Organic Chemistry - Understanding The Laws Of Motion

Organic Chemistry - Understanding The Laws Of MotionLaws of Motion are part of organic chemistry that help explain how chemical reactions occur in nature. They explain the processes that give rise to chemical compounds and the conditions they exist in. In many ways, laws of motion are a very useful way to explain things to students. They are easy to understand and they are more to the point than ordinary formulas or just old-fashioned graphs.The laws of motion that govern chemical reactions are what makes organic chemistry so interesting. They are how organic compounds form and are known to go from two to nine. Organic chemistry uses the laws of motion to describe the behavior of compounds in action and in the real world. It describes many of the reactions that occur in nature.The best place to start when studying the laws of motion is with the basic concepts of organic chemistry. A good organic chemistry tutor can be a good way to get this information. The laws of motion come first because they are fundamental and they must be understood before one can learn about the components of compounds.The laws of motion are a great piece of information for a student to learn. Students who study them to learn to understand how chemical reactions take place. That helps them to better understand their own body chemistry.The first thing that happens when a chemical reaction takes place is the production of heat. The second thing that happens is the movement of molecules. The third thing that happens is the releasing of energy, which is stored as motion. The fourth thing that happens is the mixing of these substances.It is easy to understand why chemicals react to each other and how this goes on in our bodies. The 'linking' of molecular parts together is one of the most important laws of motion. By studying the motions of molecules and understanding the difference between linear and rotational motion, students can better understand how to properly prepare and store acids and bases for their own use. This knowledge is helpful when learning how to prepare them for use in experiments.Students are encouraged to take organic chemistry classes with a good organic chemistry tutor. A good organic chemistry tutor will not only give information about the concepts of the laws of motion, but will also give information about practical applications. This is especially useful to students who will be taking organic chemistry class in college and may have some additional courses in chemistry that are related to organic chemistry.For students, organic chemistry classes are generally a great way to get students interested in the subject. It is beneficial to learn about these laws of motion as well as to learn about how to store acids and bases, how to prepare acids and bases, and how to make acids and bases. Organic chemistry classes are a great way to educate students about chemistry.

FluentU Reviews 5 Smart Language Programs for Discerning Learners

FluentU Reviews 5 Smart Language Programs for Discerning Learners FluentU Reviews 5 Smart Language Programs for Discerning Learners You cant wait to get to the good stuff.Thats right, I see you skimming search results on your laptop.I see you, skeptical but hopeful, determined to find the best resource for learning a language out there.Come on, youre thinking, Whats the best language learning program of them all?Whats the most  effective learning system on the face of the earth?Whats going to get me fluent in the least amount of time?Well, you shouldnt think like that.When you seek answers to  such general questions, you only sell yourself short.Youre smarter than that, and you deserve better.Heres why. Choosing a Language Program: Its About the FitYou know what happens when you go searching for the best of them all?You go on a wild goose chase where you find people wholl swear on this program or that program. And on the other side of the aisle, just as sure of themselves, are people screaming, Give me back my money!Most of the time, when you read reviews of language learning programs, just as with any other pr oduct reviews, you end up feeling like theres a tug-of-war going on between those who think a certain programs the best thing since sliced bread, and then another group who are completely dissatisfied.The better question to ask would be Which program is the best for me?Take the idea of best and focus it on yourself. Because there are different kinds of people in this world, and theres no one super-awesome, super-scientifically-backed program that does everything for everyone.Furthermore, theres no program that contains all the resources you should be making use of in your language learning (books, movies, native speakers, etc.). The question really is what a particular program can bring to your personal learning journey.Sure, every program has features that merits its existence. And for sure, many people will benefit from them. But how about you? What will work best for you?So when looking for the best, dont immediately go looking for whats out there.  Instead, get  selfish and ask yourself, Whats in here?In order to do just that, here are a few things you need to keep in mind while choosing the language learning program thats right for you.PricePrice is a tricky subject. Theres no one way to determine if a program is priced just right.Some programs price themselves out of the running because theyre simply out of your range. Others, when theyre too cheap, can make you feel suspicious. And when theyre free, theres always the danger that youll automatically think theyre no good when they could actually be offering something more robust than some paid programs.All of the above is worth taking into consideration as you consider programs based on your budget and what you think theyre worth. Again, youll have to determine this yourself, but its important to consider. Feeling youre getting a good price  will make you happy about your purchase, and can actually make you feel motivated about learning.Medium of InstructionWhat sorts of materials do you like best while l earning? Video, audio, text, games a mix of all these media?There are different routes to fluency. Different types of learners will benefit from different types of media being used to teach a language. Are you an audio learner? Then podcasts could be your key. Do you absolutely have to see words in order to remember them? Then look to programs that fit that need.Do you want it all? No matter who you are, a mix of media is probably going to be your best bet but then is the price attractive enough?Content DepthThis is the other side of the coin, and youre going to have to balance this with price to see if