Nuclear Energy Essay Example For Students

Nuclear Energy Essay Word Count: 1748 by definition is the energyconsumed or produced in modifying thecomposition of the atomic nucleus. Nuclear energyis used for things such as atomic bombs, hydrogenbombs and other nuclear weapons. Nuclearenergy can also be used for poweringelectricity-generating plants all over the world. There are many arguments for and against nuclearpower. Nuclear power is an inexpensive cleansource of power. Others feel that because of thehazardous radiation emitted during the producingof the power and the radioactivity of the materialused that nuclear power is not as good as thealternatives which are fossil fuels and solarpower.(Hansen, 1993)If matter changes state or composition, it isaccompanied by the production of energy. Processes such as combustion produce energy byrearranging the atoms or molecules of thatsubstance.(Brain, 1998) An example of this is thecombustion of methane (natural gas) CH(4) + 2O(2) = CO(2) + 2H(2)O + energyIn this example the amount of energy released iseight electron volts or 8 eV. The electron volt unitis the unit used by nuclear physicists. The electronvolt represents the gain in kinetic energy when anelectron is accelerated through a potential drop ofone volt.(Brain, 1998)The most common nuclear reaction is nuclearfission. Nuclear fission is the process in which aheavy nucleus combines with a neutron andseparates the heavy nucleus into two lighternuclei.(Roy, 1993) The most typical fissionreaction is that of uranium-235 it is as follows:92 U235 + 1 neutron = 38 Sr96 + 54 XE138 + 2neutrons + energyAnother type of nuclear reaction is nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion occurs when two light elementscombine to form a heavier atom.(Grisham, 1993)An example of this is:1 H(2) + 1 H(3) = 2 He(4) +1 neutron + energyNuclear FissionNuclear fission is a complex process, but manyproducts are formed during this process. Not onlythe two nuclei but also neutrons, beta particles,neutrinos and gamma rays are created during thefission process.(Roy, 1993) There are more thanfifty different ways a nucleus may undergo fission. Some of the ways are much more common thanothers. During the fission process the nucleusbreaks into to unequal parts, one lighter fragmentand a heavier fragment. These nuclei are formedwith excess energy that they do not usually have intheir ground state they must lose the extra energy. They release this extra energy in the form ofgamma radiation or sometimes neutron emission. The primary fragments are rich in neutrons and areradioactive. Uranium-235 which contains 92protons and 143 neutrons are more likely to undergo fission when bombarded by low-energyneutrons.(Hansen, 1993)Nuclear Fission Used in BombsThe fission process was discovered in the late1930s. In late 1939 two scientists Otto Frisch andLise Meitner discovered the fissioning of uraniuminto lighter particles while they were doing anexperiment involving neutron irradiation ofuranium. The possibility of a self-sustaining chainreaction was apparent this caused an acceleratedrate of research.(Hansen, 1993)The United States Government researched into thepossible applications of nuclear fission at thebeginning of World War II. In order for theweapon to be able to work properly it wouldrequire a self-sustaining fission reaction to becreated and also that an adequate amount offissionable material could be produced for use in aweapon.(Brain, 1998) On December 2, 1942 atthe University of Chicago Enrico Fe rmi and histeam developed the worlds first self-sustainingreactors. The reactor was fueled with naturaluranium imbedded in graphite blocks.