Memories of life

A guide i extracted from http://www.amazingrust.com/Experiments/background_knowledge/Redox.html

Amedeo AvogadroRedox Reactions

A “redox” reaction involves the reduction and oxidation of the reactants, thereby changing the oxidation numbers of atoms taking part in the chemical reaction, through an exchange of electrons.

Examples of well-known redox reactions include the rusting of metal, the chemical reaction inside a battery, and combustion of hydrocarbons.

The roaring fire shown to the left is an example of the rapid oxidization of the hydrocarbons making up the wood and the reduction of the Oxygen gas from the air. The, very rusty, Iron hammer to the bottom right is also being oxidized by the Oxygen in the air, but at a much slower rate than the burning wood.
Oxidation Number

Rules for determining oxidation numbers:

1. The oxidation number of a neutral element is zero.
2. Fluorine always has an oxidation number of -1 in compounds.
3. The elements of groups IA (e.g., Na, K), IIA (e.g., Mg, Ca), and IIIA (e.g., Al, Ga) always have positive oxidation numbers of +1, +2, and +3, respectively, in compounds.
4. Hydrogen has an oxidation number of +1 in all its compounds except in binary and ternary compounds where the only other atoms are metals or boron.
5. Oxygen has an oxidation number of -2 in compounds, except for some compounds when combined with F, to which rules 2-4 apply. Oxygen, as the peroxide ion (O22-), has an oxidation number of -1.
6. The elements of groups VA, VIA, and VIIA have oxidation numbers of -3, -2, and -1, respectively, when found in binary compounds with metals or hydrogen.

Two processes exist which can change the oxidation number of an atom, namely Oxidation and Reduction. When a substance is oxidized its oxidation number increases, and when a substance is reduced its oxidation number decreases; oxidation and reduction are reverse processes of each other.

The change in the oxidation number of an atom is the result of an exchange of electrons with another substance, either a loss or a gain of electrons. Oxidation involves the loss of electrons by a substance while reduction involves a substance gaining electrons. A common mnemonic device which is useful in remembering this is the phrase, “LEO the lion says GER”,

Loose Electrons – Oxidation
Gain Electrons – Reduction

Reduction / Oxidation reactions always occur in pairs such that when one substance is oxidized another substance is reduced.
Oxidizing / Reducing agents

Certain substances are more likely than others to be either oxidized or reduced due to how likely they are to give away or gain electrons. The chemical property which relates how likely a substance is to gain an electron is called its “electronegativity”. Since a completed octet of electrons in the outermost shell of an atom is most stable, highly electronegative atoms tend to gain electrons and become reduced while less-electronegative atoms tend to loose electrons and become oxidized.

Periodic Table showing the electronegativity of each element using the Pauling scale

Elements located on the left-most side of the periodic table have a high tendency to give up electrons to other atoms and be oxidized in order to achieve a completed octet in their outermost shell. These, and other, substances which have a tendency to give up electrons are often referred to as reducing agents since, as they are oxidized, they reduce other substances in the process. Reducing agents are oxidized during a redox reaction. Substances which are strong reducing agents include the Alkali and Alkaline-Earth elements (for example, Lithium, Sodium, Calcium, …) which are located in the first two columns of the periodic table.

On the other side of the periodic table, located just to the left of the Nobel gasses, are a group of elements which have a high tendency to gain electrons from other substances and be reduced. The Halogens, for example Fluorine and Chlorine are strong oxidizing agents, as are the Chalcogens with Oxygen being a prime example. During redox reactions, these substances become reduced as they oxidize other substances and are known as oxidizing agents. Oxidizing agents are reduced during a redox reaction.

Other, polyatomic, oxidizing and reducing agents exist in addition to pure elements. Common oxidizing substances include salts containing the Nitrate (NO3-), Chlorate (ClO3-), and Permanganate (MnO4-) ion; for example, KNO3, KClO3, and KMnO4. Ascorbic acid (also known as Vitamin C) as well as Hydrogen gas, Carbon Monoxide, and Hydrocarbons can act as a reducing agent in some reactions.
Half Reactions

Like any chemical reaction, a redox reaction must be balanced by mass, but additionally must also be balanced by charge so that the reaction obeys the laws of conservation of mass and charge. Because of this, Reduction and Oxidation reactions always occur in pairs; if one substance is oxidized, another substance must be reduced, and therefore charge is always conserved.

