Friday, November 30, 2007

Earthquake

An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of stored energy in the Earth's outer layer that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are accordingly measured with a seismometer, generally known as a seismograph. The magnitude of an earthquake is conventionally reported using the Richter scale or a related instant scale. At the Earth's surface, earthquakes may manifest themselves by a trembling or displacement of the ground. Sometimes, they cause tsunamis, which may lead to loss of life and annihilation of property. An earthquake is caused by tectonic plates getting stuck and putting a damage on the ground. The strain becomes so great that rocks give way by breaking and downhill along fault planes. Earthquakes may occur naturally or as a result of human actions. Slighter earthquakes can also be caused by volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, and nuclear tests. In its most generic intelligence, the word earthquake is used to describe any seismic event—whether a natural phenomenon or an event caused by humans—that generates seismic effect.

Monday, November 26, 2007

Calculator

A calculator is a machine for performing calculations. Although modern calculators often incorporate a general purpose computer, the device is calculated for performing specific operations, rather than for flexibility. Modern calculators are more convenient than most computers, though some Pads are comparable in amount to handheld calculators.

In the past, some calculators were as huge as today's computers. The first automatic calculators were mechanical desktop devices which were replaced by electromechanical desktop calculators, and then by electronic devices using first sung valves, then transistors, then hard-wired integrated circuit logic. New calculators are electrically powered and come in innumerable shapes and sizes varying from cheap, give-away, credit-card sized models to more sturdy adding machine-like models with built-in printers.