(Hansen,1993) The fission occurred in the isotope ofuranium, U-235. An important factor indeveloping the nuclear bomb was to separateU-235 from U-238. Natural uranium only contains0.7% of U-235 and the remaining 99.3% ofnatural uranium is U-238. The problem with this isthat U-238 does not fission except with very highenergy neutrons which are not available from thefission process. To separate the two materialsgaseous defusion is used. Another way of makingnuclear weapons is to use a different fissionablenucleus. Another material that is used is a syntheticisotope of plutonium P-239. Nuclear FusionIn most fusion reactions after the two atomic nucleimerge together to form a heavier nucleus a freenucleon is also formed. In just about all fusionreactions between light nuclei, a portion of theirrest mass is converted into kinetic energy of thereaction products, or into gamma rays.(Grisham,1993) The kinetic energy and gamma rays that arereleased in the process of fusion, heat the insidekeeping the temperature very high so the fusioncan continue occurring. At thermonucleartemperatures, matter can only exist in the plasmastate. Matter at thermonuclear temperatureconsists of electrons, positive ions and very fewneutral atoms. If fusion reactions occur withinplasma the reactions heat the substance evenmore, because a portion of the reaction energy istransferred to the bulk of the plasma throughcollisions.(Grisham, 1993)Stars produce their energy through many types offusion reactions. Scientists know that fusionreactions have clear potential as a power sourceon earth due to the fact those fusion reactions havebeen driving the stars for billions of years.(Hansen,1993) For many decades now scientists have triedto develop thermonuclear fusion reactions that willproduce useful power. Police Brutality EssayThis idea is highly unlikely because it is the onlypower source for the region.(Hansen, 1993)Nuclear Energy TodayNuclear power has become a major source of theworlds electric energy since the discovery offission 50 years ago. At the end of 1989 therewere 416 nuclear power plants operatingworldwide producing 17% of the worldselectricity. There were 130 plants that were underdesign at the end of 1989. Nuclear power is usedin 27 different nations and another three nationshave plants under construction. The United Stateshas the worlds largest nuclear energy program atthe end of 1989 with 108 operating plants havingthe operating capacity of 100,000 MW providing20% of the U.S. with their power. In 1989 nuclearpower was the second largest source of electricityin the U.S. exceeded only by coal whichcontributes 55% of the U.S.s electricity. Othersources of power are natural gas 9%, oil 6%, andhydro power 9%.(Hansen, 1993) In Ontario 40%of the electricity that is used i s produced bynuclear power. Ontario nuclear power plantsproduce 8728 MW ofelectricity.(www.hydro.on.ca, 1999)Nuclear power plants are more complex and costmore to build than plants that use fossil fuels. Thecost of fuel for nuclear power is much lower thanthe cost of fossil fuel. In the long run nuclearelectricity is much cheaper for most nationsbecause of the differences in fuel prices. Forindustrialized countries of Europe and Asia thedifference in cost may be as large as a factor ofhalf the cost. In some countries the nuclear powerprogram has come to a standstill. In the UnitedStates there hasnt been an order to build anuclear power plant since mid-1970s. The mainreason for the standstill is the move towardsincreased efficiency in the consumption of oil andalso a drop in the demand for energy. The publicis also concerned about the safety of nuclearpower plants and also the increasing awareness ofthe problems with nuclear waste. The reason forthe increase in safety awareness is be cause of theaccidents that have occurred. Before 1979 thepublic was all for nuclear energy but since then areactor in Three Mile Island leaked radioactivematerial into the environment. The largest reasonwhy the public changed their view was theexplosion of reactor four at the Chernobyl powerplant. Nuclear power is an important factor in all of arelives, if it if used safely it provides us withinexpensive electricity but if used carelessly it canmake us ill, destroy the land and even kill us. It isbelieved that in the future nuclear power will besafer for all. The pro and cons of nuclear powerare balanced because it is much more inexpensiveand it will not run out like fossil fuels eventuallywill. Nuclear reactors do not explode all thatoften.