youre getting enough bang for your buck.Going back to price for a moment, a free program could be free because it only scratches the surface and contains material for beginners, or material that you can find many other places. Or a program could be expensive because it  promises to take you from absolute beginner to advanced level.To understand whats really going on with a program, f ocus on the depth of content. Read the features section of the program ad. But steer clear of words like awesome or amazing that have been purposely written to entice. Look for facts. How many vocabulary  words are you supposed to be able to learn? How many hours of material are you given? What kinds of topics or content will be covered? How much personalization does the program offer?Focusing on the actual features of the product while trying to stay neutral to the advertising will get you a reasonable picture of the program.Target SkillsIt would be ideal for you to learn speaking, reading, writing  and listening in the target language. But because you dont have all the time in the world, you need to prioritize which of the linguistic skills is most important for you.If you want to speak a language fast, for example, then choose a program that focuses on developing speaking skills. Also consider, though, that simply learning to communicate some basic phrases in a language wont help you to understand what another person is saying, so listening can be just as important in conversation.What do I want to learn? Ask yourself that question and be specific as possible. Do you want to learn vocabulary? Then choose a program whose strong suit is exactly that. Do you want to focus on grammar? Then know that there are programs that are hardcore on that.Also, you should take note of how youll be using the language. Are you a vacationer who needs to learn just enough to get by? Then gravitate towards material specifically made for travelers. Are you going to use the language for academic or business writing? Then stay away from titles like Spanish Slang Other Four Letter Words.AestheticsAesthetics is the general look of the program, whether its a physical book or CD cover, the fonts and colors used in an app. Its also about the clarity of the audio or the attractiveness of the graphics.Aesthetics is about beauty, good taste and ease of use.Does the general look of the pr ogram appeal to you? Whether its the pages of a workbook or a computer screen, the look is often reflective of the thought and effort put into the program. It isnt always the case that the more attractive the program, the better the content, but its worth thinking about how the two connect.If, somehow, the look, format or structure of a program just does not appeal to you, then theres no reason for you to spend hours slogging through material that seems a little off to you in the first place.All that being said, lets now review five famous language programs based on the factors weve just mentioned.Also, the links in this post are affiliate links, so by purchasing some of these products, you’ll be supporting our efforts to keep bringing you top-notch language learning content on the FluentU blogs.FluentU Reviews 5 Smart Language Programs for Discerning LearnersFluentU ReviewFluentU is the webs largest repository of real-world videos specially designed for language learning. It carr ies hundreds of videos each for Spanish, English, German, French, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Russian and Koreanâ€"with a Portuguese program in the works.PriceThe Basic plan is $20/month or $240 annually. This includes unlimited watching and listening of videos and audio. The Plus plan, at $30/month or $360 annually, has additions of unlimited vocabulary deck and PDF printouts. It also features quizzes that teach you new words via questions and prompts and keeps a record of your progress, making the whole experience as personal as it gets. You can try out either plan to see how it works for you with a free seven-day trial.Medium of InstructionFluentU uses real-world videos to teach a language. Depending on the video, this may mean a TV clip, a newscast, a commercial, movie trailer or an interview in the target language. The videos have been embedded with interactive transcripts that turn them from normal video clips to mini language lessons.The dialogues, lines or narration in the v ideos come with real-time captions that allow you to follow along. So not only do you have engaging content, you also have learning support that makes that content digestible and highly meaningful.Content DepthFluentU has a wide variety of real-world video content and covers the full spectrum of language learners, from absolute beginner to very advanced.Our materials serve language learners on widely-varying linguistic levels. For example, there are clips that tackle basic subjects like numbers, days of the weeks or colors. There are also interviews and vlogs that provide authentic and immersive content for advanced learners.Because of the interactive transcripts, you can not only pace your learning, you can choose what you want to learn and how much you want to know. When you hover over the words in the captions, you get a full menu of information on that word including translation, meaning, pronunciation and usage. So you not only get a vocabulary lesson in context, you learn ever ything else about that word.FluentU has a wide variety of videos, including movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse Screen.FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive Transcripts You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Target SkillWith the FluentU system, youre given access to big picture (video) and the details (interactive captions) at the sa me time. Because of the pairing of videos and interactive transcripts, youll be learning different skills. Youll learn vocabularyâ€"vocabulary thats embedded in a memorable visual context. Your ears will become more attuned to the target language as you listen how native speakers take their language for a spin.And using the transcripts, you can get plenty of speaking practice talking along with the video clip. You can also pick up gems of grammar as you dive deeper into the words through interactive features.AestheticsThe FluentU interface is smooth and instinctive. Youll get the sense that the team that developed it had you, the language learner, in mind.The videos are not only technically sound, theyve been meticulously handpicked with language learning in mind.The explanations are written to be helpful and informative, but not to the point of being overwhelming.Pimsleur ReviewBased on the memory research of Dr. Pimsleur, which placed concepts like