Study Guide to the USM Chemistry Department

Study Guide to the USM Chemistry DepartmentThe USM Chemistry Department is a strong and viable resource for all undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a science or math degree. Here you will find resources that are designed to facilitate learning, and guide you in your path toward a successful academic career.Over the past century, chemistry has advanced tremendously in both scope and application. Through the years, it has grown into an exciting and fascinating field that makes many people very happy. Though we often hear about this field, we seldom take the time to discuss it in detail, nor do we consider it to be something to consider an integral part of our lives.But for the best people in all walks of life, chemistry is not something to be taken lightly. It is an essential key to success, and as such is important in all aspects of our lives. For instance, when the world economy is at its worst, the failure of the United States Department of Energy will not just affect the U S economy, but all around the world.Even though it is an internationally recognized organization, the Department of Energy department, when down, has a far reaching impact on everyone and everything within the United States. As such, it is important to understand how the Department of Energy uses and leverages its resources to influence the trends and events of our time. And though it may be an unacknowledged part of our everyday lives, it is also a necessary one.The USM Chemistry Department in no way overlooks the importance of chemistry in our lives and has taken measures to ensure that every student who enters the program is prepared for success. This includes the following: comprehensive coursework, and its introduction to the fundamental elements that make up the entire realm of chemistry. The program, however, offers the opportunity to focus on specific areas of study.If you have a background in biology, youcan achieve your goals by enrolling in a course in biology or in chemi cal engineering. On the other hand, if you have a background in physics, you can pursue a course in physics, while pursuing a concentration in the field of astrophysics. Though there are many areas within the USM Chemistry Department, students can focus on their specific area of interest, and then specialize in that area.One of the greatest benefits of being a part of the USM Chemistry Department is the opportunity to interact with teachers who are actively involved in the field. Here you will find a much deeper understanding of the issues that affect the world around us, and can make contributions to the discussions of these issues. These discussions lead to changes that are implemented into our everyday lives, and are just as important as the changes that we implement in our day-to-day lives.The USM Chemistry Department also contains several effective online tools that will allow you to study more effectively, without the need to leave the comfort of your own home. Here you will f ind information on the latest trends and events in the world of chemistry, and the resources that you will need to stay up to date on these topics. This will ensure that you are well prepared for any questions that you may come across.

Importance of Introducing Induction Chemistry to You

Importance of Introducing Induction Chemistry to YouInduction chemistry is a science that focuses on all things physical and organic and is concerned with the study of nucleation, manipulation, reagent preparation, etc. It can be very difficult to understand induction, especially if you are not an expert in it. What you need to do is to first understand the main features of induction. You need to learn how to read induction notes, which will enable you to follow along with other induction students.Induction chemistry uses to the regular or chemical reactions between two elements and can have many different reactions. In simple words, induction science aims at explaining how these reactions work. It is basically concerned with the reaction of different substances and minerals.In this way, specific chemistry can be effectively explained. Specific chemistry concerns reactions between two substances or molecules. Since it deals with atoms, it will also be able to explain all about reacti on between different kinds of matter such as acids, alkalis, and nitriles. The main constituents of an acid are H 2 and N 2 O.Several different reactions can be done in induction. Some of them are mixing, reacting, diffusion, crystallization, phase change, ionization, evaporation, etc. This is the reason why induction is very important for a chemist because it helps him to explain all the chemical reactions.This chemistry is very easy to understand, but you need to practice a lot if you want to master this science. First of all, you need to do some chemistry exercises to understand the basic principles of this science. These include those that discuss the various reactions and those that use acids, alkalis, and other natural substances.If you are interested in learning more about this science, you should purchase your own induction note book and study it yourself. There are some online schools where you can purchase your own books, or you can do it by yourself by studying the induct ion notes of experts.Remember that induction chemistry can be useful for almost all kinds of subjects, from physics, biology, chemistry, and others. Although it is known as an easy chemistry subject, if you really want to be successful in this chemistry, then make sure that you will dedicate some time to it.