Services and Marketing Relationship for Qantas - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theServices and Marketing Relationship for Qantas Airlines. Answer: Determinants of satisfaction/dissatisfaction at Qantas Service quality and good pricing are the main determinants of satisfaction/dissatisfaction in the airline industry. Satisfying customers is an important marketing activity as it has an impact of profitability of business and consumer purchase behavior. In case of Qantas airlines business organization, it is the worlds leading long distance airlines, which has built a reputation for safety, operational reliability and customer service. Qantas has reached a new level in customers satisfaction and the main determination of satisfied customers includes high class travel experience, quality of in-flight entertainment and pricing. Compared to other domestic airline in Australia, Qantas is ahead of Virgin in customer satisfaction. In terms of business travel experience, Qantas score was 84% and Virgins score was 75% in 2015. Qantas got 2014 Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Award for this achievement (Roy Morgan Research 2017). Another element for increasing customers satisfaction in the airline industry is the attributes related to airline service quality. Airline companies mainly aim to exceed customers satisfaction by improving the service quality to satisfy the needs of passengers. Service quality is the dimension of competitiveness. The service quality is affected by the expected service and service perceived by the consumers. This is also in relevance with the assimilation theory that states that cognitive process in a consumer determines the comparison between the expectations about the product and perceived product performance (David Mc 2013). Theoretical models have suggested different models for service quality. The three component model suggest service product, service delivery and service environment as critical for safety. Service quality and service satisfaction are interrelated aspects where a high level of service quality is associated with high level of customer satisfaction. For instance, the confirmation and the disconfirmation theory suggest that customers expectation about the service has a vital role in customer satisfaction. This expectation is also related to their beliefs about service delivery that is up to their standards or expectations (Pizam et al., 2016). Hence, customers expectation becomes the main reference for evaluating quality of service. Figure: Association between customers satisfaction and perceive performance Source: (Liu, et al. 2017). At Qantas, the quality of service is evaluated by giving ratings on the availability and standards of facilities, airlines responsiveness to address problems or challenges within the facility. Passenger perception survey is also conducted by Qantas to know about customers perception regarding coverage and level of satisfaction with facilities. This detail is also relevant with the above theories as it reflects that quality and customer satisfaction are interrelated (ACCC airport quality of service monitoring guideline 2017). Service recovery plan for Qantas Qantas has faced several challenges in its business due to external competitive challenges in the international airline industry. Some of the major challenges for them in the past year was related to industrial disputes, demand in working conditions and wages, impact on business due to weather events and natural disasters, 48 hour shut down, A380 mid-air engine failure, financial pressure due to fluctuating fuel prices and many other issues. Hence, a comprehensive service recovery plan is needed to deal with such issues and be prepared to smartly handle challenges in business. Such service recovery effort is mainly followed after experiencing failure in service or part of service. This influences the organization to put strategies in place to retain customers satisfaction as well as maintain profitability in business. It can also be said that service recovery approach is the pathway to customer loyalty and responding to customer complaint. This approach is also relevant to the justic e theory, which evolved over time to include the dimension of distributive, procedural and interactional justice. Distributive justice was related to the process by which key goals were achieved, whereas procedural justice and interactional justice was related to manner in which key plans are delivered (Tan 2014). This method ultimately has an impact on service recovery satisfaction. In case of Qantas, the three dimensions of justice theory will be useful in devising service recovery plan. Figure 2: Different dimensions of justice. Source: (Ghaziani et al. 2012) The service recovery plan for Qantas in response to their failure as follows: Both Qantas and Virgin Australia were under pressure to abolish fuel charges after the decline in oil prices in 2014-2015. In response to the impact on business due to fluctuating fuel prices, Qantas can address these issues in the future by fuel hedging process. Different financial instrument can used to address the risk related to currency fluctuation and volatility of fuel prices (Merkert 2015). To ensure distributive justice and build a stronger Qantas, there is a need to be economically sustainable too. This is because Qantas face many structural challenges due to the deregulation of market and risk in new fleet of airlines. The plan is to utilize their strength to open gateway to the world and create a shareholder value by building a strong and viable business. Working with effective partners will also be important to establish connection with large number of customers (Wen and Geng-qing Chi 2013). Reference ACCC airport quality of service monitoring guideline. 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017, from https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Draft%20Airport%20quality%20of%20service%20monitoring%20guideline%E2%80%94statement%20of%20reasons.pdf David Mc A, B. (2013). Service quality and customer satisfaction in the airline industry: A comparison between legacy airlines and low-cost airlines.American Journal of Tourism Research,2(1), 67-77. Ghaziani, F.G., Safania, A. and Tayebi, S.M., 2012. Impact of Organizational Justice Perceptions on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment: the Irans Ministry of Sport Perspective.Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences,6(7), pp.179-188.Liu, Y., Dong, D., Burnkant, R. (2017).Provide Consumers with What They Want on Word of Mouth Forums. Retrieved 25 September 2017, from https://file.scirp.org/Html/3-8601288_29340.htm Merkert, R. 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2017, from https://theconversation.com/explainer-fuel-hedging-and-its-impact-on-airlines-and-airfares-36773 Pizam, A., Pizam, A., Shapoval, V., Shapoval, V., Ellis, T., Ellis, T. (2016). Customer satisfaction and its measurement in hospitality enterprises: a revisit and update.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,28(1), 2-35. Roy Morgan Research 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2017, from https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6208-qantas-reaches-new-high-in-customer-satisfaction-201504270141 Tan, T.A.G., 2014. Effects of Justice Theory on Service Recovery Satisfaction on Metro Manila Dine-in Experiences.Philippine Management Review,21. Wen, B. and Geng-qing Chi, C., 2013. Examine the cognitive and affective antecedents to service recovery satisfaction: A field study of delayed airline passengers.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,25(3), pp.306-327.