spaced repetition on the linguis tic map, the Pimsleur language program is one of the most well-known and widely-used language products today. As with any program, there are those people who swear by it, and others who dont so much. Lets see how Pimsleur fares with the factors we talked about earlier.PriceDepending on the language, a single course (one level) can run you over $100. A comprehensive course usually has three levels, and some, like Spanish, even have five. Needless to say, this is one of the more expensive language programs around. However, you can lower the cost by buying more than one level bundled.Audio CDs, software and downloadable files are available. Typically, 30 lessons, 30 minutes each.Medium of InstructionPimsleur is an audio-based programâ€"which is great if youre a multitasker and want to learn a language while commuting, waiting for a friend or walking your dog. Less so if youre the type who wants to see texts, faces or graphics while learning.Content DepthYoure advised to just stick to o ne 30-minute session a day. Following that, a whole level would take you about a month.The lessons open with a conversation by native speakers. This dialogue then becomes the basis for the lesson. Youll be brought up to speed with clever drills, prompts and repetition. Youll not only learn new vocabulary, but also come to understand what the dialogue was all about.The lessons are phrase-centric. Meaning youll not be learning just words, but bunches of them. Around five phrases will be introduced for each lesson, and some old ones will be reviewed later on. The lessons are interactive, meaning that youll not only be prompted by the teacher to repeat after her, but youll be asked to answer some questions, too.The lessons are placed within useful context and situations to help you imagine how and when to use what youve learned. Youll learn the basics in this course, like greetings and pleasantries. And if youre a businessperson who travels, youll probably find the audio lessons quite u seful for your purposes.Pimsleur believes in core vocabulary, focusing only on the most useful and most common words in the target language.The repetition in the lessons may be a double-edged sword for some: You get the phrases drilled into long-term memory, but this also drags out the lessons quite a bit.Some grammar is explained from time to time, but you get the sense that its not really at the heart of the lessons.Formal styles of communication are used in these lessonsâ€"like the kind of language you use if youre talking to an elder or a complete stranger.Target SkillsIts obvious that this program hones in on your speaking and pronunciation skills. Youll find plenty of opportunities to talk in the target language, albeit parroting the teacher. But as long as you perform the activities asked, your verbal skills will improve.Youll also really improve your listening skills, familiarizing yourself with the tone, melody and cadence of the target language, and be able to make out ind ividual words with no visual prompts. Youll get help with your intonation from native speakers whose dialogues provide handy contexts.AestheticsTheres not much to go through here in terms of the visuals, because hey, the system is in audio. But the sounds are sharp enough to hear the tonal rises and falls of the target language.Rosetta Stone ReviewThere actually is a Rosetta Stone, which is a stone slab containing inscriptions in three different languages, including Greek. This stone slab became the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics. Why dont you pay it a visit in the British Museum? But for our purposes here, were looking at the Rosetta Stone language learning software, one of the biggest names in language education today.PriceDepending on the target language, prices of comprehensive courses (three levels) hover around the $150-$200 level. This includes a CD with software you need to install on your computer.SpanishFrenchGermanChineseJapaneseItalianArabicKoreanPortugueseYou can now also purchase access via subscriptions ranging from three months to two years.You also have the option to purchase in-product live tutoring from native speakers.Medium of InstructionThe biggest thing you need to remember about Rosetta Stone is that its a target-language-based undertaking. Meaning, no, you dont get any translations or English at all. Proceedings are to take place in the target language and youre going to have some figuring out to do. (Plenty of photos are provided to help you.)Text and audio are in the target language. Rosetta is immersive in that sense.Content DepthRosetta Stone is a software program that contains audio-visual lessons. Think of it as a superpowered flashcard application. Expect to see plenty of pictures.Because of the pictures proffered, youll find yourself able to decipher the meanings of the words without any translation. For example, in the Spanish program, you will see lápiz  being paired with a clear picture of a pencil. No translatio n will be needed to catch the drift on that one. (And then later on, the Rosetta Stone software program will make a game out of it, by asking you to pair the picture with the word and vice versa.)Not a whole lot of vocabulary will be taught, because like Pimsleur, Rosetta Stone also only carries core vocabulary. For vocabulary fare that goes beyond words like man, book and table, youre going to have to do your own research outside the Rosetta Stone interface.One of the most useful features of the program is that it gives you access to native speakers of your target language. Book sessions and youll be in for a live tutoring experience from competent and patient coaches. And get this, they stick to the script of talking (and teaching) in the target language. So, no English.This, by far, is the most immersive element of the whole program, and I encourage you to utilize every minute of those sessions.Target SkillBecause everything is done in the target language, your skills of comprehe nsion in the target language are greatly increased. Youll be able to negotiate meaning and learn the language without being encumbered by the slow process of translating one word to another.Youll also hone your listening skills in the target language. In addition, your pronunciation skills can get a boost from the speech recognition feature, where you can actually compare how you speak with a native.And, as always, Rosetta Stone is great for learning vocabulary. Youll always have a visual component (pictures!) with which to remember words.AestheticsRosetta Stone does excel in beauty and form.The installation of the software is pretty straightforward. The interface is very instinctive and approachable. You wont lose your