Learn To Speak English From Hindi

Learn To Speak English From HindiA good number of foreigners are still getting entangled into the activity of learning English from Hindi. Today, many international students are extremely keen to know what exactly they should do in order to get comfortable with the language and to be able to have a better command over it. Let us learn how to learn from Hindi.One needs to first know that English is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. Moreover, there are a lot of people who are more exposed to English than any other language because it is the world's standard language. At the same time, a big percentage of the people living in English speaking countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK has no knowledge of the language whatsoever. So how can you try and learn the language through Hindi?The best way to learn the language is to start with a course that is as authentic as possible and really gives you the best of all the varieties of English. It is very crucia l that when you decide to take up an English course, you should look for something that can offer you a wide range of language methods and texts to help you in your quest to understand and learn the language. After all, English is a universal language and learning to speak it could be as difficult as learning a second language.The courses that are offered in the country that the student wants to study in should not only be English based but should also be teaching their students how to study with or without the book and how to manage their time efficiently. The course should also give a clear understanding of grammar rules and create a strategy to stay ahead of the competition.The next thing to consider is the amount of time and energy you can devote to studying on the Internet. Online classes should definitely be more than the free time available to you because when you are at your office or at home, you are not going to find the time to sit down and attend English lessons with som eone. Therefore, you need to make sure that you will be able to devote enough time to studying from your computer at your own pace.Online schools need to give their students the convenience of scheduling classes on any day of the week or even on weekends. This will ensure that you will be able to achieve the perfect balance between studying and working.Finally, a few essential things to consider if you want to learn English from Hindi include the quality of the English courses that you are taking. The best quality and the best format is to avail the tuition and preparation service that offer your local area English tutor.

What Computer Accessories Should You Get

What Computer Accessories Should You Get What Accessories Can You Use With Your Computer? ChaptersYour Data Output Device: The PrinterYour Input Assistant: the ScannerA Webcam to Communicate With Your FriendsThe Headset: A Must For GamersMove Your Data Around: USB Memory SticksExternal Hard Drives: A Good Backup SolutionOther Gadgets and AccessoriesWhether you own a computer tower, a laptop or a tablet with touchscreen, computer hardware never ceases to evolve. The market in the UK grows each year, so that almost every household now owns some sort of electronic device. In additional to the peripherals that are part of the basic user interface with your PC, such as a monitor, keyboard and mouse, there are other accessories that you might find useful when dealing with computers. Here is a selection to help you decide what you need for your home office and what to purchase for your online IT courses the next time you enter an electronics shop.Find out information about programming courses here.Printers can be fairly affordable - but not the cartridges! Photo on Visualhunt.co mInkjetFor private use, we recommend inkjet printers: micro-droplets of ink are projected onto paper to print out anything from text to JPGs and TIFFs. Today, most printers are fairly silent and reasonably fast. Of course, the price affects various functions, such as the clarity and brilliancy of pictures, speed of printing, two-sided print options… Print quality is measured in DPI: the higher the value, the lower the pixelation. For a simple text document, 600 dpi is sufficient; for a picture in a halfway decent quality, look for a printer capable of at least 1200 dpi. So consider carefully how you will be using your printer before going out to buy one. A good speed is about 10 pages per minute, but this will vary depending on whether you are printing in black and white or in colour, text-only or a picture.There are also combination scanner-printers out there that can multitask (starting at about £40). They can:Print documents and photosScan documentsPhotocopy in black and white or in colourSend and receive faxesRead flash drivess or USB sticks and print pictures directly from them, without passing by the computerTwo-in-one printer/scanner units save space and money - but if one element breaks down, you have to replace the whole. Photo on Visual huntWarning: though some modern printers are wi-fi compatible, others need a cable, which is not always included! Make sure you ask about it in the shop and let someone help you find a USB cable of the right length and type (or look carefully at the product description when shopping online).Laser and LED printersIn the past, you could also find needle printers if you wanted to save on ink, but these are almost never used any more as they are loud and slow. But now you can get a colour laser printer that lets you print high-quality pictures with very little ink. They are also much