat.

Beat Down to Your Soul: What Was the Beat Generation?

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Beat Down to Your Soul: What Was the Beat Generation?
Ann Charters
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ3YGO

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