Timeline of the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya

Timeline of the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya The Mau Mau Rebellion was a militant African nationalist movement active in Kenya during the 1950s. Its main aim was to remove British rule and European settlers from the country.   Background of the Mau Mau Rebellion The uprising grew out of anger over British colonial policies, but much of the fighting was between Kikuyu people, an ethnic group that makes up about 20 percent of Kenya’s population.   The four main causes of the revolt were low wages, access to land, female circumcision (also known as female genital mutilation, FGM), and kipande - identity cards African workers were required to submit to their white employers, who sometimes refused to return them or even destroyed the cards making it incredibly difficult for workers to apply for other employment. Kikuyu were pressured to take the Mau Mau oath by militant nationalists, which were opposed by conservative elements of their society. While the British believed Jomo Kenyatta to be the overall leader, he was a moderate nationalist and threatened by the more militant nationalists who would continue the rebellion after his arrest. Milestones and Timeline of the Mau Mau Uprising August 1951: Mau Mau Secret Society RumoredInformation is filtering back about secret meetings being held in the forests outside Nairobi. A secret society called the Mau Mau was believed to have been started in the previous year. It requires its members to take an oath to drive the white man from Kenya. Intelligence suggests that membership of the Mau Mau is currently restricted to members of the Kikuyu tribe, many of whom have been arrested during burglaries in Nairobis white suburbs. August 24, 1952: Curfew ImposedThe Kenyan government imposes a curfew in three districts on the outskirts of Nairobi where gangs of arsonists, believed to be members of the Mau Mau, have been setting fire to homes of Africans who refuse to take the Mau Mau oath. October 7, 1952: AssassinationSenior Chief Waruhui is assassinated in Kenya he is speared to death in broad daylight on a main road on the outskirts of Nairobi. He had recently spoken out against increasing Mau Mau aggression against colonial rule. October 19, 1952: The British Send Troops to KenyaThe British government announces that it is to send troops to Kenya to help the fight against the Mau Mau. October 21, 1952: State of Emergency DeclaredWith the imminent arrival of British troops, the Kenyan government declares a state of emergency following a month of increasing hostility. Over 40 people have been murdered in Nairobi in the last four weeks and the Mau Mau, officially declared terrorists, have acquired firearms to use along with the more traditional pangas. As part of the overall clamp down Jomo Kenyatta, president of the Kenya African Union is arrested for alleged Mau Mau involvement. October 30, 1952: Arrests of Mau Mau ActivistsBritish troops are involved in the arrest of over 500 suspected Mau Mau activists. November 14, 1952: Schools ClosedThirty-four schools in Kikuyu tribal areas are closed as a measure to restrict the actions of Mau Mau activists. November 18, 1952: Kenyatta ArrestedJomo Kenyatta, president of the Kenya African Union and the countrys leading nationalist leader is charged with managing the Mau Mau terrorist society in Kenya. He is flown to a remote district station, Kapenguria, which reportedly has no telephone or rail communications with the rest of Kenya, and is being held there incommunicado. November 25, 1952: Open RebellionOpen rebellion against British rule in Kenya is declared by the Mau Mau. In response, British forces arrest over 2000 Kikuyu who they suspect of being Mau Mau members. January 18, 1953: Death Penalty for Administering Mau Mau OathGovernor-general Sir Evelyn Baring imposes the death penalty for anyone who administers the Mau Mau oath. The oath is often forced upon Kikuyu tribesmen at the point of a knife  and calls for the individuals death if he fails to kill a European farmer when ordered. January 26, 1953: White Settlers Panic and Take ActionPanic has spread through Europeans in Kenya after the slaying of a white settler farmer and his family. Settler groups, displeased with the governments response to the increasing Mau Mau threat have created their own Commando Units to deal with the threat. Sir Evelyn Baring, the Governor-general of Kenya has announced that a new offensive is to begin under the command of Major-general William Hinde. Amongst those speaking out against the Mau Mau threat and the governments inaction is Elspeth Huxley, author (who wrote The Flame Trees of Thika in 1959), who in a recent newspaper article compares Jomo Kenyatta to Hitler. April 1, 1953: British Troops Kill Mau Maus in HighlandsBritish troops kill twenty-four Mau Mau suspects and capture an additional thirty-six during deployments in the Kenyan highlands. April 8, 1953: Kenyatta SentencedJomo Kenyatta is sentenced to seven years hard labor along with five other Kikuyu currently detained at Kapenguria. April 17, 1953: 1000 ArrestedAn additional 1000 Mau Mau suspects have been arrested over the past week around the capital Nairobi. May 3, 1953: MurdersNineteen Kikuyu members of the Home Guard are murdered by the Mau Mau. May 29, 1953: Kikuyu Cordoned OffKikuyu tribal lands are to be cordoned off from the rest of Kenya to prevent Mau Mau activists from circulating to other areas. July  1953: Mau Mau Suspects KilledAnother 100 Mau Mau suspects have been killed during British patrols in Kikuyu tribal lands. January 15, 1954: Mau Mau Leader CapturedGeneral China, the second in command of the Mau Maus military efforts is wounded and captured by British troops. March 9, 1954: More Mau Mau Leaders CapturedTwo more Mau Mau leaders have been secured: General Katanga is captured and General Tanganyika surrenders to British authority. March 1954: British PlanThe great British plan to end the Mau Mau Rebellion in Kenya is presented to the countrys legislature General China, captured in January, is to write to the other terrorist leaders suggesting that nothing further can be gained from the conflict and that they should surrender themselves to British troops waiting in the Aberdare foothills. April 11, 1954: Failure of the PlanBritish authorities in Kenya admit that the General China operation revealed previously to the Kenyan legislature has failed. April 24, 1954: 40,000 ArrestedOver 40,000 Kikuyu tribesmen are arrested by British forces, including 5000 Imperial troops and 1000 Policemen, during widespread, coordinated dawn raids. May 26, 1954: Treetops Hotel BurnedThe Treetops Hotel, where  Princess Elizabeth  and her husband were staying when they heard of King George VIs death and her succession to the throne of England, is burnt down by Mau Mau activists. January 18, 1955: Amnesty OfferedGovernor-general Baring offers an amnesty to Mau Mau activists if they would surrender. They would still face imprisonment but wouldnt suffer the death penalty for their crimes. European settlers are up in arms at the leniency of the offer. April 21, 1955: Murders ContinueUnmoved by the amnesty offer of Sir Evelyn Baring, Kenyas Governor-general, the Mau Mau killings continue. Two English schoolboys are murdered. June 10, 1955: Amnesty WithdrawnBritain withdraws the offer of amnesty to the Mau Mau. June 24, 1955: Death SentencesWith the amnesty withdrawn, British authorities in Kenya can proceed with the death sentence for nine Mau Mau activists implicated in the death of two English schoolboys. October 1955: Death TollOfficial reports say that more than 70,000 Kikuyu tribesmen suspected of Mau Mau membership were imprisoned, while over 13,000 people were killed by British troops and Mau Mau activists over the last three years of the Mau Mau Rebellion. January 7, 1956: Death TollThe official death toll for Mau Mau activists killed by British forces in Kenya since 1952 is said to be 10,173. February 5, 1956: Activists EscapeNine Mau Mau activists escape from  Mageta  island prison camp in Lake Victoria. July 1959: British Opposition AttacksThe deaths of 11 Mau Mau activists held at Hola Camp in Kenya is cited as part of the British opposition attacks on the UK government over its role in Africa. November 10, 1959: State of Emergency EndsThe state of emergency is ended in Kenya. January 18, 1960: Kenyan Constitutional Conference BoycottedThe Kenyan Constitutional Conference being held in London is boycotted by African nationalist leaders. April 18, 1961: Kenyatta ReleasedIn return for the release of Jomo Kenyatta, African nationalist leaders agree to take a role in Kenyas government. Legacy and Aftermath of the Mau Mau Rebellion Kenya became independent on December 12, 1963, seven years after the collapse of the uprising. Many argue that the Mau Mau uprising helped catalyze decolonization as it showed that colonial control could only be maintained through the use of extreme force. The moral and financial cost of colonization was a growing issue with British voters, and the Mau Mau revolt brought those issues to a head. The fighting between Kikuyu communities, however, made their legacy contentious within Kenya. The colonial legislation outlawing the Mau Mau defined them as terrorists, a designation that remained in place until 2003 when the Kenyan government revoked the law. The government has since established monuments celebrating Mau Mau rebels as national heroes. In 2013 the British government formally apologized for the brutal tactics it used to suppress the uprising and agreed to pay approximately  £20 million pounds in compensation to surviving victims of abuse.