Essay Writing Problems and How to Avoid Them

Essay Writing Problems and How to Avoid ThemWhen you are writing a sample student essay, you will need to be sure that your essay contains errors so that it does not fall in the wrong category. You can tell if your essay contains errors because it has errors in its grammatical structure.There are many instances where the omission of a single word is enough to have your essay fall into the wrong category, and therefore be rejected. One such example is where the writer has used two words for the same meaning and significance, and they have been omitted on purpose. If you write such a student essay, then you will just have your grade suffers.This is another problem which you should consider when you are writing a student essay. If your essay uses an academic term that means the same as the term commonly used by college students, you will have your essay rejected. In this way, the entire idea of the essay comes down to what you can and cannot write, and you may as well write no essay at all. This problem also stems from the fact that your essay is trying to be something more than it really is.An essay needs to be about a particular subject, and this is something which is very different to writing a student essay. There are many things that you must learn in order to do this correctly. You will need to learn to write a style guide that will allow you to write about the topic properly and not use words which are common to every single student on every single college campus in the country.One thing that you must never do when you are writing an essay is to use an academic term for which there is already an equivalent in the English language. If you do this, you will simply be committing an error which is very similar to plagiarism. Such an error is certain to cause your essay to be rejected.There are other elements that you should take into consideration when you are writing a student essay. The first is that your essay should make a strong argument for its thesis sta tement. If you find that you have made no argument at all, then you have actually done nothing at all.The second thing that you should do when you are writing a student essay is to do your best to think as clearly as possible. If you are always aware of what you are doing, you will be able to do your best work. While you will get distracted sometimes, you will never forget to take a minute to reflect on what you are doing, and thus get as much done as possible.Finally, take care to make sure that you don't make any mistakes. This is a bad habit that almost everyone who writes a student essay begins, and they often make themselves look foolish. You don't want to get yourself into this bad habit, so be sure to have a good attitude when you are writing a student essay.

Cecil Rhodes Confession of Faith Essay Example

Cecil Rhodes: Confession of Faith Essay At the end of the nineteenth century, the leaders of European nations were eager to expand their empires for economic gains, and the British were no exception.In Confession of Faith, great imperialist and wealthy diamond mine owner Cecil Rhodes asserts his opinion of Britains right to conquer land in the world, and the importance of participation by the British citizens.Rhodess writing exudes the beliefs of the time that imperialism is the key to political and economic power and shows how British nationalism led to the expansion of its territories.To understand his point of view, it is important to understand Rhodess background.An ill child who arrived in South Africa to improve his health, Rhodes later founded the white-dominated state of Rhodesia (Rhodes, 227), now known as Zimbabwe.He made his fortunes in the De Beers diamond mines of South Africa, owning almost all of them by 1891.Rhodes was greatly involved in politics in South Africa, with the founding of Rhodesia, and also as the prime minister of Cape Colony.In order to get people from other countries to understand his love for Britain, he established the Rhodes scholarships which send German and American students to England to study.Rhodes made it his life goal to be of service to his nation, more specifically, to gain as much territory for Britain as possible. Rhodes shows a strong sense of nationalism, saying that the British are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race (Rhodes, 227). He believed that the world would be better off if it were under British rule.He says that the absorption of the greater portion of the world under our rule simply means the end of all wars (Rhodes, 227), adding that the Russian-Turkish war would not have occurred under British influence because they would not have given money