faster than inkjet printers. The only downside is their cost, meaning they are mostly used by companies and professionals. LED printers a re laser printers’ new rivals as they offer a very high print quality (600-2400 dpi).3-D PrintersWhat about 3-D printers? With them, you can print three-dimensional objects in a special kind of plastic http://www.techradar.com/news/best-3d-printer. They are fairly slow, needing up to ten minutes to print a single small figure; several hours for more complex things. But even private 3-D printers are still very expensive: they cost anywhere between £200 and £800 - and do you really need one?3-D printers shouldn't be part of your starter kit, especially if you don't master 3-D creation software. So why not take an online IT lesson with Superprof? Photo credit: wasapninworld on VisualHuntYour Input Assistant: the ScannerYou might want to consider digitalising all your family pictures, or need to send a signed document by e-mail, or import pictures from a book into a PowerPoint presentation. This is where a scanner comes in handy.Today, there are a lot of two-in-one printer/scanner u nits out there, but you can also buy separate scanners starting at £40 with high-resolution machines for up to £200. The first scanners were manual: you had to swipe them over the documents by hand. They are now obsolete, having very poor resolution and being difficult to use.Feed scanners are used for fax machines and business scanners with a document tray that pulls the individual pages through automatically.The most common models are flatbed scanners: you place your document flat onto a glass under which the scanner head goes back and forth:A light is shone on the documentThis light is reflected by the document onto sensorsThe reflected light is filtered according to the three basic colours (red, green, blue)A microregulator re-calibrates the coloursThe scanner head moves forward to capture the whole of the paper, line by lineThe digitial information is re-created pixel by pixel to produce a document in JPG, TIFF or PDF format.Just as for the printer, a minimum resolution of 20 0 dpi is recommended to get a good image on your computer screen. Some flatbed scanners also scan slides and negatives. You can also try portable scanners, often used by medial professionals. Fast and compact, you slip the document through it to scan. Count about £40-80 for a portable scanner.A Webcam to Communicate With Your FriendsWhen staying in touch with family and friends, don’t forget the camera! Though it’s often integrated into the computer monitor, you can also buy a separate webcam for more flexibility or better resolution. A webcam is simply a small digital camera which, with the help of software that is usually already uploaded onto the camera or is available as a download, allows you to send real-time images from almost anywhere on Earth. It’s useful for video conferences, whether in the office or at home. With a webcam you can:Take picturesRecord videosTake part in video conference calls, via Skype for example.If you decide to buy a separate webcam, pay attenti on to its resolution, image stability and microphone quality to have decent sound and image quality. Basic models start around £10 but professional-level models can go over £80.A good way to stay in touch with the office from home, or say hello to family members living half a world away - or even take online IT classes, learn Java programming or take singing lessons online! CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h 1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Headset: A Must For GamersA headset is a piece of equipment integrating both a microphone and an earphone. It’s very useful for professional gamers, call centre employees or anyone who has to talk and do something else at the same time, such as IT troubleshooters, coders, graphic artists who want to talk a client through changes in real time, or even a student taking online coding courses etc. For online gamers, it allows them to communicate with other players while playing the game. Like a gaming mouse, it isn’t indispensable for casual gamers, but it makes playing more comfortable and professional gamers wouldn’t dream of doing without!Gamers are not only ones to use a headset at the computer. Photo credit: highwaysengland on Visualhunt.comIt generally has two jacks: one for the microphone and one for the earphone. A good-quality headset will cost you about £30-50.Move Your Data Around: USB Memory SticksA USB stick is a data storage device. You can transfer all the data you want to take with you (pictures, music, videos, files…) to a USB stick so it can be read by a different computer. It’s easy to use: simply insert it into the USB slot on your computer, then drag-and-drop, or copy-and-pa ste any files and data you like onto it. USB keys are compact and easy to slip into a purse or wallet. USB sticks use flash memory and have very few mechanical and electrical components, making them quite shock-resistent. They have storage capacities ranging from 2 GB to 2 Terabytes, but remember that they are better adapted to use as temporary storage than as a permanent data storage unit or data backup. If that is what you are looking for, get an external hard drive instead. Depending on its storage capacity, USB sticks cost anywhere between £3 (for only 2 GB) and £700 (for encrypted USB 3 flash drives with 128 GB).External Hard Drives: A Good Backup SolutionMost PCs have an internal hard drive that allows you to store data on your computer. But just in case your computer crashes, it’s a good idea to backup your data by regularly