Profiling and Counter-terrorism Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Profiling and Counter-terrorism - Term Paper Example The document addresses four broad approaches of profiling; Crime Scene Analysis (CSA), Diagnostic Evaluation (DE), Investigative Psychology (IP), and Geographic profiling (GP), which employ various techniques of profiling in countering terrorist crimes and attacks. Keywords: Profiling, Crimes, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Physical and Biological Evidence, Terrorism, Suspects, Offenders, Victims, CSA, DE, Geographical Profiling, IP, Crime Scene Introduction to Profiling and Counter Terrorism Investigations in criminal cases around the world have evolved with time to increase the chances of getting to the lead, which can aid private investigators and police teams to solve the case and catch the law offenders. Terrorism crimes are terrifying incidences and every nation’s federal and local government has to be prepared to handle such cases, either in prevention before or after terror occurrences. Some of these crimes tend to occur in various patterns that can be traced, studied, and enable police investigators know the offenders better. Despite the fact that the perpetrators nowadays carry out their unlawful acts after proper planning and execution, more scientific and advanced methods can still help in profiling. According to Muller â€Å"criminal profiling is the process of using available information about a crime and crime scene to compose a psychological portrait of the unknown perpetrator of the crime† (2000, p. 235). The personal behaviours and characteristics in the criminal cases enable the investigators in analysis of the scene, to be able to make a generalization or a prediction of the future incident. Terrorism cases entail forceful attacks to cause destruction among other threatening or injurious incidences. Sometimes, the victims of terrorism are found dead and their bodies act as centres of study, which give an insight as to why they were chosen as victims for the crime, as well as how the offender thinks and acts. The scene of the cri me can tell a lot of information based on crimes and perpetrators by analysing evidence of weapons and the choice of spot of crime if repeated. In most cases, profiling is used in serial crimes and on serial offenders who desire to sustain their own mythology. Profiling is not only a technique employed by antiterrorism units to counter terrorists threats and attacks, but provide these units in the security and defence departments of the government with necessary strategies they can adopt, while interrogating such offenders, since their psychological aspect has been studied. There are different approaches and types of profiling that enable investigators to narrow their search to possible number of suspected criminals. Types can be DNA, criminal, racial, offender, or victim focused among others that are techniques used in various approaches below. Approaches to Profiling Geographical profiling The approach deals with techniques that support in analysis of location linking to a series of crimes to produce leads on the locations of the offenders, or where they are coming from. Most of the geographical profilers use the network and communication systems to monitor, trace, and analyse the signals to spot the original locations. It has been made easier through