IB Bio lab report on photosynthesis Essays

IB Bio lab report on photosynthesis Essays IB Bio lab report on photosynthesis Paper IB Bio lab report on photosynthesis Paper Essay Topic: Synthesis This process takes place in he chloroplasts of plants, which include chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis, since it absorbs the suns light. Green plants then use this light to combine CO and H2O for making sugars and oxygen. After this process Oxygen is being released though pores called stomata. The overall reaction can be expressed as follows; 61420 + CHIC 0 C,H2O, + 6021 There are four variables that affect the rate of photosynthesis; light intensity, temperature, CO and water. 2 However, is it possible to count in the color of light, too, which I am going to investigate in this lab. Since the photosynthesis sakes place in chloroplasts that has chlorophyll, the rate of photosynthesis can be affected by different colors of light, since the absorption of light changes within different colors. Research Question: What color of light is most effective on the rate of photosynthesis? Five different colored transparencies (red, green, yellow, blue, purple) are being used for changing the lights color. Within 5 minutes for each one of them, they will be used in order to see oxygen bubbles rising from a used water plant. The produced oxygen (in the form of bubbles) indicates the rate of photosynthesis ND is being measured by counting bubbles. The highest amount of oxygen bubbles being produced per minute is equivalent to the highest rate of photosynthesis, and the color providing the best circumstances for the production of photosynthesis. Hypothesis: Since Plants absorb green light, I expect the rate of photosynthesis to be the highest when red light is being used. This is due to the color spectrum, where one can say that red is the opposite color to green. Therefore, I expect red light to provide the most energy for the plant absorbing it. Variables: Variable Type Method Light intensity Controlled At the most intense level possible (770 lug) and a distance of CACM from the aquarium. Temperature of water At room temperature; adding colder water when temperature rises. PH level All solution has a pH of 7. Plant type and color Leaves of the same species; green Colored light Independent Changing colors with colored slides (yellow, blue, red, green, purple) in front of the light source. The rate of photosynthesis Dependent Changed by the color of light, collected with stop watch and counted by produced bubbles. Material: 2000 CM of water (-300 for every color + water for controlling variables) One lass/ glass cup One test tube One funnel 2-3 healthy water plants One thermometer Spotlight Five colored transparencies (blue, red, yellow, green, purple) Stopwatch One lug meter Proceed re: Before starting the experiment, the spotlight has to be placed at point on the table, 20 CM away from where the plant is to be set. Then the lug meter is to be taken for calculating the intensity of the spotlight onto the plant. Following this, the color transparencies will be set in front of the light and the resulting light intensity will be noted by placing the lug meter on the place where the plant is to be set. For each run, under-water cut leaves from the water plant are put carefully in the funnel, which small open end is put into the test tube. This all is to be done in the flask filled with the water provided for each run and is to be placed at the distance of 20 CM from the spotlight. 3 The water temperature is to be measured and to be kept constant at all time OIC). The first color transparency is then to be placed in front of the spotlight and the oxygen bubbles rising from the plants leaves are to be counted. After 11/2 minute, the first run of the first color is completed and following 4 runs have o be concluded the same way. In case the water temperature rises, cold water has to be added. The experiment then has to be repeated 4 more times with the different colored transparencies in the same way. (A procedure repeating each run 5 times, would be the best for minimizing errors that could occur, due to the ex. Rule. ) The collected data is noted on paper and will be processed to determine the rate of photosynthesis at every color. Data collection and raw processing: The experiment was carried out with the following order of colors: Run 1-5: Blue Run 6-10: Green Run 11-15: Yellow Run 16-20: Red Run 21-25: Purple Raw Data Qualitative Observations: Run 1-5: A high number of bubbles rose up Run 6-10: Almost no bubbles were being produced Run 11-15: Only a few bubbles rose up Run 16-20: A very large number of bubbles were being produced Run 21-25: Not too many bubbles were being produced by the plant * Until the first bubbles rose up, some time has had passed already; the observations are only being compared with the data processed by the plant being used in this experiment, not with those from others. Quantitative Data: Run Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Blue light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Green light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Yellow light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Red light Number of Oxygen bubbles being produced with Purple light Run I(after 90 sec. )4 2 3 Run 2 (after 180 sec. ) 5 11 4 13 Run 3 (after 270 sec. ) 12 15 6 Run 4 (after 360 sec. ) 14 5 Run 5 (after 450 sec. ) For a better overview the diagram below represents the quantitative data provided. Processed Data: The collected data has to be processed. This will be done by calculating the mean values for all runs of each of the colors by using Excel. The results will be put in a table, as well as in a diagram for a better overview. Also, for finding out whether the collected data is reliable or not and how different the results are to the means, the standard deviation for all runs of the colors have to be calculated using the same method. 6 Green Yellow Red Purple Mean 10 2. 6 4. 4 Stand. Deep. . 82 0. 5 0. 96 Table providing the processed data Diagram providing the processed data for a better overview Conclusion After all data has been collected and processed, one can say that the stated hypothesis from the beginning of the lab report, which says that red is the lour that provides the best circumstances for the production of oxygen, is being supported by the observations and calculations made. The qualitative observations showed clearly, that the plant produced most oxygen un der red light. The calculations of the means demonstrated that even though blue and red light had similar effects on the plant, the red light was most effective. Further calculations of the standard deviation showed that the data is not highly spread, standing for valuable data that has been collected. Therefore it is to be concluded that the color providing best light for the production of oxygen and Hereford for the rate of photosynthesis is red, followed by blue. Furthermore, the data collected in this experiment is supported by sources and expectations from the B Biology curriculum (and others), which states conclusions about the color spectrum and the effect on plants absorbing the different wavelengths of colored lights. However, it is to be noted that the data being collected points out some significant differences, as well as similar numbers of oxygen being produced. This is probably due to the small protection of the light coming from the other sides onto the plant, which was not shielded and completely darkened except for the light coming from the spotlight.