copying it onto an external hard drive. In addition, it is a good way to expand your memory capacity if your hard drive memory is limited. There are office hard drives and portable external hard drives.Office or business external hard drives (not to be confused with cache memory or shadow-RAM) can weigh several kilos and are not really portable, though they can be transported. Their memory capacity varies from 750 Gigabytes to 6 Terabytes for prices ranging from £60 to over £100. They often need an external power supply in addition to their connection to the computer.Lighter (about 200g), portable external hard drives offer 500 GB to 2 Terabyte memory for prices ranging from £20 to about £70. A simple USB connection is enough.External hard drives are great for storing media and making sure all your important files are backed up. Photo credit: begemot_dn on Visual huntThere are also multimedia hard drives that not only allow you to save files but also play them by plugging them directly into a TV screen or an entertainment centre. Make sure the multimedia hard drive has an HDMI connection for better-quality images.Other Gadge ts and AccessoriesWho doesn't need a USB whack-a-mole to plug into their computer? Photo credit: Kimli on Visual HuntNovelty mousepad, printer table, wireless keyboard, label printer, DVD burner, screen protector, office chair… there are enough office gadgets out there to personalise your computer and your workspace any way you like. Computer and marketing specialists understand that and are constantly proposing more or less useful gadgets and merchandise. From film merchandise to gimmick USB gadgets, it’s up to you to decide whether or not your really need a USB rocket launcher or a Darth Vader mousepad…See our Beginner's Guide To Computers.Discover the History Of Computers.Find out Who Are The Most Famous Programmers.Learn more about Facebook.

Choosing When to Visit Rio

Choosing When to Visit Rio When Should You Visit Rio de Janeiro? ChaptersWhat Is Rio de Janeiro’s Climate Like?When Is the Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro?What Events Can You Enjoy in Rio?How Long Does it Take to Visit Rio?“Brazil offers big adventures for travelers with budgets large and small. There's horseback riding and wildlife-watching in the Pantanal, kayaking flooded forests in the Amazon, ascending rocky cliff tops to panoramic views, whale-watching off the coast, surfing stellar breaks off palm-fringed beaches and snorkeling crystal-clear rivers or coastal reefs â€" all are part of the great Brazilian experience.” - Lonely Planet43 °C in the shade was Rio de Janeiro’s hottest recorded temperature in 2015.  It’s not always that hot, though. The climate is quite nice and it’s never too hot nor too cold with a nice breeze coming off the ocean.However, certain times of the year are better than others, especially if you want to see the beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema.In this article, we’re going to look at the climate in Rio de Janeiro and the best time to visit it. IrineuPortuguese Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GabrielaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoanaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (1) £12/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouisePortuguese Teacher 5.00 (2) £27/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RodrigoPortuguese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BlancaPortuguese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolinaPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamPortuguese Teacher 5.00 (6) £11/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhat Is Rio de Janeiro’s Climate Like?Rio de Janeiro is located between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn and enjoys a warm and humid tropical climate. Like many countries in South America, there are only two seasons: the dry season from May to October and the rainy season from December to March. April and November are transi tional months. The Amazon rainforest is a huge part of the country but has a very different climate. (Source: nile)The city is located by Guanabara Bay and surrounded by mountains covered by the Atlantic Forest, which results in milder temperatures during the warm periods but also humidity.Chris the Redeemer stands 710m above sea level on the Corcovado, where it’s usually 4 degrees cooler than at the foot of the mountain. On Sugarloaf Mountain, 400m up, the weather’s quite similar.Average Temperatures at RioIt’s never too cold in Brazil’s second city during the day. At night, temperatures can drop to under 10 °C but rarely any lower thanks to the surrounding mountains.If you decide to go to Rio de Janeiro in December, you can spend the holidays paddling in the ocean with a caipirinha in hand as you listen to samba music.Rain in Rio de JaneiroThere’s quite a lot of rain in Rio; 1300mm per year. London only has 584mm per year.  This makes sense since Brazil has a tropical climate which drie s in the summer following the rainy season. Most of the rain comes between December and March during storms.Have you ever experienced such a rainy season?Asia has similar seasons. The water can rise quickly.Unlike the UK, this is because it’s raining when it’s hot rather than cold.  