way as you progress along the course activities. If youre looking for true target language immersion, and dont easily get disoriented when you dont hear English for a few minutes, then this ones for you.And unlike some language programs that arent particularly clicka ble, Rosetta Stone is pretty responsive and interactive.The pictures are professionally taken, and some of the best in the field of language learning. These visuals can practically embed themselves into your memory.Audio-wise, Rosetta is clear and crisp, and allows you to hear very specific sounds of the target language. Surprisingly, while you often may think of this program primarily for its visuals, you may find it compares favorably to other programs specifically in terms of audio.Assimil ReviewAssimil programs are produced by a French company and are big in Europe. Assimil is a favorite material of many translators and polyglots including Luca Lampariello, the fellow behind the site The Polyglot Dream.In a way, Assimil has similarities with both Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone. Its like Pimsleur in that its audio-based, and its like Rosetta Stone in that the audio is exclusively in the target language.PriceDepending on the language course, the program can be purchased for a reasonab le price. Included will be downloadable audio files containing the lessons, with an accompanying workbook.Medium of InstructionAs mentioned before, Assimil is audio-driven, although it comes with a book that contains transcripts of the dialogues as well as translations of them. Only the target language is heard on the audio files.Explicit grammar explanations only come every once in awhile and they are but little footnotes in the workbook. The method is sentence-centric. Meaning youll be learning vocabulary and grammar in the context of dialogues and the conversational to-and-fro of sentences.Content DepthEach lesson can be finished in 30 minutes. The course comes with 100 lessons, with each lesson covering around five pages in the workbook. The lesson typically opens with a staged dialogue, which gradually gets longer. The sentences also become more complex as you move along through the course.The first 50 lessons are known as the passive wave because they involve plenty of listeni ng and attuning yourself to the intonations, inflections and flow of the target language. In the second wave, from the 51st lesson on, exercises and reviews of past lessons are integrated, and the learner moves into a more active role from here on out.In the 100 lessons, youll learn about 2,000 words.Target SkillYour listening skills will really be developed in this course. And because of the dialogue format, youll start to get a feel for conversations in the target language. You may not actually get to B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages  (CEFR) as promised by the folks behind the program, but youll definitely be able to communicate with native speakers in everyday situations.Also, by experiencing appropriate contexts for vocabulary, youll retain a considerable number of words in your long-term memory.AestheticsAudio-wise, the recordings are clear and you wont have any problem hearing whats being said. Speedwise, the speakers enunciate well and even seem to purposely slow down, especially in the early parts of the program.The accompanying workbook admittedly may not be a big hit with some learners. The pages can come across as somewhat cluttered, and dont offer much in the way of color.That said, this is a great way of packing in practice if thats primarily what you want. The accompanying workbook is fat with useful content and gives you an insightful behind-the-scenes look at what you hear in the audio. The precise translations provide a welcome relief for learners who may find audio-only or full immersion a tad bit challenging.Duolingo ReviewDuolingo has plenty of world languages under its belt, with more under development. It claims its the most popular way to learn a language with its millions-strong userbase. Its easy to use as an app, and its first compelling feature might be its unbeatable price.PriceFree. You wont shell out a single dollar for Duolingo. (The company makes money through a crowdsourced translation service.)Med ium of InstructionDuolingo lessons are not really lessons, but a bunch of activities done one after the other. The modules take you on a series of tasks you need to perform, like pairing words with their correct translations, or sequencing words in order to come up with a grammatically-correct sentence. By performing the activities, the idea is that youll embed the lessons and words into your long-term memory.Duolingo has a game-ified philosophy when it comes to language learning. The whole interface looks like a game where you earn points for correct answers. The progress bars gives you a visual indication of your performance, and the program  gives you a heads-up on the specific words and areas that need improvement.Content DepthBecause of the nature of the exercises and activities, theres also a limit on the things that you can learn through Duolingo. The program is great when it comes to learning vocabulary with spaced repetition technology, and decent when it comes to grammar e xplanations. Its also great at deconstructing language into its word components.In summary, its a good basics course, but cannot really be a standalone source for someone who wants to learn a language. Duolingo is best as a supplement to more robust content.Target SkillDuolingo allows you to practice your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. But dont expect to become fluent just from using this program. At best, it scratches only the surface of these skills.For example, more focus could be given to really speaking the language, instead of just enunciation. In Duolingo, youre only asked to repeat what you hear, and theres really not a strong communicative component.But that said, your basic skills do get a workout.AestheticsI have only great things to say about the interface of Duolingo. The graphics, colors, fonts, animations, icons, etc., are all synced to give you an experience thats so smooth and so instinctive, you begin to wonder if the thing is really actually free .Duolingo is one of the most visually zen programs I have seen in the field. Kudos to those behind the great design.So there you have it! Five different programs, five different sets of strengths and focuses. All you have to do is match them with your needs and you can have something that works for you.Again, there’s really no objectively best language learning program out there.Only whats best for you.And the great thing is that you get to decide what that is for yourself.

