Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Mean In Statistics, Rex E. Babcock

Honors Theses

When one speaks of how statistics have been utilized in decades past there is much to say. However, it is even more astonishing when one speaks of the utilization of statistics today. The use of statistics is widespread virtually over all of the world today, and is put to use in such fields as surveys, census, psychometrics, and almost every business, vocation, and employment that may come to one's mind. But I wish to confine myself to the mean in statistics; I will even make another boundary on myself by discussing only the arithmetic mean, geometric mean, harmonic mean, and …

Solubility Of Manganese And Iron In Impoundment Waters, Jim Gilbert

Honors Theses

The purpose of this paper is to show the rate of solubility of certain elements (manganese and iron) in impoundment waters. The rate at which manganese and iron becomes soluble is important in determining if there is a change in the solubility of these elements in impoundment water and free running water.

The solubility of an element under impoundment waters represents a cycle. The mud on the bottom of impoundment waters contain the elements that are insoluble. At a certain stage the element becomes soluble, and it is released from the mud. The soluble element is much lighter than the …

The Beginnings Of Mathematics, Gail Ray

Honors Theses

Our first conceptions of number and form date back to times as far removed as the Old Stone Age. Little progress was made in understanding numerical values and space relations until the transition occurred from the mere gathering of food to its actual production, from hunting and fishing to agriculture. With this fundamental change, a revolution in which the passive attitude of man toward nature turned into an active one, we enter the New Stone Age. The tempo of technical improvement was enormously accelerated.

(Ultra-Rapid) Fluorescent Labelling Of Proteins, Cynthia Elaine Wilson

Honors Theses

The goal at the outset of this research project was to prepare fluorescent labeled bovine plasma albumin. A reprint of "Ultra-Rapid Fluorescent Labelling of Proteins" by Dr. Henry Rinderknecht, Director of California Corporation for Biochemical Research, Los Angeles, California, was secured to serve as reference material for the project.

Kinetics Of The Decomposition Of The Cupric Ion Sulfhydryl Bond In Beef Plasma Albumin, Gary Rice

Honors Theses

The purpose of this work was to study the kinetics of the binding of cupric ion to beef plasma albumin, in particular the decomposition of the Cu++--BPA complex which absorbs light at 375 millimicrons.

The work of Klotz, Urquhart, Klotz, and Ayers has shown that the characteristic absorption band at 375 mu produced by the binding of cupric ion to beef plasma albumin is due to a copper- sulfhydryl bond. They have further demonstrated that the disappearance of this absorption band with time is accompanied by irreversible changes in the structure of the protein. The intensity of the initial absorption …

Ionium Age Determination, Leon Johnson

Honors Theses

Natural radioactive decay provides a means of determining the age of geological specimens. It is found that the number of atoms of a radioactive isotope disintegrating per unit time is linearly proportional to the existing number of atoms and independent of exterior parameters.

A History Of Mathematics Through The Time Of Greek Geometry, Janet Moffett

Honors Theses

The concept of numbers and the process of counting developed long before the time of recorded history. The manner of its development is not known for certain but is largely conjectural. It is presumed that man, even in most primitive times, had some number sense, at least to the extent of recognizing "more" or "less" when objects were added or taken away from a small group. As civilization progressed it became necessary for man to count. He needed to know the number of sheep he owned, the number of people in his tribe, etc. The most logical method was to …

Selections From "Mathematics: Our Great Heritage" Edited By William L. Schaaf, Mary Beth Mcgee

Honors Theses

This paper reviews and summarizes several essays within the text, Mathematics: Our Great Heritage edited by William L. Schaaf.

Mathematical Philosophy, Janie Ferguson

Honors Theses

The purpose of Mathematical Philosophy by Cassius J. Keyser is to delve into some of the more essential and significant relations between mathematics and philosophy. To see this relation, one must gain insight into the nature of mathematics as a distinctive type of thought. The standard of excellence in the quality of thinking to which mathematicians are accustomed is called "logical rigor;" clarity and precision are essentials. The demands of logic, however, cannot be fully satisfied even in mathematics, but it meets the requirements much more nearly than any other discipline. Thus, the amount of mathematical training essential to education …

Introduction To Astrophysics And Study Of Cosmic-Ray Collisions And Scanning, David L. C. Lau

Honors Theses

The discovery of tremendous amounts of energy from the Atomic Explosion (ex: first Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima) was not something new. For billions of years, atoms have been splitting with the release of such energy whenever stars are shining. We know that the atomic energy is being released from the sun and stars, and that this process has been going on for unthinkable years. However, the sun's atomic energy has been under control constantly, and its release of radiation (dynamic force) has supplied the constant supply of light and heat best suited for the well-being of mankind.

There are times, …

A General Study Of The Computer Process, Mary Beth Mangrum

Honors Theses

The electronic device known as the Computer was developed many years ago and is widely used by businessmen, scientists, and engineers to assist in solving many types of problems. In order to understand how computers can help you solve problems, it is best to disregard some of the impressions gained from popular accounts of the computers use. The computer is not a magic brain which will replace the human brain; the computer simply performs a series of mathematical or logical steps according to instructions which spell out exactly how it is to perform the required operations.

The computer's primary purpose …

An Attempt To Determine Molybdenum By Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, Gary Rice

Honors Theses

An attempt was made to work out a method for routinely determining molybdenum by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. A stock standard was prepared containing 100 ppm molybdenum as MO4. Sensitivity of the spectrophotometer was found to be zero for aqueous solutions in the 1-10 ppm range. A pH-dependence study of extraction of the molybdate with DDC and MIBK gave best results at about pH 4.

A Glance At The Showmanship Of Physics, John E. Savage

Honors Theses

"Teachers should present dramatic demonstrations of scientific principles and involve students in them. They should dispense fewer facts, ask more questions, and stir the intellect. Then the students will puzzle out the answers and remember them," says Professor Julius Sumner Miller of El Camino College in Southern California. "Remember this! If you're dead, and the text book is dead, you'll have dead students."

The classic example of the intellect being stirred by dramatic demonstrations took place in London when Sir Humphrey Davey gave the Christmas Lectures. Believe it or not, people paid to hear these lectures dealing with natural· physical …