A redox reaction can be broken up into two parts and analyzed separately, each called a half-reaction, one involving reduction and the other involving oxidation. Although individual half-reactions will contain free charge on either the reactant or product side, when a pair of balanced half-reactions are combined into a complete redox reaction it should contain no free charge since any electrons given up by the reducing agent will be gained by the oxidizing agent.

For example,
Consider the redox reaction which takes place between Zinc metal and Hydrochloric acid.

Compare the oxidation numbers / states of the reactants to the products. Initially, the Zinc is in its elemental form and is defined to have an oxidization number of zero. On the products side of the reaction the Zinc is part of an ionic compound [Zinc(II) Chloride] and now has an oxidization number of +2. During the reaction, the Zinc atom lost two electrons and was oxidized to become the Zn+2 ion. Now look at the Hydrogen on the reactants side; initially the Hydrogen’s oxidization number was +1. On the products side, however, the Hydrogen is in its elemental form and has an oxidization number of zero. During the reaction, the Hydrogen was reduced. Clearly a redox reaction is taking place. Chlorine’s oxidization number did not change during the reaction; it is merely a spectator ion and is not involving in the redox process.
With this new knowledge, we can write the ionic equation,

And we can infer the form of the two half-reactions to be,

In this case, the coefficients on the reactants / products were obtained from the coefficients from the full reaction, but this is not always the case since one might not know the full reaction to begin with, sometimes the coefficients must be altered to make sure both half-reactions are balanced by mass and charge. When the two half-reactions are combined, they should yield the full reaction and no longer contain any references to free electrons (they will cancel out since the same number of electrons will appear on both sides). In this reaction, the Zinc acts as the reducing agent, and is oxidized, and the Hydrogen ions act as the oxidizing agent, and are reduced.

Redox Reactions in Aqueous Solution

Other, arguably more complex, redox reactions may also occur when the reactants are in aqueous solution where the water itself takes part in the reaction. When construction / balancing the half reactions, it may be necessary to assume (due to the fact that the reactants are dissolved in water) that excess Hydrogen (H+) or Hydroxide (OH-) ions are present; the reaction will precede either under acidic or alkaline conditions. In this case, the water itself, or the ions it breaks into, becomes one of the reactants in the redox reaction even though it may not be entirely obvious initially.

For example,
Consider the reaction between the Permanganate ion (MnO4-) and the Ferrous, Iron +2, ion (Fe+2) in, acidic, aqueous solution.

In this case, the cation of the Permanganate compound and the anion of the Fe+2 compound are, unimportant, spectator ions. The Permanganate ion is a strong oxidizer and will act as the oxidizing agent in this case while the Fe+2 ion will act as the reducing agent.

Since the Fe+2 ion is the reducing agent, it is oxidized in the process to become the Fe+3 ion.

As the Iron ion is oxidized, the Permanganate ion must be reduced. When the Permanganate ion is reduced it forms the Mn+2 ion and water. Now the fact that this reaction takes place in acidic conditions becomes important. The Oxygen from the Permanganate ion combine with the excess of H+ ions from acid solution to form water, leaving Mn+2 behind in slightly less-acidic solution.

These are the two half reactions which are balanced by mass. When these two reactions are combined in the right proportions such that the reaction is also balanced by charge we will have our complete redox reaction.

For every 1 oxidization reaction of an Fe+2 ion, 1 electron is released. It takes 5 electrons (in combination with 8 Hydrogen ions) to reduce the Permanganate ion to Mn+2 and 4 water molecules. Therefore, the Iron-oxidizing reaction must proceed at 5 times the rate as the Permanganate-reducing reaction. Taking this into account when combining the two half-reactions we find that the complete redox reaction is,

Unless we knew the reaction took place in acidic aqueous solution, it might be surprising to see that water is produced from this reaction even though no Hydrogen atoms are contained within the two most obvious reactants, namely the Fe+2 and Permanganate ions.