How to Pick the Right Teacher For Your Child

How to Pick the Right Teacher For Your ChildA teacher should be the best one for a student at hand if she teaches the topic at hand, and the question is how to choose the right teacher for your children. A teacher has the power to direct the kind of education that a student can get, so it's important that you should pick the one who is well experienced and knowledgeable about your subject. To choose a teacher, you can use a good technique called the 'approach.' Here is the approach to choose a teacher for your child.Identify the process or task, your child is doing in the class. If your child is doing on the subject, this may mean that he/she is doing the lecture, and if you have a child who is doing the practical exercises, this may be possible that he/she is doing the practical exercises. Knowing the area the teacher teaches, will let you choose the teacher. By knowing the process or task you need to do for your child to improve his/her learning, you will easily recognize the right teacher.The next step in the approach is to identify the qualities that make a good teacher. A teacher with lots of experience and knowledge is usually great for your child because she is more capable to solve your child's problems and even help him/her learn some new skills. Also, a teacher who has the patience and understanding that your child needs is more helpful.With the right chemistry tutor, your child can increase his/her knowledge and in general, the whole thinking process in his/her mind can get more advanced. A good teacher will get your child to be a better student, so your child will learn to study and understand what he/she is learning. In the last phase, a teacher will try to help the student to build a better relationship with each other and the instructor. This is the best way to learn chemistry, and a teacher will guide you to make chemistry a big part of your child's life.You should pick a good teacher because he/she is well experienced and can teach your child. This teacher should know which problems are important and which problems are not. He/she should be ready to help your child, so that he/she can work hard in his/her learning and when the time comes to test, he/she will be ready to help your child.After you choose the teacher, the next thing to do is to choose the place where the teacher will be teaching. This is very important because it helps a lot if you have a teacher near your home. You will be able to see the progress your child is making in the class. Once the teacher is through with the lesson, you should talk to your child about it.At this point, you have found the best teacher to teach your child chemistry. So, pick the right teacher for your child, and your child will soon enjoy his/her life.

Why Are Duolingo For Learning English So Popular?

Why Are Duolingo For Learning English So Popular?It is no secret that Duolingo is a tool that has proven itself as the top choice for online Spanish learners. What makes it even more amazing is that this method is also used in the field of foreign language teaching by expert teachers from all over the world.This site can be accessed by anyone on any computer and has an advanced vocabulary and grammatical system that will make learning English fast and easy. This site offers both audio and video lessons to teach language skill, you can even talk to a native speaker live while studying the lessons. Although it is not a substitute for real life language classes, it is a great way to learn a new language at a fast pace.There are many things that make Duolingo an ideal tool for learning English. One of the most important is that all the lessons are video. This allows the learner to study at their own pace without having to rush through the course. Students will find the lessons very engag ing and fun to learn.While it is true that English is a very difficult language to learn, the process is really not that difficult. The lessons do a great job of teaching the grammar and structure and making it simple to understand and follow. You can check out some of the courses offered in the site and see if you like them. Many teachers love the ease of learning and the usefulness of the course.If you want to try out the site before you commit to a full subscription to the site, you can check out the free trial. The free trial is just like any other online course with few differences.In the free trial, you are allowed to try out the lessons but you cannot receive any money back. It does not cost you anything to download the program and take the free trial so there is really no reason not to. It is just another incentive to visit the site and become a member.Once you are a member of the site, the cost is really not that expensive. It will actually save you a lot of money because y ou will have access to all the paid courses and lessons, you can create your own course and create your own flashcards.