For example, there’s an average 655mm of rainfall in Newcastle, which is still half of that in Rio!Sunshine in Rio de JaneiroSunshine is good and you’ll get an average of 7 hours of the stuff during the day. Rio is also regularly sunny throughout the whole year, even during the winter. During the summer, the days aren’t as long as they are during the British summer (due to how far north the UK is) so think twice before you start complaining about the early nights creeping in!Water Temperature in RioThe temperature of the water in the Atlantic Ocean is quite important in a city like Rio.From November to April: 24-26 °CIn May and June: 23-24 °C.From July to October: 22 °C.What more could you ask for?However, you should be careful as the waves and currents can be quite strong and tourists sometimes need to be saved by helicopter because they can’t swim back to the shore.Find out more about visiting Rio.When Is the Best Time to Visit Rio de Janeiro?If you want to visit the Ilha Grande, the Amazon rainforest, or the botanical gardens, different times of the year have their pros and cons. Before you get your flights, you might want to check the average temperatures in Rio de Janeiro. (Source: Skitterphoto)Brazil’s second-largest city is in the southern hemisphere. So when it’s summer in the UK, it’s winter in Brazil and also the dry period. When it’s winter in the UK, it’s summer in Brazil; the wet period.Find out more about accommodation in Rio.Visiting Rio during the Rainy PeriodThe rainy season is between December and March. Temperatures can rise to 35 °C and the humidity makes it feel even hotter. The tropical storms can be quite violent. Rio is sunny most of the year. (Source: tuli67)If you can deal with humidity and heat, then it’s a great time to go because everyone’s getting ready for the Rio Carnaval.Find out more about the cost of visiting Rio.Travelling to Brazil During the Dry SeasonThe dry season is between May and October. The temperatures oscillate between 15 °C and 25 °C but the evenings are quite mild. The sunsets are quite early, too, at around 17:30.  Don’t misunderstand the term “dry season”. The city is very humid and it can still rain, just less than during the rainy season.The Best Season to Head to Rio de JaneiroIn terms of weather, you’ll want to go during October, November, or the beginning of December when the days are warm and everyone’s getting ready for the carnival. March, April, and May are also nice but they’re not as festive because it’s after the carnival’s finished.The high season for tourists occurs during the carnival period and the low season is in the months afte rwards (June, July, August, September).Discover the different parts of Rio.What Events Can You Enjoy in Rio?While the city is most famous for its carnival, there are plenty of other events throughout the year you can attend if you can’t head there during February or March:6th January is the Festa dos Reis. While this is very popular in Recife, it’s celebrated throughout the country.February-March: The week-long carnival festivities take place.Semana Santa: Easter week in Brazil is a big deal and there are big processions organised in Rio. June: The Rio marathon is good for sporty tourists if you can deal with the heat.24 June for São João (Saint John): This is one of the biggest holidays of the year with bonfires and fireworks displays.June and July for the Festas Juninas: There are parades organised from the favelas to the historic centre starting in mid-June and through the whole month of July.2 December: Samba Day.31 December for New Year’s Eve. Every year, the locals hea d to the beaches dressed in a white and throw rose petals into the see and launch fireworks. Around 2 million people attend the festivities. This, along with carnival, is the city’s biggest celebration. Before you go to Rio, you should check what's going on. (Source: nuno_lopes )How Long Does it Take to Visit Rio?You can visit the city in around 4 days if you’re in a rush and need to head elsewhere in Brazil like Salvador de Bahia, São Paulo, or Iguaçu Falls (or Iguazú Falls) in the south of Brazil. If Rio’s just a stopover on a longer trip to Colombia or Venezuela (a country you might want to avoid at the moment), here’s how you could organise your trip:Day 1: Ipanema and LeblonDay 2: Flamengo, Santa Teresa, and LapaDay 3: Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, and Leme.Day 4: Centro, Cinelândia, Botafogo, Urca, and Lagoa.If you’d rather relax on the beach, you’ll need to stay at least a week. You’ll have more time to discover the city without having to rush around. If you’re heading during carnival, you’ll need at least two weeks, a week to visit the city and a week to enjoy the festivities.So when will you head to Rio de Janeiro?While Spanish is spoken in almost every o ther South American countries including Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina, Brazil's official language is Portuguese.Before you head to the largest country in South America, you should consider getting help with your Portuguese from a private tutor on Superprof. If you want to learn more about Brazilian culture and the language.There are three types of tutorial available, each with its advantages and disadvantages: group tutorials, online tutorials, and face-to-face tutorials.Group tutorials are great for those on a budget as you can share the cost of the tutor's time with the other students in attendance. It could be useful if you're going to Porto with a group of friends, though. Of course, you won't enjoy as much of a personalised touch as you would with the other types of private tutorial.Similarly, online tutorials are good if you're on a budget as the tutor doesn't have to travel and can, therefore, charge less per hour. Your tutor might even be from Brazil.Finally, face-to-face tutorials are between you and the tutor. This is the most costly type of tutorial but it's also the most cost-effective.