HAS THE DUBAI FINANCIAL CRISIS LED TO A LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE Essay

HAS THE DUBAI FINANCIAL CRISIS LED TO A LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE ISLAMIC SUKUK - Essay Example Also, Aljarhi (2008) mentions that sukuk can be a good solution to help the sub-prime crisis, but what happened in Dubai with Nakheel’s sukuk perhaps changes all previous concepts because investors have been informed that Nakheel cannot pay off its profit. Research Objectives and Questions Objectives 1 Analyze Islamic financial instruments and research the mechanisms of Nakheel Sukuk 2 Research the factors that caused the Dubai financial crisis 3 Analyze how the Dubai crisis impacted the Sukuk investing in Islamic Financial institutions Questions What factors influenced investors’ confidence in Islamic financial instruments? For this questions to be answered a research and analysis of corner Islamic finance principles as well as performance of Islamic finance institutions as for Islamic instruments effectiveness will be carried out. The data will be majorly based on financial and other statements of Islamic financial institutions. 1 What is Sukuk and their elements that have added to the popularity of Financial investing instruments? 2 What are the mechanisms for Nakheel Sukuk to work effectively in financial markets? Sukuk instrument will be analyzed and against its performance. 3 What were the causes of the Dubai financial crisis? To answer this question an extensive research of data in regard to economic states, economic activities and other factors will be undertaken to learn and analyze events that caused the Dubai financial crisis. 4 What was the role of sukuk in the Dubai financial crisis? Analysis of Nakheel Sukuk in 5 How did the Dubai crisis impact Islamic financing? Analyze the use and performance of Islamic finance in aftermath of the critical times in Islamic finance. Literature Review The literature reviewed in this proposal critiques many writers who have written about Islamic bonds - sukuk. The research aims to show the gap of knowledge concerning confidence in Islamic bonds (sukuk) after the Dubai financial crisis. There are three types of literature that have been discovered: firstly, literature about the causes of the financial crisis which has happened in Dubai; secondly, literature about the impact on sukuk after the Dubai financial crisis; and finally, literature concerning the theory of sukuk which is based on the Islamic financial system. Klomp (2009), in his journal about the significant causes of the banking crisis, says that the absolute important factors that affect directly on a financial crisis are: 1) High credit growth 2) Negative GDP growth 3) High real interest rates. Lewis (2010) has other points in his journal that say that the causes of the financial crisis include individual and cognitive psychology, social influences, psychology used by economists, the good society, and culture and human agency. Rotheli (2010) believes that the causes of the financial crisis can be summarised as risk misperception, policy mistakes, and banks’ bounded rationality. He agrees with Klomp (2009) in a credit cycle in which banks increase their credit supply and stop lending during recessions. That puts banks in a troubled situation in the future, where investors can pay their debts. The financial crisis of Dubai, as mentioned by Bassens, Derudder and Witlox (2010), started in November 2009 when the latest news informed that the largest development agency in Dubai,