How to Be Successful Even in a Career Change - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to Be Successful Even in a Career Change - Introvert Whisperer How to Be Successful Even in a Career Change How to Be Successful Even in a Career Change Success rarely happens overnight. In most cases it takes years of hard work, gathering experience and building up knowledge and skills to succeed in anything. Even when it looks like somebody simply appeared and reached the top instantly, you probably aren’t aware of the blood, sweat and tears behind that person’s accomplishments. But what happens once you reach the level of success you wanted and you realize that your career choices haven’t made you happy or that they no longer work for you? Does a change in career mean that you have to throw all those long hours and enormous effort away? There are ways to switch between careers and still remain successful, but there are certain steps you have to take and things to consider. Here are some of them. Figure out the ‘why’

The Mayans

The Mayans Taking a Look at the Long History of the Maya People ChaptersThe Mayan TimelineGeography of the Maya TerritoryMayan PoliticsThe Mayan Social StructureMayan Religious and Spiritual BeliefsAncient Maya AcademicsMayan CalendarsThe Mayan CivilisationDo you remember the Mayan calendar freakout of 2012?December 20th, 2012 was the date that the Mayans presumably predicted the world would end.In stores around the globe, survival supplies were snapped up. Building contractors specialising in underground shelters were triple-booked; they couldn’t work fast enough to meet demand.Everywhere, people alternated between hosting extravagant parties and hunkering down in fear.And then, at the stroke of midnight on that day... the Mayan calendar regenerated and lots of people felt just a little foolish at having stockpiled emergency candles and tinned food.This incident is a testament to the power, impact and genius of the Mayan civilisation, even centuries after its waning.They were a people both religious and superstitious, human characteristics see mingly at odds with their scientific nature.Equally at odds were their artistic abilities and their brutality â€" not just ritual sacrifices but in everyday matters, such as torturing and beheading their losing ball team.Yes, the Mayans loved to play ball, just like we do!Let us now take a trip to Mesoamerica, where the Mayan civilisation flourished for so long. We’ll find out what life was like in those times, what marvels they achieved and what happened to them. MarkHistory Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JohnHistory Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarjotteHistory Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErinHistory Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChantelleHistory Teacher 5.00 (2) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyHistory Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PeterHistory Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SerenaHistor y Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Mayan Timeline Beware of playing ball with ancient Mayans; you may end up losing your head! Image by ecalbz2005 from PixabayAlthough the region occupied by the Mayans shows evidence of having been inhabited some 8,000 years ago, the time frame of Mayan civilisation is contested to this day.Nevertheless, the eras of a few major events are generally agreed upon.Most archaeologists put the start of Mayan civilization around 1,800BC, when actual settlements arose and the people started cultivating maize, beans, squash and chilli peppers â€" ingredients that remain staples of their diet still today.One of the most impactful events in the Mayan timeline happened in the 9th Century AD: a political collapse led to a migration away from the southern lowlands, leaving their cities and fields behind.Nobody is sure what brought on that migration or the sudden change in political winds.A combination of factors such as drought and overpopulation â€" which led to environmental degradation, coupled with civil war is universally accepted as likely factors.By the start of the 16th Century, there were hardly any Mayan warriors left to fight against the Spanish; in 1697, Spanish conquistadors attacked and took the last independent Mayan city.The longevity of the Mayan civilisation â€" in spite of her collapse in the 2nd Century she kept on going, has caused scholars to categorise date progression into 5 discrete eras:Archaic: from 8,000 to 2,000 BCPreclassic: from 2,000 BC to 250 ADClassic: 250 to 950 ADPostclassic: 950 to 1539 ADContact Period, the times of Spanish activity: 1511 to 1697Within those divisions, there are further distinctions: early, late and terminal. We also note that the date ranges may fluctuate by up to a century as there is no definite way of assigning dates to specific events.Discover amazing facts of the aboriginal Australian timeline.Geography of the Maya TerritoryThe Mayan civilization developed within the Mesoamerican culture area which extended from the northern end o f today’s Mexico into Central America.In their heyday, the Mayans occupied the entire Yucatan Peninsula as well as southeastern Mexico and northern South America â€" the region we know today as Belize and Guatemala, as well as western Honduras and El Salvador.The Mayans enjoyed a generous coastline. Inland, their terrain was generally flat with few hills, except for what was known as the Mayan Highlands, the mountain range that extends into Guatemala.In all, they had plenty of arable land and water was not