Redox Demonstrations

Aluminum’s capacity to act as a strong reducing agent is excellently demonstrated during a thermite reaction where it is used to reduce another, less reactive, metal oxide. The Aluminum is oxidized in the process, leaving the metal reduced to its elemental state and liberating a great deal of energy in the process.

Potassium Permanganate’s strong oxidizing nature is demonstrated in a reaction with glycerin. Shortly after the two substances are mixed, the Potassium Permanganate will automatically begin to rapidly oxidize / burn the glycerin in a very hot fire without even the need for external ignition.

Reducing Flames

Video

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The above video illustrates a flame’s ability to reduce an oxidized piece of metal; these flames are known as ‘reducing flames’. In the above video, a propane torch is used to heat a heavily-oxidized piece of Copper metal. Some of the propane fuel in the torch’s flame is not fully combusted due to insufficient Oxygen flow into the torch’s nozzle. The uncombusted fuel acts as the reducing agent for the Copper Oxide and one can see that, as the flame passes over a portion of the metal, bare (unoxidized) Copper becomes visible. When then flame is removed the hot Copper is again exposed to the Oxygen in the air and quickly oxidizes again, developing a black oxide layer.
Flames which have excessive amounts of oxidizing gasses present will act to oxidize metal; such flames are known as ‘oxidizing flames’.

bahawanya saya, (pelajar)
mengakui bahawa anak saya (name) telah membantu dan melibatkan diri dalam penyediaan (tugas) pada (tarikh)

There are times when I’m actually being force to make a ‘false’ decision.  Times like that happen always make me do decision that I do not agree with and was forced to stick with it for a short period of time.  Sometimes they does it in order to make things convenient for us, but other hand it makes us putting up a false face. Sometimes it makes me uncomfortable because  I have to lie in order to follow the instructions, but at the same time, this is the orders that you have to follow. What to do at situations like this?

An example was this:

We have a group discussion about  accountability partner, and how we were advised to get one to keep track on our daily life and to make sure things were going on smoothly. Well in my heart this is what I thought. “okay okay i’ll find one when I get to know one…” But the next thing she say “since we are all here, lets find your accountability partner”

The 1st thing came to my mind was, “what?” I’m not a person who’ll go and say to a total strangers “hey lets be accountability partner!” Before I could say anything everyone was like looking at each other and pointing at each other using eye contact. My mind was “okay…they done it so easily, but how bout me?”  I seriously cant just go up to a person and pet him on the back asking them to be something like that. there is no sense of attratchment or thing that make us the same, for me to open up to tell them about anything.

Totally nothing. If I cant open up to them, I cant tell them anything. none of them over there is a potential “accountability partner” to me. “What to do?” I was wondering.

At the end of the day I decided to just be with one of them “for the day activity”
I told her just for that day, and she agreed. The truth she already has one, but just for that day, I join them.

The truth Is, I have not (even until this day ) had an accountability partner to walk with me in my christen walk. I indeed I cant say I don’t need one. But the fact is I simply cant open up to someone I know for a day or two. It had to be a person I know maybe almost my entire life, or at least someone who will understand me and give me sounding advise base on bible concept and not the worldly concept. It must be someone who can give me advise without angering me, or to irritate me when he or she is around. someone who know the best way to approach the topic, stern but not too stern

I believe that one person is somewhere out there. It can’t be any one normal, it has to be one. But I’ll have to keep finding, and searching till I found that “one”. Should I continue with my attempt of finding that “one” or should I give up and give in to anyone who is around to be my accountability partner

Being in the winning team, I am pretty proud of my friends and leaders.  But In order for us to win, alot of preparations has to be done and months of sacrifice has to be shown.

Our preparations began around February. We had our first training session and second training session. This session is to train us on how to build a gadget and the basic skills of being a scout. From there, Mr. Raymond pick up a few potential people and start forming us into teams. The official teams suppose to go form was 3 teams. Camlion, Camelot, and Avalon. But unfortunately the Avalon team has to back up because it consist of mostly form 3. The reason was simple: exam year and hence they could not join MBS.