Citric Acid Essay Example for Free

Citric Acid Essay Introduction Soft drinks contain acid and sugar. These substances contribute to tooth decay and therefore are a cause for concern. In the first part of the investigation well measure the acidity in blackcurrant juice. Labels on black currant juice drinks usually state citric acid is present in the drink, but it doesnt give you the amount of how much it contains. Dilutable soft drinks contain between 0. 15 2. 5% of citric acid research by The British Drinks Association and therefore the second part of the experiment would be to determine the concentrations of blackcurrant juice in the diluted samples. Investigation 1: Measure the acidity of the blackcurrant juice drink In order to measure the acidity of the blackcurrant juice, Ill titrate black current juice with 0. 1mol of sodium hydroxide and use a pH meter to measure its pH. Technique The technique of this experiment is titration. It is a method of chemical analysis, which is used to determine the volume of concentration needed to react with an unknown solution. Equipments needed for titration: Burette   Conical Flask   Clamp Technique of using titration method: The measurement on the burette (cm3) tells you how much solution you have poured into the substance. This is useful to find the amount of solution needed to balance with the substance. At the end of the burette, there is a small tap that allows you to control the amount of solution needed to pour into the substance. It is important to be accurate on the amount you want to put in. Therefore, right timing and quick reaction is the key skill to this experiment. There are two ways of measuring the pH: pH indicator and pH meter. pH Indicator: A pH indicator is a chemical compound. It shows the pH changes in the substance by changing its colour when added. Different indicators have different colour. They only change its colour when a certain pH is reached. pH meter: A pH meter is an electronic machine used to measure the pH in liquids. It has a special measuring probe called the glass electrode connected to the electronic meter. It will then measure and display the pH reading. Because the black current juice is darkly coloured, therefore pH indicator would not be the most suitable method for this experiment. Im going to use a pH meter for this experiment. The Science Many of the soft drinks contain acids. It is use to balance the sweetness of the sugar present in the drinks. Citric Acid is one of the most common acid uses in soft drinks. Soft drink Blackcurrant juice contains: Water, Sugar, Glucose Fructose Syrup (from wheat and maize), Blackcurrant Juice from Concentrate (4%), Citric Acid, Vitamin C, Preservatives (Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Bisulphate) and Colour (Anthocyanins) Citric Acid Citric Acid is an organic acid. We can find it from citrus fruits such as lemon and orange. It is added to soft drinks to create an acidic taste (sourness). Citric Acid also helps preserve drinks from micro-organism because of its acidity. Micro-organism can only grow and multiply in neutral condition. The reaction between Sodium Hydroxide and Citric acid: The following equation shows the reaction of whats happening during the neutralisation reaction between Citric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide: Citric Acid + Sodium Hydroxide Sodium citrate + Water C6H8O7 + 3NaOH C6H8O7Na3+ 3H2O From the equation above we have worked out 1 mole of citric acid reacts with 3 moles of sodium hydroxide (1:3 ratios). Graph Demonstration. Strong and Weak Acids Acids are vary in strength. The strength of an acid is based on the number of Hydrogen ions in the atom. Strong acids: Strong acids have a strong proclivity to donate Hydrogen+ ions. All of the strong acids such as hydrochloric acid, Sulphric acid and Nitric acid are all 100% ionised in water. This mean all the strong acid would dissolve the reaction is fully complete and no unreacted substance remains in the solution. Weak acids: Weak acids have a weak tendency to donate Hydrogen+ ions. The donation of hydrogen+ ions does not dissociate completely.