The First World War

The First World War How the First World War Shook the World ChaptersThe Lead-up to World War IThe Shot Heard Round the WorldEveryone Gets InvolvedWorld War I and the Rest of the WorldAnalysis of WWIThe dawn of the 20th Century was a time of unprecedented progress and innovation: the possibility of humans taking flight became a probability with the Zepplin (1900), the Wright brothers’ aeroplane (1903) and the helicopter (1907).Bakelite, a virtually indestructible petroleum-based product opened new markets and sharp minds; every plastic implement in the world today originates from Leo Baekeland’s formula (1907).Everything from a favourite teddy bear (1902) to the artificial illumination (1902) we give little thought to was discovered/invented/created around the turn of the century.Even the teabags for your fav cuppa were invented in 1904!Hoovers, tractors and neon lights... the early 20th century saw the world treated to such a veritable explosion of genius incrementally making human life better and easier.Who could have known the war to en d all wars was just a few years away?Your Superprof now goes back in time to examine the simmering socio-political unrest and chronicles the events leading up to when that turmoil seethed to a boil, to survey the destruction and tally the losses.We’ll get to that event soon enough. For now, let’s continue drawing our map...Nobody liked the French so, to keep France from becoming any type of power to be reckoned with, Germany’s chancellor brokered the League of Emperors; an alliance between Europe’s three major thrones.Otto von Bismark is today credited brokering that deal. Sharply intuitive and cunningly astute, he seemed to have had the right touch for just about any negotiation. By all accounts, he wasn’t really a nice guy, though.Still, concerns over Russia’s commitment to the League led Prussia and Austria-Hungary to form a Dual Alliance, leaving the Tsar’s interests (and military strength) out of further negotiations. Later, Italy joined, making it a Triple Allian ce.America, reveling in its pre-Depression prosperity, was busy making great strides in industry that would later impact the outcome of the war.What about the British Empire?Until just after the turn of the century, we were enjoying our splendid isolation â€" avoiding any long-term alliances and relying only on our vast colonial resources for military strength as well as our economy.While there was relative peace in Europe during this time, there were skirmishes: the Boer wars, for one, that clearly illustrated Britain’s vulnerability in spite of the Empire’s might.For that reason, we entered into an Entente Cordiale, a series of agreements that greatly improved Anglo-French relations. Later, we signed into the Anglo-Russian Convention, meaning that, if either France or Russia needed our help in wartime, we would join in.Meanwhile, France and Russia had brokered their own agreements.Coming into 1914, there was Germany-Prussia, Austria-Hungary and Italy â€" the Triple Alliance, s andwiched by Great Britain-France-Russia’s Triple Entente.Now that our battle lines are drawn, let’s get on with the fighting!Discovering their country's annexation to Austria-Hungary left many Serbians angry Source: WikipediaThe Shot Heard Round the WorldArchduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne, was touring Sarajevo, Bosnia being a territory that the Austria-Hungary empire had annexed from the waning Ottoman Empire.Among the crowds lining the motorcade route were six members of Young Bosnia, a body of political dissidents particularly active in schools. They intended to assassinate the Archduke in order to force the relinquishment of the south Slav provinces.The grenade lobbed at the passing car missed its mark, injuring several bystanders. Remarkably, that was the only attempt made on the dignitary’s life while in procession.Purely by chance, as he was returning from the hospital, having visited those wounded by the blast, a wrong turn brought him in the sig hts of one of the assassins, who was armed with a pistol.Two shots, one for the Archduke and one for his wife, fired by a youth just shy of his 20th birthday caused Europe to descend into chaos.Although the winds of war hardly ruffled Viennese society, the political effect was deep.From anti-Serb riots in Sarajevo encouraged by Austro-Hungarian