The original date for mbs was suppose to be at june/july, but it was delayed by the organizers. The Chamelot petrol leader has no choice but to back up. Mush dismay when we know we were short of one member, so unfortunately the original Camelion petrol has no choice but to split out, giving a couple of them to Chamelot and one of them become their petrol member. Our Petrol Leader fear we would not win as our petrol was pretty weak and many newcomers inside, but we have no choice but to sacrifice a few members to them.

As approaching july, we have a two week holiday. My original plan was to stay at home to relax and do some revision, but instead my plan backfire when we were called back to train for mbs. Half of my holiday were taken out by endless training and preparations. We were given great pressure by our pears, each afraid we could not win. But lo and behold! With the sufficient amount of training and screwing up by Mr Raymond, we were getting faster and better in what we do. Things become much better for us.

But we have another problem, The official date for mbs is on the 22nd and 23nd of August. One of our strongest member and our leader has a music examination on that day. We were so worry we could not complete our gadget on time, and for week we talk about it and got worry of it. Another thing is we have a very weak teammate who does not know how to tie a knot tightly or or cook or even take care of fire. She is consider useless! We wish we could just kick her out, but unfortunatly we cant do so as we do not have the heart to do so. But on the other hand, we just wish we could! For some time we think about it and sigh.

On the day of mbs, the weather was not of our good days. It rain, and it stop, and in 10 min rain again. We hardly get to dry ourself with the sun and it rain. Not only that, there was a wind so strong till it actually chill us up. We were shivering when we stand up doing nothing. The only way to cool down ourself is through working despied the rain. The rain prooves an disadvantage to us. Our lashing become tight when its raining, and when the sun comes up it become loose! Argh. We work till 10pm at night and we were called to leave the campsite and come back the next day.

The next day was..cooking! Well time to prove what we can do! We cook 25 dishes in 2 and a half hours, while our petrol leader took the other projects over for inspection. The judges cant believe our leader that we can cook 25 dishes in 2 and a half hour, and the next thing we know, they came to our team fist to test our food! They were impressed with our decorations and food. They even praise us and were given the impression that Sri Pinang has good cook (our school won best cooking last year). They left us with satisfaction.

We were pretty much worried we lost, due to our over time of building gadget and so on, but hey! WE WON OVERALL!!! We were so proud and glad that we did not lose our face as a 18GTN scout member. We rush back to Mr. Raymond, and told the good news. Mr Raymond did not share our joy or so, but he told us the teuth of his health condition that he suffered all this time, and almost die. He was really proud of us, but he did not show his great high and mighty self like some other teacher. Instead he humble himself and told us, we won, but we should never give up, because our rival (st.xaviar and PFS) will catch up if we slack. His plans for us for more work, and train harder to beat them off.

A victory for us, a memoriable time together. I’ll never forget those happy moments, the feeling of winning the competition.

Small info.

Our school scout has won(overall champian) 6 out of the 12 MBS cooking competition over the years. This was our 3 year in a row winning mbs. and we are pround to keep the record of winning.

Memories of the time we had together

Its the end of year. Christmas has just pass by, and its time for me as well to pick myself to get prepare for 2009. In the events of picking up myself, a few invitations just simply pop up, clashing my usually peaceful year end. One, is my primary school reunion party and a Christmas party i’m suppose to help up for the sunday school kids. The both fall on the same day, and on the same time.

I had all my intentions to meet up with my old pals which I’ve not seen for years since I left for my secondary school education. But on the other hand I had this feeling of staying with my parents to help out in the Christmas day party. Dad, who understands my conflict, allows me to choose between the two. After all, both are a lifetime thing, and a rare chance. But somehow I’m stuck in the crossroad, hardly able to choose between the two. Until this very day I still cant answer it, and the event is going to happen tomorrow. Literally I’m still confused of which I’ll choose, but I guess the answer lies tomorrow when I’ll be forced to choose between the two.

The other one is camp reunion with my team mates and fellow friends. I really have NO idea if I could come or I could not. Deep down I really wan to come along, but after what dad say bout “enjoy enough and now is time to get serious” thing makes me rethink. I cant go against dad cuz I have to say apart from God he is like the next wisest guy I’ve ever known (cant compare to the other prophet in the bible cuz I dun know them that well) and its hard to disobey dad too (it makes me feel so guilty like I’m a murderer if i do anyway) cause of my own conscious. This builds up such conflict in me to think of other ways. I know transportation will be my no2 prob after my dad, because I’m still “minor” and I haven get any driving license. So I have to say its almost a 0.1% chance of me going.