The Europeans Acceptance of Imperialism Essay -- Age of Imperialism

If we look at the world we live in today, we notice that it has changed dramatically over the years since the 1800’s. Many historical events from the past have changed the way we live today. It has turned our knowledge and our lifestyle into something so ordinary, that we are not even aware of it. For instance, our education system, since we were kids we were always taught to read the map a certain way so that when we grew up and started to draw and label the map of the world, we always put Europe in the center. Our teachings have taught us to view the world through such a Eurocentric perspective. Furthermore, it is important to understand that our ways of practicing various fundamentals of life regard the historical background we come from. In the past the European powers had an impact on majority of the world. These European powers adopted a policy of Imperialism. Imperialism is an act that takes place when one with greater dominance takes over another nation in order to co ntrol its economical, political cultural, industrial and social life. By adopting the policy of Imperialism, most of Europe held dominance over the majority of the world and for that reason the map is drawn that way, in order to show how superior Europe is than other nations, or so it is perceived to be. While talking about most of the European countries being the dominant nation, it is vital to understand that their superiority was achieved by their acceptance of the policy of Imperialism, and the factors that contributed in this were economic, political and religious causes. The European countries believed that by imperializing land it will give them more power and prestige than other countries. A belief that more nations they ruled over, the more powerf... ...2014. . "What are 5 main causes of imperialism?." - Yahoo Answers India. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2014. . "What is Imperialism." Party for Socialism and Liberation. Convio, n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2014. . "Regents Prep Global History Imperialism: Introduction." [Regents Prep Global History] Imperialism: Introduction. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. . Books Cited Howarth, Tony, and Josh Brooman.Twentieth century history: the world since 1900. 2nd ed. London: Longman, 1987. Print. Lucas, Robert E.. Lectures on economic growth. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2002. Print.

Absalom Absalom and Love Essay

Many of the novels we have read this semester contain prevailing themes that provide insight into American society. One of these themes that we have closely examined throughout the semester is a person’s right to love. Love is undoubtedly a powerful force in one’s life. As we have seen through our readings, however, this force is often obstructed by the need to conform to social standards. Whether or not a couple is ALLOWED to be in love says a lot about what is socially acceptable for that particular area and time period. Although love is technically a right given to all, American Literature shows how it is often denied by social standards and therefore ceases to exist. William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom! tells Rosa Coldfield’s version of how Thomas Sutpen was the demise of her and her family. As the story progresses, it becomes known that Thomas’s son, Henry, kills Charles Bon to prevent him from marrying his sister, Judith. One would infer that Henry’s reason for his desperate need to prevent their marriage was because Charles was their half-brother, and therefore their marriage would be considered incest. We come to find out, however, that this is not exactly the case. In Chapter 8, in response to whether or not Judith will marry Bon she says â€Å"Yes. I have decided. Brother or not, I have decided. I will. I will (283). † As the chapter progresses, however, Quentin and Shreve accept that â€Å"it’s the miscegenation, not the incest, which (they) can’t bear (285). †In this case, two socially unaccepted taboos prevent Judith from pursuing her relationship with Bon. The fact that it is worse in the eyes of her family that Judith may be marrying a man with black blood than a man who is her relative, however, says a lot about how strong racial prejudices were in the south during the 1800s. Judith’s right to love Bon is forcefully obstructed by social norms, and is a perfect example of Southern culture during that time period. Another instance of love being obstructed by social standards is seen in F.  Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby, a resident of West Egg and a symbol of new wealth, falls in love with Daisy, a resident of East Egg and a symbol of established wealth. Daisy and her husband, Tom, are described to have lived in â€Å"†¦a rather distinguished secret society (17)† to which members of old money had often tried and failed to become a part of. Throughout the novel, it is clear that Daisy had married Tom for his â€Å"†¦person and his position (151)† rather than for love. Yet when Daisy finally accepts that she had never loved Tom and was currently in love with Gatsby, the class divides remain too prevalent for her to pursue a relationship with Gatsby. Tom quotes â€Å" Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white (130). † From this quote and the happenings throughout the novel, the force obstructing the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy is the social condemnation of new money marrying old money. The Great Gatsby shows how in our society, is often difficult for people of different economic backgrounds to pursue a relationship. T. S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is an examination of a typical man’s psychological struggle to express himself emotionally and conform to social standards. Throughout the poem, the narrator shows insecurity in almost everything he does, fearing that his moves will be frowned upon. He says â€Å"There will be time, there will be time to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet† and often asks â€Å"Do I dare?  Ã¢â‚¬  and thinks about what â€Å"they will say. † His insecurity prevails in an encounter with what seems to be a woman he loves. He seems afraid that the woman will deny him because of his balding hair and thin composure, and thinks about what he should say in order to impress the woman; â€Å"And how should I then presume? How should I begin? † In the end the narrator concludes that â€Å" It is impossible to say just what I mean,† and he drifts into a fairytale by the sea until â€Å"human voice wake us, and we drown. † Eliot’s poem is an example of a man’s love for a woman being obstructed by his own need to conform to what is socially acceptable of a man. He refuses to open up and share with the woman his feelings in fear that he will be mocked and denied. â€Å"The Love Song of Alfred Prufrock† shows the struggles of maintaining masculinity, and the fear a man has of loosing his composure. While the last stories had similar circumstances and outcomes, love doesn’t always have to be between a man and a woman, and social norms aren’t always successful at obstructing love’s powerful force. In Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, the love shared between Huck and Jim leads to a powerful revelation in Huck’s life and a groundbreaking relationship considering the South’s intrusive social standards. When Huck begins his journey with Jim, he is overcome by an instilled guilt for assisting in the runaway of Miss Watson’s slave. Huck says â€Å" It would get all around, Huck Finn helped a nigger get to his freedom; and if I was to ever see anybody from that town again, I’d be ready to get down and lick his boots for shame (226). †As their adventure progresses, however, Huck begins to realize how much he enjoys Jim’s company, slave or not; â€Å" But somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him, just the other kind (227). † Huck struggles internally with this realization, but cannot get over the feeling in his heart telling him to keep Jim around. Finally, Huck decides that he would not turn in Jim, and that he would go to Hell if that were what it meant. In this instance, Huck valiantly goes against what is socially acceptable, and the force of love prevails. Huck and Jim remain friends even though it is extremely frowned upon. Although love is a freedom, one can see how easily and often this freedom is taken away due to what is acceptable in the eyes of others. The circumstances involved in the obstruction of love shows a lot about the society in which these characters live, and the values held by the people who lived there.

