Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Secondary education

Causes of World War I

Colonial Rivalries: Provoked strained relations and clashes.

Alliances: Created a "balance of power" fueled by mutual fear.

Arms Race: European countries engaged in military buildup and war preparations.

Balkan Crisis: Conflicts between Austria and Russia threatened peace between the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente.

The Spark that Ignited the World

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo, blamed on Serbia by Austria, provided Austria the opportunity to declare war on July 28, 1914.

Life in the Trenches

• Long, narrow ditches dug into the ground.
• Muddy conditions infested with rats and lice.
• Rampant diseases like fever, gangrene, requiring amputations.
• Constant threat of death.

Why Did the USA

Effective Shift Handover

Effective communication between outgoing and incoming personnel is extremely important in maintenance. Individuals must assume personal ownership and responsibility for their tasks. Information should be transmitted in written, spoken, and gestured (nonverbal) forms. Using multiple communication methods (redundancy) reduces risk.

When an experienced person hands over to an inexperienced one, the former must assume the latter lacks the same knowledge and will need more time for the handover. For example, a brief, spoken-only handover (lack of redundancy) resulted in missing screws during installation. The next shift, believing all screws were installed, released the airplane for service.

The Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen refers... Continue reading "Effective Shift Handover and Human Error in Aviation Maintenance" »

Foundations of Modern Economic Dynamics

Systemic Economic Weaknesses and Global Competition

These are the foundational germs of instability: the entry of new competitors in the market that challenge the market shares of established countries. There are limitations of FBK for growth, and difficulty maintaining productivity levels based on FBK. Cheap money due to monetary policy generates a situation of over-indebtedness among companies, consumers, and the public administration. This leads to the uncontrolled creation of money supply for speculative investments, resulting in a growing and continuous debt. These issues were exacerbated by the deregulation and economic liberalism of the 1990s.

Limitations and Inclusions of GDP per Capita

GDP per Capita... Continue reading "Economic Instability, Innovation Dynamics, and GDP Measurement Flaws" »

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

A New Economic and Social Partnership

While not replicating the prior level of economic integration, this agreement surpasses traditional free trade agreements, fostering continued friendship and cooperation. It encompasses:

Free Trade Agreement

This establishes a new economic and social partnership, extending beyond goods and services to areas like investment, competition, state aid, and more. It ensures:

• Zero tariffs and quotas on compliant goods.
• A level playing field through high standards in environmental protection, climate change action, labor rights, and tax transparency, with robust enforcement mechanisms.

Fisheries

A framework for joint management of fish stocks allows the UK to develop its fishing industry... Continue reading "EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: A New Partnership" »

Historical Conflicts and Atrocities

Cambodian Genocide Facts

• Scarf Colors Worn by Cambodians: Red bandana = Communist; Blue = anti-communist.
• Government Goal During Genocide: To establish a communist Utopia.
• Country Removing Perpetrators: The army of Vietnam finally removed the genocidal group from power.

Rwandan Genocide Details

• Ethnic Groups Involved: Hutus and Tutsis.
• Reason for Atrocities: News reports claimed that the Tutsis killed the president.
• Timeline: Occurred between April 7 and July 14, 1994.
• International Criticism: The UN was criticized because they were only present for rescue operations but failed significantly.
• Conclusion: The Rwandan genocide finally ended as the Tutsi rebels were winning.
• Casualties: An estimate of 800,000 people were

What Makes a Living Thing ‘Living’?

Non-Living Things

Non-living things are made up of inorganic matter. The most abundant chemical elements that make up inorganic matter are: oxygen (O), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), and iron (Fe).

Living Things

All living things, also called organisms, are made up of the same chemical elements.

The elements that form part of living matter are known as bioelements.

The six most abundant bioelements are: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S). They make up more than 90% of living matter. The atoms and molecules of bioelements combine with each other through chemical reactions, producing biomolecules. Biomolecules may be:

• Inorganic, such as water and mineral salts.
• Organic

It affects the behavior of consumers in a broad sense such as, for example, prompting them to make decisions that they would not have otherwise adopted.  

What is Force?

Force is a push or pull that can deform an object or change its state of rest or motion.

Types of Forces

• Contact
• Non-contact
• Instantaneous
• Constant

Formula of Force

F = m • a

Difference Between Force and Weight

Weight is a force. Everything on Earth is pulled down towards the ground by gravity. The weight of an object is how hard gravity pulls down on it.

Larger objects get pulled more strongly, so they weigh more than smaller objects. When scientists want to talk about how much stuff is inside something, they talk about mass.

Causes of Force

Forces arise when two or more bodies come into contact. For example, when there is a crash or when you push a door.

Bodies, even if they are not in contact, exert a force on others. For example, the... Continue reading "Understanding Force, Motion, and Newton's Laws" »

The Caliphate of Córdoba and the Emirate of Córdoba

The Caliphate of Córdoba was an Andalusian Muslim state with its capital in Córdoba, proclaimed by Abderramán III. The Emirate of Córdoba was an independent emirate with its capital also in Córdoba.

The Black Death

The Black Death has been one of the most devastating pandemics in human history. It affected Europe in the 14th century and peaked between 1347 and 1353, killing more than a third of the European population. The Black Death had an extremely high mortality in Europe because people lived closely together without any type of hygiene in the most affected areas. The plague spread from Italy throughout Europe, affecting territories of present-day France, Spain, England, Britain, Germany,... Continue reading "The Caliphate of Córdoba and the Impact of the Black Death" »