Only by sheer luck I’ll be able to go to the reunion party. And I doubt mom and dad will approve. So right now in this mist I’m totally confused of the choices ahead of me. I don’t know which to choose, and I don’t want to dissipation both side, What should I do?

This reminds me of one of the experience I had in bible camp

Memories return~

Boys girls in conflict..me as props team (leader? I don’t know) has to hear the opinion of how the script writer wish for their props, the girls said they wanted their way, and the guys say another thing. both side wanted their own way, and I’m (and the rest of the props member) are stuck at a cross fire, unsure of the side we should side on [but at the end of the day I did not follow both side but go my own. lol~]

What ever that Is gonna happen, I really pray for God’s guide to help clear my mind, and to shw me the way and lead me to a path that is gonna be ok.

⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

Pslam 25: 4-5

I have a very bad habit of getting heated up over some silly matter. And silly matter sometimes could become so big due to the reason of starting an argument.

Being youngest and still staying with my parents, I found out I’ve alot of disadvantage compare to my brother who is way older. Half the time he gets his way and if he did not, he’ll insist till he gets it! This become so frustrating for a person like me who is pretty impatient and wants things my way too.

An example of silly matter we argue over today was the Internet connection problem today. Me and my bro have funny connection, when ever he has problem in connection, I do not, but when his connection is working perfectly, mine is not. This makes it really frustrating for both of us who wish to obtain the best Internet connection for ourselves. My bro suggest this: Lets restart the connection. I was like, hey what?! I got a perfect connection! Whats the matter with you destroying it? And I was like insisting there is no reason for him destroying the connection, after all, the past few days i had bad connection when he has a good connection to the Internet. I insisted my way of not resetting it, but as usual, he’s near the router, and here it goes *tick!* the connection has been reset. I get really frustrated. Now i am, Currently stuck at a lousy connection which i cant really access any place.

Now when I don’t get my way, I get angry. I started a heated argument which land us noway. I did not get a reset connection, juz as my brother get, but what I got here is a lousy connection and a bad mood. Yeah bad mood. I praticially yell at my brother for getting his way and forcing him to off his msn for ‘revenge’ How I did it? saying craps like telling him his msn is using some Internet connection which use away some of the bandwich. ANd when he refused, I spam his msn and making sure he go offline. Well I got what I want, he appear offline I guess. But I’m happy over such silly stuff.

After I cool down, which was surprising fast, I realized how much anger can cause a person to think sinfully. I made the people around me hurt just because of my own spitefulness. If I was calm about all this, this wont happen. In a short moment, all this anger flew away, and I found out we are merely kids who go fighting over some toy but not the Lord. Again I had to say, we should always be cool and calm over small dispute so that troubles wont float up once more.

The feeling when i came back to realize God was near make me feel so calm about what happen. It doesn’t really matter if I did not get a good connection or not, but At least to know my mistake so that I’ll try not to repeat it once more. just as the Verse in the bible say “Mar 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. “

Lastly, a song to hear

Yakuza (や�??�?� or ヤクザ) also known as gokudou, are members of traditional organized crime groups that originate from Japan. In Japanese legal terminology, yakuza organizations are referred to as boryokudan (暴力団, “violence groups”), which more traditional “samurai heritage” Yakuza members consider an insult as boroyokudan is applied to any violent criminal.

Unlike many organized crime groups, like the Triads and the Mafia, which evolved from secret societies, the model of the Yakuza was the machi yakko (町奴, “town servant”), vigilantes protectors within the community (Although many citizens also view them as kabukimono or crazy ones, for their propensity toward violence, vulgar slang, and bizarre appearance) or the masterless samurai ronin. As a result, at least in the JIS and it’s protectorates, Yakuza groups maintain open offices, often with a wooden plank on the front door displaying the group name and their emblem. Yakuza members often wear sunglasses and flashy suits so that their profession can be immediately recognized by civilians (堅気, katagi). Members typically wear insignia pins on their suits, and, if needed, can display their tattoos or customized cyberware.

