Rainbows, Mirages, and Sky

Julia Davis Period 1
The fascination of rainbows, mirages, and the color of the sky can be seen by many as simply a miracle. For those with the knowledge of physics, this “unexplainable” phenomenon is simply explained by physics concepts that are working together to form such an astonishing site. These concepts, including dispersion and refraction, not only form the images we see daily, but also the beauty in rainbows and other spectacular occurrences in nature.
Rainbows only appear after rainstorms or any other precipitation. The sunlight strikes the water droplets and does three things: reflects, refracts, and disperses among the sky. The rays of the sun, also known as white light, that are refracted form the colors of the rainbow seen by the human eye. Therefore each raindrop is an individual prism that separates the white lights by refracting it back into the sky. The different colors are the result of the light being reflected at different degrees. The less the light is refracted the closer to red the light appears. Therefore if a color bends greatly it become the violet in the rainbow. A point that is 180 degrees from the sun, commonly referred to as the antisolar point, is instrumental in determining where the rainbow is formed. There is also the instance where one sees a double rainbow. This occurs when rays are reflected twice inside the raindrop therefore refracting back into the atmosphere twice, giving the appearance of a double, or secondary rainbow.
Mirages are often explained as optical illusions, but it has since been proven that they are more of a physics phenomenon than anything else. Mirages are most often seen in the desert or the artic. The most commonly seen mirage is water in the desert. This image is formed by the refraction of light along the barrier between two layers of air. Boundaries between layers of warm and cold air is often bent therefore forming images. Cold air is denser therefore sinks below hot air forming a boundary. Images appear more complex, such as a UFO, when more light is refracted. Physics simply explains mirages as the boundary between air.
When the sun is rising and setting it forms different colors that make a beautiful sky. The law of scattering light in the atmosphere can best explain why the sky appears blue during the day and reddish in the morning and evening. The sky is blue because the scattered light has the wavelength of the blue visible light spectrum. Red and orange are the most often seen colors of the spectrum that the human eye sees. The colors blue and red are seen by the eye at different times, blue light is rarely seen due to refraction. The more direct colors, including red, orange, and yellow are more often seen during sunrise and sunsets.
Physics can explain these natural wonders such as rainbows, mirages, and the color of the sky. Reflection, refraction, and dispersion of light explains these natural occurrences therefore explaining what otherwise would be thought of as miracles.

The National Center for Atmospheric Research & the UCAR Office of Programs. "AboutRainbows." 2/29/2008 .
"Polarization." Polarization; And the Human Eye. 1999. 4 Aug 1999.
Young, Andrew T. "Introduction." An Introduction to Mirages. 2008.

LAD #30- Brown vs. Board of Education

This court case challenged the separate but equal policies of segregation in schools. In Topeka, Kansas a third grader named Linda Brown, wanted to enroll into a white elementary school. On June 25, 1951 the case was argued that the black school could not match the curriculum of the white elementary school that Brown wanted to attend. The defenses argument was that the children will face segregation in adulthood. In the decision it was decided that the black children were unmotivated to learn if they were faced with inferiority. It was said that segregated schools went against the Fourteenth Amendment- equal protection under the law for all citizens. It overrode the decision in Plessy v Ferguson. The decisions that segregated schools were unconstitutional didn't outlaw segregation in other public places.

LAD #29: Truman Doctrine

The Truman Doctrine was an American foreign policy created to contain Communism. This was proposed by giving Greece and Turkey economic aid which would help both countries and try and keep them out of the Soviet sphere. When countries were poor they were more likely to fall to communism. By aiding these two countries with $400 million dollars Truman said the U.S. would be helping those free people who are resisting falling to the outside pressures. No other country was willing to stand up and fight against Communism therefore Truman wrote this doctrine in order to prevent the spread of Soviet Union's policies. He stated that it was the responsibility of the entire nation to preserve freedom for other people. The last few sentences of the Truman Doctrine was intended to motivate the country to stand up against communism.

LAD #28 FDR’s First Inaugural Address

FDR stated that there was nothing to fear but fear itself. These are critical days that success will only result if he had their full support. United States was obviously facing several problems but restoration requires changes in many areas of the United States. He then States the New Deal which relied on lowering the unemployment rate and a need for reliable currency. He wanted the US to trust in democracy and the US will not fail. In order for the US to survive on discipline and direction under leadership. He is accepting his role of directing the United States.

LAD #27 Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact

It was signed on August 27, 1928. It was an international treaty providing for the abandonment of the war as an instrument of national policy. It failed because it didn’t solve what the purpose for it was, but in ways was significant for international law. Sixty two nations signed the pact including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, India, the Irish Free State, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was signed outside of the League of nations but still remains a treaty under international law. It is still in the constitution and remains a force in American law.

LAD # 26 Schenk v. United States

Supreme Court decision concerning whether the First Amendment against the draft of WWI was legal. He called the draft involuntary solitude of the Thirteenth Amendment went against the draft. They described the draft as morally wrong. He was charged with conspiracy because he violated the Espionage Act because he tried to cause insubordination in the military and obstructed the recruitment. It was said that the criminal constitution was constitutional. It said that 1st amendment didn’t protect speech encouraging insubordination since it was wartime. Wartime permits greater restrictions on the freedom of speech similar to a bomb threat. It said that the stringy protection of freedom of speech would not protect a man that tried to cause panic. He was founded guilty and put into jail

LAD #25: President Wilson's 14 Points

The Fourteen Points were listed in a speech delivered by President Woodrow Wilson of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress on January 8, 1918. The underlying principles of Wilson's 14 points were 1. Self determination of peoples.2. Arms reduction.3. Non punishment.4. Formation of the League of Nations.5. Freedom of the Seas.6. No secret treaties.7. Free and open trade.He concluded his speech with the quote, The moral climax of this the culminating and final war for human liberty has come, and they are ready to put their own strength, their own highest purpose, their own integrity and devotion to the test."

LAD #24: The Clayton Anti-Trust Act

The Clayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914 was issued to replace the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, the Federal law that outlawed practices harmful to consumers (monopolies and anti-competitive agreements). The Clayton Act prohibit’s the use of the Act against labor unions and agricultural organizations. Therefore, boycotts, peaceful strikes, and peaceful picketing are not regulated.

LAD #23: Keating-Owen Child Labor Act

The 1900 census revealed that approximately 2 million children were working in mills, mines, fields, factories, stores, and on city streets across the United States. This statistic marked a national movement against child-labor. The conditions were dangerous and unsanitary, but since children were small and cheap big business saw them as the perfect workers. The Keating-Owen bill of 1916, was based on Senator Albert J. Beveridge's proposal from 1906. It used the government's right to regulate interstate commerce to regulate child labor conditions. The act banned the sale of products from corporations that employed children under the age of 14 for most business‘s, from any mine that employed children under the age of 16, and from any facility that had children under the age of 16, work at night, or for more than 8 hours during the day.

LAD #22: Wilson's First Inaugural

Woodrow Wilson begins his first inaugural address by recognizing how the government has internally changed. The House of Representatives changed to Democratic and Senate was also on its way to change. Democrats controlled the major positions in politics. He speaks of how the US has built a great government that has outlasted time. Since there is great wealth and excess, there is unacceptable waste. "We shall restore, not destroy. We shall deal with our economic system as it is and as it may be modified, not as it might be if we had a clean sheet of paper to write upon..." Wilson then calls on the people of the country to trust him, because the country has been successful before, therefore it will be in the future. He finally asks for dedication from the American People.

LAD 21- Dawes Act

Dawes act was a statement by congress to legally provide Indian lands and to provide reservation lands for all tribes. This divided up Indian land and strictly redistributed the land to the Indians. Indians viewed land as something to be shared and not to be owned by only one man. Several officers were assigned to legally document the division. Contracts were valid for 25 years and made it possible to sell land. Indians were protected by law of the United States if they were born when outside the reservation. Congress was granted the power to use land for public benefits.

LAD 20- Cross of Gold speech

Bryan delivered his most famous speech, the “Cross of Gold” at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The currency of the United States was scattered therefore the Democratic Party wanted to standardize. They wanted to convert the value of money into silver and leave behind the value in gold. Silver was more abundant and due to inflation it would make it easier for debtors to pay off their debt. Republicans felt that protection against inflation was imperative, therefore they wanted to keep the gold value.

LAD 19- The Populist Party Platform

The purpose of the gathering of the Populist Party was to restore the Republic form of government. The common man was forgotten in government at this time of big business, but the Populist Party wanted to restore the grounds that the country’s independence was founded on. The distribution of wealth was in the hands of the few. Majority was not being represented therefore they demanded that permanent labor unions should be protected under the law. This would raise wages and distribute wealth more evenly. They wanted to complete railroad regulation and the gold to silver ratio to be determined. Government should regulate telegraph lines and furthermore demand fair elections.