necessarily difficult to come by... at least, if the population had not boomed. The Mayans generally lived on flat terrain with abundant water Image by MarkgCap from PixabayMayan PoliticsAlthough the region was vast and well-populated and all Mayans shared a common worldview and ideology, they were never consolidated into a single empire.Mayans lived in nation-states, each governed by their own political hierarchies. These states were connected by trade relations, diplomatic alliances and tribute obligations.Tribute obligations: more powerful states would exact payment from weaker neighbours, generally as a gesture of submission. Such a tribute could be in the form of currency or goods.Initially, Mayans were governed by tribal chiefs but, by the Classic period, leadership had become more centralised and much more powerful.Leaders justified their position through lineage or by divine right; political connections with other leaders also helped enforce a leader’s tenure.The Mayan culture enforced loyalty and obedience to rulers; they felt it was absolutely necess ary to maintain social harmony.Those who chafed under leadership were harshly punished.  By the Classic Period, human sacrifice had become a well-established tool for social control. Political and religious leaders had no issue with performing ritual sacrifice as a way of demonstrating their power.Are you familiar with the burial customs in ancient Greece?Besides ancestor worship, Mayans had more than 200 gods. The most important ones were of creation, fertility, rain and thunder, and death.As in society, so in the pantheon of gods: there was a hierarchy, with some gods being more powerful and revered than others.Some gods existed to be disliked, mocked and tricked.Throughout the vast Mayan territory, most everyone revered the same gods but some polities had gods specific to their region or concerns.It is difficult to assess exactly how many gods populated their belief system because the same god may have a different name in another region or may have several names within the same r egion.One remarkable facet of Mayan gods is their potential for ruthlessness and cruelty.For instance, Zipacna, a god instrumental in creating the earth, killed 400 boys in a single, cleverly-engineered move. The Tikal pyramids in Guatemala were more ceremonial in nature Image by Albert Dezetter from PixabayAncient Maya AcademicsFor a people obsessed with bloodshed and warfare, ancient Mayans were surprisingly academic, making significant advances in a variety of fields.TechnologyShould you be in doubt about Mayan technological know-how, you only need to look at their leftover structures and city ruins. Their symmetrical layout and precise lines indicate that they knew a bit about land surveying and measurement.What is even more remarkable is that they cut stone and transported it without any metal tools or any wheels.Another amazing advance was their use of glittery paint to adorn their buildings and to create art.  Mixing standards colours with mica, a mineral abundantly available in the area, they decorated everything from their walls to themselves.Do you think of ancient Mayans when you wear your wellies?Researchers have discovered that the Mayans perfected the process of combining ra w rubber with other materials to make it more durable â€" a process called vulcanisation, some 3,000 years ago.Among the products they fashioned out of vulcanised rubber were water-resistant bags and clothing, binding for their books and balls to play pok-a-tok with.Remember, earlier in this article we said that the losing ball team would be beheaded?AstronomyThe Maya civilization was agrarian, meaning it depended on natural elements â€" rainfall and auspicious planting times for the bulk of their food production.Furthermore, they believed in cosmological influence; the pull and power of the heavens on everyday affairs.  To derive the most benefit possible, they set out to understand the power of the stars and planets.Through their study, they gleaned an advanced understanding of astrological cycles and how they could help plan harvesting and planting schedules.Unlike the sun and moon, stars had no special divine meaning; however, they were significant for agricultural planning beca use their changes indicated a change of seasons.Venus was another important celestial body.  Ancient Mayans associated Venus with war so battles were planned and fought according to Venus’ movements.If that planet was not in the right position to guarantee favour from the gods, sacrificing war prisoners would be delayed until such a time that the gods would be likely to smile.Mayan knowledge of astronomy even influenced their architecture; perhaps the most famous example of such is the positioning of the pyramid at Chichen Itza.Upon the spring and autumn equinoxes, the waning sun’s light casts a shadow onto a climbing wall which forms the staircase to the top of the pyramid.Projecting the undulating shape of the edge of the structure, the shadow appears to meld with the carved snake head that adorns the base of the stairs, making it appear as though a giant snake were slithering down the side of the pyramid itself.Such a degree of precision is astounding, especially considering that the ancient Mayan had virtually no tools or instruments with which to measure.Even more jaw-dropping: this entire structure is a calendar!Mayan CalendarsWhereas we have two calendars by which to track our days, Julian and Gregorian â€" and we don’t much use Julian dates anymore, the Mayan had several and used them all.Their shortest cycle calendar was called Tzolkin; a 260-day count. It was used to determine when agricultural activity should take place and to plan religious ceremonies.  