Organization and Activities

The Yakuza group are typically headed by the Oyabun (親分, “father” or “boss”) or Kumicho (組長, “family head”), who issues orders to his subordinates, the kobun (��?分, “children”). This is a variation of the traditional Japanese social heirarchal structure of senpai-kohai (Senior-Junior). There are some exceptions to this, such as the Inagawa-kai, which operates with multiple kumicho, all of which share equal power within the organization.

A Yakuza members connection within the organization is based off the place in the order of the sakazuki (�?�事, “sake sharing”) ritual. The sakazuki ritual is sharing the sake from a single cup with another, and comes from the traditional practice of a Shinto wedding. Kumicho are the top of the organization, and control saiko-komon (最�?�顧��?, “senior advisors”). The saiko-komon are responsible for their own turf in different cities or regions, and have their own underlings, like underbosses, advisors, accountants, and enforcers. Those who receive sake directly from the kumicho are consider the “immediate family” and are ranked in term of elder or younger brothers. However, each kobun, in turn, can offer sakazuki as if they where the kumicho to his underlings to form an affiliated organization, which might in turn form lower rank organizations.

Yakuza refer to each other as if they where family members, such as fathers, elder and younger brothers. However, contray to Western belief, blood relation is not necessary for membership into the Yakuza, as it is with the Mafia, and the Yakuza accept non-Japanese members, such as Korean-Japanese, into their ranks. Many Yakuza members cut all family ties upon joining the organization and immediately transfer loyalty to the kumicho. The Yakuza group replaces the family in the lives of it’s members.

Most Yakuza organizations are usually referred to using the number of generations or times the oyabun or kumicho has been replaced, either through retirement or death, as a measure of the age of that group. For example, in 1984, the 4th Yamaguchi-gumi was formed when Takenaka Masahisa became the new oyabun following a bloody succession from the 3rd Yamaguchi-gumi, headed by Taoka Kazuo. Takenaka was killed in 1985, and in 1989, the 5th Yamaguchi-gumi was formed when Watanabe Yoshinori took control as the organization’s fifth oyabun.

I’ve finished reading this manga

Plot/Story
The child of murdered cops and the head of a large and powerful yakuza group, Tsukasa Kozuki and Ryuji Shirogami are fourteen year old classmates and enemies. Tsukasa has been raised as a boy to avoid the senseless violence against women that is normal in Tokyo II but when her parents die she turns to Ryuji, tricking him into giving food for her and her brothers. Ryuji turns the tables on her and through a series of unfortunate events, Tsukasa ends up being millions of yen in debt to Ryuji. In the end, Tsukasa ends up working as a bodyguard for Ryuji until every yen is paid back. The adventures that follow are what makes this a perfect 10 manga.

Characters
Tsukasa – The protagonist of this manga, Tsukasa is one of the best heroines I’ve ever seen. She is strong with a huge sense of justice and undeniable loyalty to her friends. Her struggle between becoming a woman or staying a boy, loyalty of the yakuza or to the police, and her growing romantic feelings for Ryuji make her an amazing person.

Ryuji – “Gokudo to the bone,” one character noted about Ryuji. Ryuji at 14, is the Sandaime of Kuryugumi. The manga balances the trials of being Sandaime with his own subdued desires of being a child, desires that only come forth when he is with Tsukasa. Ryuji also grows as he learns to balance the desires of Asago, his fiancee, with his feelings for Tsukasa.

The supporting cast of Kamojima, Asago, ‘Akira, Taku-nii’, Sho, Toshi and all the rest is not to be missed.

Drawing Style
Pretty good, it’s nothing excellent but it goes very well with the story. The fighting scenes were done pretty well in my opinion. I suppose my biggest problem is that as some have also said, some characters are drawn to similarly for my liking.

Overall
This is a manga not to be missed. There are drugs, killers, robots, and so much more in this story. 2020 Tokyo is a dystopia but there are still a few people willing to stand up for what they believe in. If you’re a fan of a strong heroine, a great storyline full of humor, betrayal, sadness and so much more, go read TCP now!