leaders to imprisonment and extradition of prominent Serbs, all of which led to the July Ultimatum: intentionally unacceptable demands placed on the Serbian government with the deliberate intention of provoking war.Such demands have a way of causing earth-shattering events; just think about how such demands gave rise to Nazi Germany!world war; there was fighting on virtually every continent and on the open seas to boot!AsiaGermany held large swaths of territory â€" in China and what was then called German Samoa. New Zealand and Australia got in on the action by liberating that Samoan territory as well as the island that later came to be known as New Britain.Meanwhile, Japan got busy in Micronesia and then proceeded to capture Qingdao, in China’s northwestern province. Both were German territories.AfricaMuch of the continent had been colonised by European powers; now was the time those colonies rose up in arms against one another.The French and British united themselves against the Germans, taking over their Togoland and Kamerun protectorates.The Germans positioned in Southwest Africa attacked South Africa, where British forces were encamped. Fighting there continued for the duration of the war.IndiaIn spite of Germany’s best efforts to incite uprisings, India remained staunchly loyal to the Crown. Men enlisted in record numbers; more than a million Indian soldiers served in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.We note that their efforts were an attempt to gain their independence from Britain. They were sorely disappointed when, after cessation of hostilities, it was not given them.The Americas joined in the fighting r ather late.The United States had adopted a stance of non-intervention until 1915 when a German submarine sank  the Lusitania. The 128 Americans on board that perished caused President Woodrow Wilson to demand that Germany not target civilian ships.Germany agreed but, as the war ground on â€" now in its third year, they resumed unrestricted submarine warfare with full awareness that the U.S. would fight back.The German foreign minister sent a telegram inviting Mexico to ally themselves with Germany to fight the Americans but British forces intercepted the missive, which was presented to the American president via the U.S. embassy in London.That and the sinking of six American merchant ships were all the incentive President Wilson needed: on the 6th of April 1917, the United States joined the Allied Powers in fighting Germany.South American countries and Caribbean nations were not excluded: in that last year of the war, just about every nation declared war on Germany, with Panama and Nicaragua also declaring war on Austria.For its sheer scale, WWI ranks among the world's most famous historical events.Trench warfare killed by explosion and disease Source: Wikipedia Credit: John Warwick BrookeAnalysis of WWIAustria suffered heavy casualties in the early days of the conflict. In fact, Serbian forces defeating the Austro-Hungarian forces is considered one of modern history’s greatest upsets.With more than 35 million casualties, WWI is regarded as one of the bloodiest wars in all of humanity.A lot of deaths likely came from the fact that the war started with a lot of troops using 19th century weaponry and battlefield tactics but, as the war progressed, the same explosion of innovation that advanced civilisation also made fighting much more deadly:The British Ladyship tanks premiered on September 1916; France’s and Germany’s soon followedArtillery and aircraft brought new threats from the skyradios, telephones and wireless communication permitted communication b etween the front lines and the decision makers who remained far removed from the fighting.Trench warfare, made possible by the development and improvement of the grenade, took lives indiscriminately â€" by disease or by explosion.The might of the British Navy could not overcome the stealth of German submarines.Things might have kept on indefinitely were it not for the Russian revolution, whose conclusion culminated in the signing of a treaty with Germany.One by one, all of Germany’s allies capitulated. Left alone to face enemies around the globe, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated on November 9th, leaving the remaining politicians to sign the armistice.It was truly a war to end all wars... until World War II came along.

