An Investigation into Game Based Learning Using High Level Programming Languages

Game-related education within mobile learning spheres is a matter of great debate for university students across the globe. It is the case that programming languages often pose a sizeable challenge for university students. This research paper aims to develop a game based learning platform “iPlayCode”, designed to offer a new and exciting method of learning programming language. Xcode 5.0.2 was used to develop the game by using the cocos2d-x development tool and the Adobe Photoshop graphic design tool. In addition, iOS 7.0.3 (11B508) Simulator was used to test the application and the application was deployed in different models of mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad. The application outcomes are presented by a mobile game that teaches programming languages in an easy, attractive and effective way

Impact of the Future Climate and Land Use Changes on the Hydrology and Water Resources in South East England, UK

The combined effects of climate and land use changes on water resources availability in river catchments in the UK is key for planning and management of water resources for different sectors and uses such as agriculture practices, urbanisation, leisure, industry, ecological services, environment, fishing industry and tourism. To study the impacts of climate and, land-use changes on water resources availability, this study applied the physically-based distributed catchment-scale (DiCaSM) model to simulate the water balance components such streamflow, groundwater, GW recharge, evapotranspiration, Soil Moisture Deficit, SMD, and Wetness Index, WI of the root zone in the catchment area of river Pang in Berkshire, UK. The model was calibrated, then validated using the observed streamflow data. Following the successful calibration and validation, the model then was run with different future climate and land use changes scenarios. Climate change scenarios of UKCP09, for three thirty-year periods: 2020s (2010-2039), 2050s, (2040-2069) and 2080s (2070-2099) and three emission levels, low, medium and high were applied. To assess the future drought risks, a number of drought indices were applied. They are the SMD, evapotranspiration, WI at root-zone and Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI). The findings of the study suggest a decrease in streamflow up to 47 % and ground water recharge up to 70% during the summer season by the end of century in comparison to the 1961-1990 baseline period and an increase in drought severity under different climate change scenarios. The increase in temperature and decrease in summer rainfall could have a significant impact on drought risk and water resources availability in the future. The impact of land use changes on the streamflow and the groundwater recharge was less significant than the climate change. The catchment area which is generally considered rain-fed under current land use practices, would change, therefore, the most efficient irrigation strategy and land use practices would be required to minimise the impacts of climate change

Drought Risk under Climate and Land Use Changes: Implication to Water Resource Availability at Catchment Scale

Although the climate change projections are produced by global models, studying the impact of climatic change on water resources is commonly investigated at catchment scale where the measurements are taken, and water management decisions are made. For this study, the Frome catchment in the UK was investigated as an example of midland England. The DiCaSM model was applied using the UKCP09 future climate change scenarios. The climate projections indicate that the greatest decrease in groundwater recharge and streamflow was projected under high emission scenarios in the 2080s. Under the medium and high emission scenarios, model results revealed that the frequency and severity of drought events would be the highest. The drought indices, the Reconnaissance Drought Index, RDI, Soil Moisture Deficit, SMD and Wetness Index, WI, predicted an increase in the severity of future drought events under the high emission scenarios. Increasing broadleaf forest area would decrease streamflow and groundwater recharge. Urban expansion could increase surface runoff�. Decreasing winter barley and grass and increasing oil seed rape, would increase SMD and slightly decrease river flow. Findings of this study are helpful in the planning and management of the water resources considering the impact of climate and land use changes on variability in the availability of surface and groundwater resources

Energy Distribution of a G\"{o}del-Type Space-Time

We calculate the energy and momentum distributions associated with a G\"{o}del-type space-time, using the well-known energy-momentum complexes of Landau and Lifshitz and M{\o}ller. We show that the definitions of Landau and Lifshitz and M{\o}ller do not furnish a consistent result.Comment: LaTex, no figure

M{\o}ller Energy-Momentum Complex of a Static Axially Symmetric Vacuum Space-Time

The energy and momentum densities associated with the Weyl metric are calculated using M{\o}ller's energy-momentum complex. These results are compared with the results obtained by using the energy-momentum complexes of Einstein, Landau and Lifshitz, Papapetrou and Bergmann. We show that the aforementioned different prescriptions and that of M{\o}ller do not give the same energy density, while give the same momentum density.Comment: LATEX, 9 pages, no figures, an improved version, references added, corrections [Admin note: substantial overlap with gr-qc/0403097, gr-qc/0404108 , gr-qc/0303009 , hep-th/0311050