It also represents roughly the duration of a human pregnancy.The Haab calendar is 365 days long, like ours, but is broken down into 18 months of 20 days each.If you’ve done the math, you know that 18x20 is only 360. The last 5 days were considered so unlucky, they were given their own name: Wayeb.  During that time, Maya people stayed home and avoided most activities, lest disaster befall them.The long-count calendar was used to count all of the days since the beginning of time. This calenda r is both cyclical and linear, meaning that one can consult it to look forward and back in time, and that it regenerates.At its base is the 360-day Haab year minus the 5-day Wayeb period and, to explain it properly, we have to understand Mayan mathematics.MathematicsUnlike the Mesopotamian civilisation numbering system which was based on a value of 60, Mayan numeracy was base 20 or vigesimal.They devised a counting system using only 3 symbols and, most critically, they implemented the use of zero as a place holder.In Mayan numeracy, a dot represented a single unit, dashes had a value of 5 and, usually, a clamshell depicted zero.In the same way we teach our young students how to add by arranging the values vertically and to first add the ones, then the tens and so on, the Mayans used the same structure â€" except for their groupings were by 20, not 10.Using sticks, pebbles and perhaps a bone fragment to signify zero, everyone could use maths in everyday transactions.Now that we under stand that their counting system was based on 20, we see that their long-count calendar was simply the Haab calendar times 204.360 x 204 = 57,600,000 â€" which is exactly the number of days that elapsed by December 21st, 2012, after which the calendar restarted!Did the Inca also have a sophisticated system for counting? After centuries of exposure to the elements, Mayan glyphs are a little hard to read Image by Albert Dezetter from PixabayWritingThe Mayan writing system includes more than 800 symbols. Some are logosyllabic, meaning that a single drawing represents an entire word â€" a lot like Japanese or Chinese writing.Other Mayan script involves writing words out syllable by syllable. About 300 Mayan glyphs are considered syllabic.This writing system was the most developed in pre-Columbian America but, for as developed as it was, only the nobles were permitted to learn it.That means that the workers who chiselled hieroglyphics onto walls, sculptures and pottery had no idea what they were writing!On the other hand, scribes, religious and military leaders used their writing skills to draft many of their accounts on tree bark, which they then bound in animal hides.These books described life in the Maya culture, military action, politics and social events such as ball games and festivals.When the Spa niards invaded, they interpreted these books as pagan and evil. They burned the heap of them... but, fortunately, four have survived.The Mayan CivilisationIncomprehensibly brutal yet devoutly religious, firmly grounded in science but awash with superstition: the complexity of the Maya culture enthrals still today.Unlike other ancient civilisations, the Maya have left such a long history; a past littered with so much yet to be discovered and understood.Why did Mayan noblewomen file their teeth down to points? Why was being cross-eyed a mark of distinction?Why, when there was so much knowledge to be shared, was a substantial portion of the population denied education?There were no schools, as such, to teach people how to read, write and do maths. Withholding education was a way to maintain the class structure; to ensure the Mayan way would continue forever.Although there are still Mayans inhabiting the Yucatan peninsula and scattered throughout the region, their way of life is, for th e most part, gone for good.Done are the bloody wars and the brutal sacrifices; finished are the egocentric kings and the malicious nobles.Echoes of their gods are still there, though.If you happen to find yourself in the northern part of the Yucatan peninsula, sometime around the 20th of September, you may just catch the shadow of a Mayan feathered snake slithering down from the heavens.Now discover the similarities between Mayan and Aztec cultures...

Geometry Tutor - Quadrilateral

Geometry Tutor - Quadrilateral A 2-dimensional four sided polygon is called as a Quadrilateral. Different types of Quadrilateral are Opposite sides are parallel and equal. Area = base x height Two pairs of adjacent sides are equal. AB = BC and AD = CD Diagonals intersect at right angles. Area = (AC x BD)2 Opposite sides are parallel and equal. Each angle in a rectangle is 90. Area = Length x width All the four sides are equal. Diagonals are perpendicular. Area = (PQ RS)2 A pair of sides is parallel. Area = (a+b)h2 Here a, b are length of parallel sides And h is the height. All the sides are equal. Diagonals bisect each other. Each angle in a square is equal to 90 Area = side 1) A parallelogram with all sides equal and angles as right angles is a (a) Rectangle (b) Square (c) Rhombus (d) Kite Answer: b 2) Select a regular quadrilateral from the following (a) Rectangle (b) Parallelogram (c) Square (d) Rhombus 3) Statement I: A square is also a rectangle. Statement II: A rectangle is also a square. (a) Both I II are true (b) I is true, II is false (c) I is false, II is true (d) Both I II are false Answer: b 4) Sum of interior angles in a quadrilateral is (a)180 (b) 360 (c) 90 (d) cant be determined