What Is a Reversible Reaction

A reversible reaction is a chemical reaction where the reactants form products that, in turn, react together to give the reactants back.  Reversible reactions will reach an equilibrium point where the concentrations of the reactants and products will no longer change. A reversible reaction is denoted by a double arrow pointing both directions in a chemical equation. For example, a two reagent, two product equation would be written as A B ⇆ C D Notation Bidirectional harpoons or double arrows (⇆) should be used to indicate reversible reactions, with the double-sided arrow (↔) reserved for resonance structures, but online youll most likely encounter arrows in equations, simply because its easier to code. When you write on paper, the proper form is to use the harpoon or double arrow notation. Example of a Reversible Reaction Weak acids and bases may undergo reversible reactions. For example, carbonic acid and water react this way: H2CO3 (l)   H2O(l)  Ã¢â€¡Å' HCO−3 (aq)   H3O(aq) Another example of a reversible reaction is: N2O4 ⇆ 2 NO2 Two chemical reactions occur simultaneously: N2O4 → 2 NO2 2 NO2 → N2O4 Reversible reactions do not necessarily occur at the same rate in both directions, but they do lead to an equilibrium condition. If dynamic equilibrium occurs, the product of one reaction is forming at the same rate as it is used up for the reverse reaction. Equilibrium constants are calculated or provided to help determine how much reactant and product is formed. The equilibrium of a reversible reaction depends on the initial concentrations of the reactants and products and the equilibrium constant, K. How a Reversible Reaction Works Most reactions encountered in chemistry are irreversible reactions (or reversible, but with very little product converting back into reactant). For example, if you burn a piece of wood using the combustion reaction, you never see the ash spontaneously make new wood, do you? Yet, some reactions do reverse. How does this work? The answer has to do with the energy output of each reaction and that required for it to occur. In a reversible reaction, reacting molecules in a closed system collide with each other and use the energy to break chemical bonds and form new products. Enough energy is present in the system for the same process to occur with the products. Bonds are broken and new ones formed, that happen to result in the initial reactants. Fun Fact At one time, scientists believed all chemical reactions were irreversible reactions. In 1803, Berthollet proposed the idea of a reversible reaction after observing the formation of sodium carbonate crystals on the edge of a salt lake in Egypt. Berthollet believed excess salt in the lake pushed the formation of sodium carbonate, which could then react again to form sodium chloride and calcium carbonate: 2NaCl CaCO3  Ã¢â€¡â€  Na2CO3   CaCl2 Waage and Guldberg quantified Berthollets observation with the law of mass action that they proposed in 1864.