Gram-Positive and Acid-Fast Bacteria Coursework

Gram-Positive and Acid-Fast Bacteria - Coursework Example Name and describe the stages of bacterial growth. How would you keep a culture in the stationary phase?Lag phase- at this stage the bacteria gets to adopt them to the growth condition. They undergo maturation, but they are not capable of dividing.Log phase- the phase if characterized by cell multiplication. Normally, the number of new bacteria per unit time is proportional to the current population. The stationary phase is premised on growth inhibiting factors.Stationary phase- It is the stage where growth rate is proportional to the death rate.Death phase- It is the stage where the bacteria finally die due to adverse living conditions that are brought about by the limiting factors.A culture can be kept in the stationary phase by invoking growth inhibiting factors such as high/low temperatures as well as limiting the amount of nutrients available for the bacteria.4. Describe the different sterilization techniques and know when to use each type. (For example, when would you use an aut oclave, gas, etc.?)Steam autoclave- it combines moisture and high temperatures to kill microorganisms. The technique utilizes temperature ranging from 121-148 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 15 P.S.I. Typically, the sterilization period is dependent on the load and temperature but can vary from ten minutes to one hour. It is used for surgical equipment.Chemical sterilization- The method utilized chemical agents that have the ability to kill microorganism for instance ethylene oxide gas. It is a low-temperature sterilization process.

Archplot in the film Die Hard Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Archplot in the film Die Hard - Movie Review Example These struggles must represent the protagonist's particular desire to achieve his objectives against the antagonistic force. There is a linear time frame which characterises the temporal features of the story. This linear time frame is produced as a result of discrete and causally related events. The final feature of the Archplot is the nature of the story's ending. The ending leaves no room for doubt as to the fate of the characters. The ending, in short, is characterised by a finality which cannot be altered. This essay will argue that, in nearly all respects, the Die Hard screenplay conforms closely to the main features of the Archplot. This screenplay pursues the fundamental features noted by McKee, and a textual analysis of the screenplay will be employed to analyse each of these features of the Archplot, respectively. There is a preliminary question as to whether the main protagonist is active or passive. The protagonist in Die Hard is John McClane, a New York City police officer. The script introduces him as "mid-thirties, good-looking, athletic and tired from his trip" (Die Hard: 3). He has a Beretta pistol visible through his open jacket and, in an early attempt to establish the protagonist as an active character, the script contrasts him with a fellow airline passenger when "McClane turns, looks at the Babbit clone next to him. Caught, he tenses, holds his armrests in exaggerated fear" (Die Hard: 3). The Babbit reference is to a famous American literary work which bemoans the passivity and the helplessness of the working man. The physical description of the protagonist, the gun, and the explicit literary reference seek to immediately establish McClane as the anti-Babbit, or the opposite of passive and helpless. McKee establishes various guidelines, or commandments if you will, for creating an active protagonist within the Archplot framework. First, the action must always be within the control of the protagonist. This does not require that the protagonist drive the action forward, indeed the protagonist may be placed in a reactionary role, but that the protagonist is always connected in some way to the plot as it unfolds. Second, the plot must pose challenges and obstacles for the protagonist; in this way, an active protagonist is one whom is presented with barriers to the achievement of certain goals and objectives. Finally, the active protagonist is characterised by an event or a situation which throws his life out of balance or in some other way renders him vulnerable to an antagonistic force. The John McClane character conforms extraordinarily close to McKee's notion of an active protagonist. Die Hard begins and ends with the protagonist. John McClane comes to Los Angeles, becomes embroiled in an adversarial conflict, reigns supreme in the conflict, disposes of the adversary, and then continues to enjoy the original purpose of his visit. As an initial matter, McClane is perfectly tailored for the conflict which he encounters, describing himself as "a New York cop who used to be a New York kid, and I got six months backlog of New York scumbags I'm still trying to put behind bars. I don't just get up