Guitar Fingerpicking Patterns for Beginners [Video Tutorial]

Guitar Fingerpicking Patterns for Beginners [Video Tutorial] Maile Proctor Whether you just started guitar lessons or youve been playing for a while, guitar fingerpicking patterns can spice up your playing! Here, Denver, CO teacher Kirk R. teaches you three guitar fingerpicking patterns  to add to your guitar-playing toolbox If you’ve mastered all of the left-hand chord shapes, adding some right-hand flair will help you keep things interesting. If you’re still working on your first couple of chords, or maybe haven’t gotten that far yet, using some guitar fingerpicking patterns is a great way to impress your friends. Theres an almost unlimited number of ways to pick a chord with your right hand, so covering all the possibilities would take forever! Lets keep things simple and go over a few of the basic guitar fingerpicking patterns. Boom-Chick Guitar Fingerpicking Let’s start with what I call a boom-chick pattern. You may also see it called boom-chuck, or something else entirely, and you may also see slightly different right-hand techniques with the same name. The pattern starts with a bass note that you play with your thumb, followed by a group of higher notes. Most of the time, this will be a group of three notes, and you will use your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger. This pattern can also vary and have fewer notes, or you can add a fourth note with your thumb,  but this makes the pattern a bit more difficult. This sort of pattern is especially useful in songs with a waltz-like feel, or any other songs in ¾ time. In those cases, the pattern works best with your thumb playing on the first beat of each measure, followed by two chords on the second and third beats. The easiest version of this pattern in 4/4 or another duple meter, is a thumb note on beats one and three while the fingers play the chord on beats two and four. As an exercise to develop this pattern, start by using your thumb on the open E bass string, and your index, middle, and ring fingers on the G, B, and E strings, respectively. You can use this open picking pattern anywhere that calls for an E minor chord, and give your left hand a break to turn a page, scratch your head, or whatever else it’s been too busy playing chords to do. Check out the basic patterns here, as well as some of the possible variations. Travis Picking Travis picking is one of the most popular categories of guitar fingerpicking. It’s named after the great country guitar player Merle Travis. If you’re not a country fan, dont let that throw you off; if you dont know who he is, make sure you check this guy out. Despite being named after Merle Travis, the term Travis picking has a slightly more narrow definition than the patterns that Merle used in his playing. In general, Merle only used his thumb and the index finger of his right hand, which is the easiest way to approach Travis Picking. Start by playing with your thumb and index finger at the same time, with at least two strings between the ones that you’re playing (i.e. play the fourth and first strings). After that, play your thumb on a higher string, and then your index finger on the next string. After that, move back to the outer strings and play with your thumb, followed by your index finger, and finally,  another thumb note before repeating the pattern. - 22 2- -2-2 00 - It may look a little confusing written down, but once you start to feel it under your hand, it makes a lot more sense. When I play patterns like this, I try to remind myself that I wasn’t blessed with athletic hands  like Merle Travis. While I can play the whole pattern with just my thumb and index finger, using my middle finger on the highest note makes it more comfortable to play for an extended time. It also opens up a few more options, which I’ve demonstrated in the video below. Arpeggio Guitar Fingerpicking Arpeggio means playing the notes of a chord, one after another, moving in the same direction. For that reason, I will call these types of guitar fingerpicking patterns the arpeggio patterns. To start, set your hand up the same way you would for the boom-chick pattern, and start playing with just your thumb. Next, rather than playing the three fingers together, as we did before, we’ll play them in ascending order: index first, followed by the middle, and finally the ring finger. This basic pattern is really useful in the right type of song, and it’s easy to expand to fit different chords or time signatures. In fact, back in 1812, a famous guitarist published a list of 120 different versions of this type of pattern, all using only C and G7. The easiest ways to switch it up is to simply do it backward, starting with the highest note, or start with the thumb, and then play only the fingers in reverse order. Playing the original pattern, followed by the middle and then index fingers also make for a pleasant sound. Try changing the rhythm up in the middle of the arpeggio. Here’s a few options that you can try out yourself: The easiest way to switch it up is to simply do it backward, starting with the highest note, or start with your thumb, and then play only your fingers in reverse order. Playing the original pattern, followed by the middle and then index fingers also makes for a pleasant sound. Try changing the rhythm up in the middle of the arpeggio. Here’s a few options that you can try out yourself: As you can tell from the videos,  once you’re comfortable with a few of the patterns, its easy to do impressive improvisations without having to think about scales, mode, or anything besides basic chord progressions. These guitar fingerpicking patterns are great if youre ready to get more variety out of the chords youve been using. Try Add some spice to your songs by trying these patterns with songs you already know. If you have questions, ask your teacher or let us know in the comments below! Have fun, and get those right-hand fingers moving! Post Author:  Kirk R. Kirk is a classical, bass, and acoustic guitar instructor in Denver, CO. He earned a  bachelors of music in Guitar performance at The College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati and he is currently pursuing a masters degree in performance.   Learn more about Kirk  here! Image courtesy Kmeron Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher