Electrical Energy In The Home Engineering Essay

Electrical Energy In The Home Engineering Essay Electricity is an essential energy source for modern living. Disruption to supply or isolation can lead to the development of alternative methods of obtaining this essential energy resource. For electrical energy to be useful it must be harnessed through the use of an electrical circuit and an energy-converting appliance. As electricity became increasingly used as the main power supply in homes and electrical appliances became an integral part of daily life for many Australians, the dangers associated with electricity became more prominent. Voltages as low as 20 volts can be dangerous to the human body depending on the health of the person and length of time of contact with the current. Safety devices in household appliances and within the electric circuits in the home can prevent electrical injury or assist in reducing the potential for electric shock. This module increases students understanding of the history, nature and practice of physics and the applications and uses of physics. Electrical Energy in the Home 1. Society has become increasingly dependent on electricity over the last 200 years Discuss how the main sources of domestic energy have changed over time The main sources of domestic energy have changed greatly through the years. As population grew each new energy sources gave more power, more wealth, better living conditions and more opportunity for humans. Assess some of the impacts of changes in, and increased access to, sources of energy for a community Before only man power was used, there was hardly any leisure time, but due to industrialization, there has been a lot of mass production which has greatly decreased human effort and giving us more leisure time. Discuss some of the ways in which electricity can be provided in remote locations Some sources of energy for remote places are:- Diesel generators A diesel powered engine drive an electrical generator Solar cells A solar cell converts sunlight directly to electricity which can be stored in batteries for night use. Wind Turbines Generate electricity from the power of the wind. Identify data sources, gather, process and analyse secondary information about the differing views of Volta and Galvani about animal and chemical electricity and discuss whether their different views contributed to increased understanding of electricity. www.wikipedia.org Luigi Galvani conducted a series of experiments with animals, beginning with dissected frogs. Galvani carried out a wide ranging series of experiments which found that there were convulsive movements of the frog when two metals were made to touch each other while one metal was in contact with a nerve and the other was in contact with a muscle of the frog. Galvani came to the conclusion that the electricity was inherent in the animal itself. According to Galvani, this conclusion was strengthened by an observation that a kind of circuit of a delicate nerve fluid is made from the nerves to the muscles when the phenomenon of contractions is produced, similar to the electric circuit which is completed in a Leyden jar(2). The diagram to the left illustrates Galvanis theory (3). Galvani published the results of his experiments in a book called (Commentary on the Effect of Electricity on Muscular Motion). When Alessandro Volta read Galvanis Commentary, however, he came to a different conclusion. Volta focused on the two different kinds of metal used in the basic versions of Galvanis experiments. The diagram to the left shows Voltas theory that the electricity originated in the bimetal arc itself, here drawn in two distinctly different shades, and that the resulting flow of electricity produced the muscular contractions (3). Voltas subsequent experiments led to the development of the voltaic cellsimilar to a modern-day car batteryand to the development of the field of electrochemistry. Much of our current knowledge of chemical reactions can be traced almost directly to the experiments of Galvani and Volta. Electrical Energy in the Home 2. One of the main advantages of electricity is that is can be moved with comparative ease from one place to another through electric circuits Describe the behaviour of electrostatic charges and the properties of the fields associated with them Electro static charges push or pull each other. There are forces between them: Same charges: Repel Opposite Charges: Attract Field between two charged plates The forces are best explained by imagining that each electric charge is surrounded by a force field. Any electric charge that is placed within the field will experience a force. By definition the direction of the force field lines is the direction a positive (+VE) charge would move if placed in the field. Define the unit of electric charge as the coulomb The unit of electric charge is the coulomb (C). 1 coulomb of charge is a very large amount, so microcoulombs(uC) are commonly used. 1(uC)=1 times 10 to the power of -6 C Define the electric field as a field of force with a field strength equal to the force per unit charge at that point: à °Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ ¸ = electric field strength (Newton/coulomb) (NC-1) à °Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ ¹ = force (Newton) (N) à °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ… ¾ = electric charge (coulomb) (C) Since force is measured in newtons (N), and charge is in coulombs (C), it follows that the unit of electric field strength is the newton per coulomb (NC to the power of -1). This means if a charge Q experiences an electric force F, then there must be an electric field present, and its strength is F/Q. Define electric current as the rate at which charge flows (coulombs/ second or amperes) under the influence of an electric field Current is the rate at which charge flows. 1 ampere = 1 coulomb/second Conventional current runs from + to -. The electron movement is in the opposite direction of conventional current. Identify that current can be either direct with the net flow of charge carriers moving in one direction or alternating with the charge carriers moving backwards and forwards periodically Direct Current: If the electric field is constant, then the charge will flow steadily in one direction. This is called direct current (DC) e.g. Batteries. Alternating Current: If a fields keeps reversing its direction, so does the current. The charges will move back and forth. This is called alternating current (AC). Generators produce AC. Describe electric potential difference (voltage) between two points as the change in potential energy per unit charge moving from one point to the other (joules/coulomb or volts) Discuss how potential difference changes at different points around a DC circuit Decreases as it move around the circuit. Identify the difference between conductors and insulators Conductor: A conductor is something with low resistance, thus current can flow through it easily. Generally metals are good conductors. Silver and Gold are excellent conductors, but we mostly use copper and aluminium for electrical wiring, this is because they are nearly as good as conductors and a lot cheaper. Insulator: An insulator is mostly a total opposite of a conductor. It has very high resistance, thus which impedes current flow. Example of good insulators includes glass, plastic, and paper. Although their resistance is very high, its all a matter of Ohms Law. If a large enough voltage is applied, even a good insulator can break down and allow current to flow. Define resistance as the ratio of voltage to current for a particular conductor: The unit of resistance is called the Ohm. The symbol used is the greek letter omiga. How this relates to voltage and current is due to Ohms Law. Describe qualitatively how each of the following affects the movement of electricity through a conductor: length Everything else being equal, the longer conductor has more resistance, thus meaning less conductivity. cross sectional area The larger the cross-sectional area, the less resistance, thus meaning greater conductivity. temperature Generally in metals, the hotter they get, the more resistance they develop, thus meaning increasing conductivity. material Metals are mostly good conductors while things such as glass and plastic are poor. Present diagrammatic information to describe the electric field strength and direction: between charged parallel plates about and between a positive and negative point charge Solve problems and analyse information using: Plan, choose equipment for and perform a first-hand investigation to gather data and use the available evidence to show the relationship between voltage across and current in a DC circuit Solve problems and analyse information applying: Plan, choose equipment for and perform a first-hand investigation to gather data and use the available evidence to show the variations in potential difference between different points around a DC circuit Gather and process secondary information to identify materials that are commonly used as conductors to provide household electricity www.wikipedia.com Copper: A ductile, malleable, reddish-brown metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and is widely used for electrical wiring, water piping, and corrosion-resistant parts, either pure or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.54; melting point 1,083 °C; boiling point 2,595 °C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2. Aluminium: (Symbol Al) A silvery-white, ductile metallic element, the most abundant in the earths crust but found only in combination, chiefly in bauxite. Having good conductive and thermal properties, it is used to form many hard, light, corrosion-resistant alloys. Atomic number 13; atomic weight 26.98; melting point 660.2 °C; boiling point 2,467 °C; specific gravity 2.69; valence 3. Electrical Energy in the Home 3. Series and parallel circuits serve different purposes in households Identify the difference between series and parallel circuits Series Circuit: In a series circuit all the components are connected in series or connected one after the other, where the current can only take a single path. If 3 light bulbs are in a series circuit, the light bulbs are either all on, or all off. They cannot be switched independently. If one bulb burn out the circuit is broken and they all go out. Parallel Circuits: In a parallel circuit all components are arranged in separate branches of the circuit. Where the current can take multiple paths. If 3 bulbs are arranged in a parallel circuit, at each branch the current divides and flows through one bulb only and each bulb can be switched on/off separately, and if one burns out, the others continue to work. Compare parallel and series circuits in terms of voltage across components and current through them In series circuits the current is the same throughout the circuit i.e. IT = I1 = I2. Voltages are different across different resistors, but they add up to the for the circuit i.e. VT = V1 + V2. In parallel circuits the voltages are all the same across each resistor i.e. VT = V1 = V2 = V3. Currents are different in each branch but add to the total current i.e. IT = I1 + I2 + I3. Identify uses of ammeters and voltmeters Ammeters: An instrument for the measurement of electric current. The unit of current, the ampere, is the base unit on which rests the International System (SI) definitions of all the electrical units. The operating principle of an ammeter depends on the nature of the current to be measured and the accuracy required. Currents may be broadly classified as direct current (dc), low-frequency alternating current (ac), or radio frequency. Voltmeters: An instrument for the measurement of the electric potential difference between two conductors. Many different kinds of instruments are available to suit different purposes. Explain why ammeters and voltmeters are connected differently in a circuit Ammeters measure the current, thus they would have to be placed series with the component you wish to measure current flow through. Voltmeters are placed differently in a circuit as it measures the potential difference across a component and therefore must be placed in parallel with it. Explain why there are different circuits for lighting, heating and other appliances in a house In a typical modern home is wired to contain a number of separate circuits. Each circuit may contain lights or power outlets and all of them are wired in parallel. The reason why mostly everything is wired in parallel is because it has many advantages, such advantages are that they can be switched on and off independently. If one burns out the other keep going and the total resistance of the parallel circuit is less, and more usable power can be delivered to each light or appliance. Plan, choose equipment or resources for and perform first-hand investigations to gather data and use available evidence to compare measurements of current and voltage in series and parallel circuits in computer simulations or hands-on equipment Plan, choose equipment or resources and perform a first-hand investigation to construct simple model household circuits using electrical components Electrical Energy in the Home 4. The amount of power is related to the rate at which energy is transformed Explain that power is the rate at which energy is transformed from one form to another Mathematically power = energy divide by time so P = E/t or E = P.t Identify the relationship between power, potential difference and current P = VI Power = Voltage x Current P = E/t Power = Energy/Time Power is measured in Watts (W). Identify that the total amount of energy used depends on the length of time the current is flowing and can be calculated using: Energy = VIt If you combine the equation P= VI and P=E/t then it follows that VI=E/t and therefore, E=V.I.t Explain why the kilowatt-hour is used to measure electrical energy consumption rather than the joule The reason why the kilowatt-hour which is a unit of energy which is the expenditure of one kilowatt of power for one hour. The reason why this is used instead of joules is because electrical is consumed widely and extensively meaning large amount of consumption, the appropriate measurement for such a large amount of consumption, kilowatt-hour is the most appropriate measurement unit. Perform a first-hand investigation, gather information and use available evidence to demonstrate the relationship between current, voltage and power for a model 6V to 12V electric heating coil Solve problems and analyse information using: P=VI and Energy = VIt Question: If electricity cots 15c per kWh calculate i) the energy consumed ii) the cost of using: a 100W globe and a 1kW radiator for 3 hours. Solution: i) (100 + 1000) ÃÆ'- 3 ÃÆ'- 60 ÃÆ'- 60= 11880000J OR 11.88MJ ii) 1.1kW ÃÆ'- 3 ÃÆ'- 0.15 = $0.495 Electrical Energy in the Home 5. Electric currents also produce magnetic fields and these fields are used in different devices in the home Describe the behaviour of the magnetic poles of bar magnets when they are brought close together Define the direction of the magnetic field at a point as the direction of force on a very small north magnetic pole when placed at that point Describe the magnetic field around pairs of magnetic poles There is always a North-pole and there is always a South-pole. Magnetic fields are always shown visually as lines of force that give a definite pole at each end of the material where the flux lines are more dense and concentrated. The lines which go to make up a magnetic field showing the direction and intensity are called Lines of Force or more commonly Magnetic Flux and are given the Greek symbol, Phi (  ÃƒÅ½Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  ) as shown below. Describe the production of a magnetic field by an electric current in a straight current-carrying conductor and describe how the right hand grip rule can determine the direction of current and field lines When current is passed through a conductor, a magnetic field is created around it. The direction of the magnetic field can be found using the right hand rule. Point your right hand thumb in the direction of the current and the direction of your fingers is the direction of the magnetic field. Compare the nature and generation of magnetic fields by solenoids and a bar magnet In a solenoid the wire is wrapped into a helix or coil, the magnetic field in each loop adds to its neighbours to intensify the field. The magnetic field of a solenoid is exactly the same shape as a bar magnet. Plan, choose equipment or resources for, and perform a first-hand investigation to build an electromagnet Perform a first-hand investigation to observe magnetic fields by mapping lines of force: around a bar magnet surrounding a straight DC current-carrying conductor a solenoid present information using and to show the direction of a current and direction of a magnetic field Identify data sources, gather, process and analyse information to explain one application of magnetic fields in household appliances Electrical Energy in the Home 6. Safety devices are important in household circuits Discuss the dangers of an electric shock from both a 240 volt AC mains supply and various DC voltages, from appliances, on the muscles of the body An electric shock form a 240 volt AC mains supple can kill a person while various DC voltages form appliances for example 50V can disrupt nerve signals and send your muscles into spasms and if the muscle involved in your heart, it can go into fibrillation where it quivers uncontrollably and does not pump blood properly.a potentially lethal situation. Describe the functions of circuit breakers, fuses, earthing, double insulation and other safety devices in the home A fuse is a short piece of wire which is used to break circuits as this has a low melting point and if an excess of current flows through it, it gets hot, which it then melts and thereby breaks the circuit. Circuit breakers on the other hand do the same job as a fuse, but can be re-set after a circuit overload causes them to trip. Earthing is where a power point and most plugs have 3 slots/pins the 3rd is for the earth wire. The earth wire carries no current and does nothing. But, if however a loose wire or faulty insulation allows an appliance to become live with electricity, then the current is conducted safely by the earth wire down into the ground. Double insulation is when two layers of insulation which is used to shield electrical circuits form human contact, so if a fault occurred in small hand-held appliance, even with a earth wire a person can still get shocked.

Real World Connection

Real World Connector In the chapter Church, I felt a connection with Kiowa. â€Å"Not a minister,† he said, â€Å"but I do like churches. The way it feels inside. It feels good when you just sit there, like you’re in a forest and everything’s really quiet, except there’s still this sound you can’t hear†. The way I relate to this part is the same way I feel when I go to a temple (similar to a church) I feel the same way. When I go to the temple I sit there and listen to the prayer. But when I get into the prayer, everything goes quiet.I get this really good feeling inside myself. All my fears are taken over by peace. I think that’s why Kiowa says this is â€Å"just wrong† to be inside a holly place. One thing I didn’t understand the monks cleaning the solider weapons. Was there so representative of this. I know in my temple the minister is not allowed to touch weapons. Overall, a temple or a church are both religious place , but are both peaceful places. We are supposed to feel save in a place or worship. Henry Dobbin tells us about how he liked the whole idea of being a minister. â€Å"I was a kid.The thing is, I believed in God and all that, but it wasn’t the religious part that interested me. Just being nice to people, that’s all. Being decent†. The teaching of any church or temple are the same. God tells us to be good humans, and give back to the community. I agree and disagree with Henry Dobbins. I agree with him to the part about being a nice person. I disagree with the part when he says â€Å"it wasn’t the religious part that interested me†. The reason I disagree with this is because reglion should about be an interest not only the lessons of God. Maybe I misunderstand what Henry Dobbin was saying.

Last time i saw him Essay

The last time I saw my Grandfather he was walking along the beach with his metal detector. Actually it was not the last time I physically saw him, but it was the last time that I would see him and be able to talk to him person to person, eye to eye. I remember my surprise as I stood at the rail on the boardwalk looking down upon the steaming sand, noting nothing remarkable until, from the corner of my eye, I spied his figure. He had a figure that I had grown up knowing in silhouette distinct in my mind – but not as his. It was the familiar figure of Alfred Hitchcock. Whenever I looked at Grandpa I saw that shadowy teller of tales from days gone by. But, as I knew that I was not seeing the grand master of mystery himself, I knew it could be, couldn’t it, why yes . . . it was, Grandpa. He was slowly searching the sand for buried treasure with his prized metal detector. A hobby that he had adopted after retiring from the workaday world. Although I knew he lived somewhat cl ose to Seaside, that was the first time that it occurred to me that I might actually run into him. I suppose one never expects to run into their grandparents at the beach. I smiled silently for a moment as I watched that adorable man, donned in shorts, t-shirt. baseball cap and earphones studiously monitoring his valuable machine for blips or beeps. But that moment passed quickly as I called out to him, â€Å"Grandpa, Grandpa† waving my hand furiously to draw his attention. He spied me yet seemed puzzled as to who I could possibly be. I was, after all, the only black haired granddaughter that he had. After a moment or two of contemplation I watched as he seemed to awaken. As he waved back I began to walk toward a place where hellos could become hugs. I brought him to the pizzeria where Kenny, my husband, worked and we fed and watered the old dear. We sat talking at a table for moments too swift, not knowing then that this would be the last time we would really have the chance. We talked briefly of family matters that, in the big picture of things, seem not to have mattered enough for me to note them; of the wonderful treasures found beneath the sand thanks largely to his narrow, metal sidekick; of why Ken and I were in Seaside at all, and how long we planned to stay. Small talk filling a smaller moment in time. I asked him why he would want to wear that baseball cap, as I could not remember having seen him in one before, and he showed me the brilliance of the sunlight upon his naked head. I joked with him about not seeing me only feet away from where he was, and he  explained his glaucoma operation that would be taking place that month. We embraced as I walked him out and said goodbye. I may have just spent moments listening, but I was not hearing. He was not telling me about small items that day, he was telling me, I am old now and time is ticking away. He was warning me that he would not be here forever, yet I did not heed his warning. He was telling me goodbye that summer’s day and I was saying â€Å"Talk to you soon.† I was but a foolish child. As he walked away, the sun was taking a bow before fading away. I did not, until this day, see that something more blindingly beautiful had also taken their bow. As I yelled goodbye, at the moment the surf washed the sand back into its home – the sea, did he hear talk to you later or did he merely whisper, â€Å"Yes, goodbye.†

6 Reasons to Seek a Job in Health Care

6 Reasons to Seek a Job in Health Care The health care field has always been a solid  place to seek employment, and moving forward, the field is expected to add five million jobs by 2022- one-third of the total number of all jobs added by that time!  This increase of jobs in health care is largely the result of an aging population and changes to the health insurance system.  In 2014, health care jobs grew over 50 percent more than the previous year, according to Forbes. In addition to job security, a career in health care also comes with bonuses you won’t find in most other professions.Employee SatisfactionOne of the reasons the health care field is a good place to work is because of the fulfillment  employees find in  their jobs. Employers in the health care field seem to go that extra mile to ensure that employees are content and feel welcomed and comfortable on the job. One new study by Great Place to Work ® gives interesting insight into what makes an employee happy and inspires loyalty to a health care company.Health Care Companies Show AppreciationOne of the major reasons health care employees state they are happy with their jobs are constant tokens of appreciation from their employers. Some health care providers hold town hall meetings to hear what employees have to say. Others host a monthly breakfasts for groups of  employees. Others offer free meals at lunchtime or cater meals and hold birthday parties for all employees.Job PerksPerks are an important reason why health care jobs are popular. Health care workers work long hours and are on their feet for extended periods of time. Fitness classes, gym memberships, and free or subsidized health care are common, along with more unusual perks such as ping pong and arcade games on-site! One health care provider even supplies a concierge service to run errands for employees. A North Carolina health care company has vegetable gardens that are maintained by employees and a walking trail for fresh air and exercise.A Family-Friend ly Work AtmosphereOne feature these winning health care facilities have in common is that the people who run them go out of their way to make the employees feel like family. Employees who feel a personal connection work harder and go out of their way to help others. An Ohio facility holds events like Easter egg hunts for children and pet picture contests to encourage a sense of togetherness and camaraderie. A California company is both family and pet friendly, with the view that work and life demands require balance.Education Is EncouragedSeveral facilities in Missouri and Texas encourage employees to continue with their education, while one Texas health care facility even  offers courses that employees may take for career advancement. A Tennessee facility offers tuition reimbursement as incentive for employees to further their  education.Bonuses  to Augment PayMost employees of these health care facilities agree that they receive adequate pay; however, additional perks are ad ded to the pay structure in some cases. One Florida facility offers its employees no-interest loans and an Ohio company hands out frequent bonuses in appreciation. A New Jersey company offers a four-week vacation period for employees who work full-time and has childcare facilities on the site. It also allots one day’s pay for the employee to do volunteer work and donates the money raised to charity on an annual basis.

Adulthood essays

Adulthood essays The passage from teenager to adulthood is one of the most complicated and confusing processes an adolescent can experience. It is especially confusing since the teenager is not totally sure what it means to be an adult, and how he/she is supposed to achieve this level of maturity. If one doesnt know what it means to be an adult, its much harder to attain this maturity since it is unknown to him/her how to reach this point. However, there are many speculations and opinions about what it means to be an adult and what one must accomplish in order to reach this point. So how is a measly little teenager supposed to know when adulthood is reached? There are certain things a teenager must understand before the age of adulthood is reached. This understanding is what brings a child into adulthood, not age or size. Many associate adulthood and maturity with the age or even the size of a person. This however is inaccurate. Age only matters to a point. Once the child is out of the age of innocence, and knows the difference between right and wrong, he/she gets a chance to be responsible, and make a decision that is either right or wrong. Ill use fourteen-year-olds as an example. The majority of fourteen- year-olds will not make the right decision all of the time. From this we know that if the teenager does not make the right decision in a time that an adult would, than this teenager is not yet mature enough to be considered an adult. But if even one fourteen-year-old is mature enough to be an adult, that than it is evident age does not matter. It is simply what the kid has been taught. Most fourteen-year- olds have not been taught how to act like an adult or what to do in adult situations, the same way that we associate maturity to be evident in larger people because adults tend to be larger than kids. Therefor we automatically th ...

Mitigation and Response Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mitigation and Response Plan - Research Paper Example The first priority of this program is to protect the America from terrorist attacks and coercion. Second on the list is to ensure secure national borders both the south and the North. Moreover it ensures laws governing immigration are followed to later. This department prosecutes those who go against the country laws. And finally, it assists communities to plan, respond and recuperate from disasters.DHS believes in the homeland security enterprise. This refers to the collective responsibility of Federal, state, local, tribal, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, individuals and communities to beef up security abilities. These parties share a common interest in safeguarding and assuring security to the American population. Existence of sophisticated communication network between these parties and agencies provides crucial information that step up security measures across the country’s borders (Jean, 2003). Essentially, the ultimate goal of DHS is to ensure a safe homeland where citizens are assured of their liberties and protection of their privacy.DHS is among the most crucial element of the national enterprise. This department possesses unique abilities and responsibilities in securing and managing borders and systems of immigration.DHS undertakes leadership and stewardship roles in areas relating to critical infrastructure protection and emergency management On the other hand, DHS in liaison with other departments and agencies have key roles and responsibilities to undertake on areas like defense, diplomacy and counterterrorism. Some of these departments or agencies include justice, Defense and state, the National Counterterrorism Center and Federal Bureau of Investigation. On policy making, the white house plays a key role in giving direction and helps in coordinating (Jean, 2003). This plan intends to explicitly outline mitigation and response actions towards averting a terrorist crime on borders and the possible measures and effe ctive strategic plan to be embraced to manage risks on the national borders. It is notable that chapter 2, subsection 6 of the USA constitution provides that, the main responsibility is to defend the United States of America and its territories. Some of the risks that face the United States today, include Al-Qaeda and global terrorism, wide-scale cyber attacks, pandemics and major accidents, illicit trafficking and smaller scale terrorist attacks (Jean, 2003). This plan intends to use Al-Qaeda and Taliban global terrorist attack as an example of a crisis in this case study. Terrorist attack has become a major shock wave in the United States of America. Focus on the plan‘s suitability and efficiency on mitigating and responding to the crisis shall be considered. There has been several Al-Qaeda and Taliban attempted attacks on America before and after 11 2001.For instance, on 12 October 2000. Al-Qaeda attacked the USS Cole in Yemen. This incident occurred on the port of Aden. On e year Later this al-Qaeda directed a very serious attack on several buildings in America, which left many people dead. This remains memorable and listed among the worst terrorist attack in the world. After the 2001 terrorist attack, al-Qaeda has since then directed attacks

American Dream Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

American Dream - Research Paper Example In Europe, this concept of freedom in pursuing one’s dreams could not be fruitful because of the class divisions. America being a classless society can adopt this concept of American Dream with much freedom. But, to achieve something according to one’s abilities and to gain respect irrespective of his status in society, one has to get rid of his selfish desires and should not indulge in â€Å"physical comfort and cheap amusement† (Schnell, 2010, p.3). Achieving American Dream To achieve a successful life is the fundamental concept of American Dream. Generally, the idea of American Dream is to get high income through a secured job and financial security. Financial success is just one part of American Dream. People also tend to achieve social status by getting membership in social clubs or by achieving the peak of one’s chosen career. Success also means attaining a position in the society where one can have the right to speak his mind, do whatever he wants to do and create a world which will be worth living for everyone. The way of achieving success can also lead to conflict in American families where children can forego the wealth and social status of their parents for the want of accomplishing more meaningful goals in life. The goal of American Dream is not to achieve millions of dollars, but for general people the focus is on attaining enough wealth to lead a decent life with dignity and self respect (Hochschild, 1996, pp.15-16). The concept of s uccess can also be relative in nature. A person may want to lead a better life compared to his own childhood days or his neighbors, a character from a book or movie or to another gender or race. There is also a competitive nature of success wherein a person can become successful only when another person faces failure like in competitive events like beauty pageants. Most Americans feel that the future generation of their nationality can live a better standard of living and can achieve success in attaining their goals in life. In America there are many opportunities for everyone who is ready to work hard to achieve success. One definition of success can be wealth. Although money cannot buy happiness, it can nevertheless buy the things necessary to live a comfortable life (Hochschild, 1996, pp.16-19). Obstacles in achieving American Dreams Many Americans believe that it is difficult to achieve the goals that they set in their own lives. This is because they say that there is no securit y in their financial status and also there is lack of proper infrastructure for public education. They feel that the government who claims to help the people of the nation is actually a hindrance in the path of their achieving dreams. The African-Americans believe that the existing racial discrimination can make it difficult for them to pursue their dreams. Almost 72% of Americans believe that the government must strive to help the people in achieving their dreams of a comfortable and respectful life (Longley, 2004). In America there are various public policy tools which aim at giving the children of poor parents a chance to earn high income. Such policy tools along with the nation’s economic system are not achieving the desired results. The laws to deal with racial discrimination also do not prove to be fruitful in most cases. There are several social and economic obstacles in achieving American Dreams. The children of poor families attend inferior schools and get poor educa tion. The children from rich families inherit more wealth and this gives them an added advantage. It is important for the future genera