Despicable is an adjective that is used to name something of little value and that is not worthy of appreciation or admiration. The term is also used to describe something that can be easily broken or destroyed, has a short useful life or does not have good resistance.
This adjective, therefore, can be used as a reference to the physical characteristics of something material. For example: “This mineral is found on the surface as a crumbly and brittle rock, unusable for construction”, “My uncle was surprised to see that his crops were crumbly and unable to withstand the low temperatures of winter”, “When solidifying, the gallium is transformed into a friable metal”.
A test method exists to determine the approximate number of clay lumps and friable particles found in natural aggregates, and the following instruments, apparatus, and equipment are necessary to carry it out:
* balances: it is recommended to have one whose sensitivity is equivalent to 0.1% of the mass of the sample and another that is around 0.02%, to find the mass value of the residue;
* containers: it is important that they are not susceptible to corrosion and that they have a suitable shape and size so that the sample can be spread on their bottom in a thin layer;
* screens: that specifically comply with the regulations of the country in which the procedure is carried out;
* drying oven: with a circulation that allows it to maintain a temperature of around 105°C, with a maximum difference of 5°C.
Having obtained these elements, you must have the remaining material from which you want to determine the friable percentage, which is obtained from several tests to find the necessary 100 grams. The aggregate, whose particles must not have a mass greater than 100 grams and not be less than 1.18 millimeters, must be left to dry in the oven at 105°C until its mass is constant.
It is important to note that the tests cannot be carried out in places exposed to drafts or sunlight; The stability of the environmental conditions is essential for the experiment to give satisfactory results. The next step is to spread the sample mass at the base of the aforementioned container and cover it with distilled water, and then leave it for approximately 24 hours, in order for it to become saturated.
Particles that can be broken up with the fingers and separated by screening should be classified as friable. The technique generally used for such detection consists of rubbing the particles between the tips of the thumb and index finger with a certain degree of pressure, but without using the fingernails.
Most recent meaning
The most frequent use of the concept, however, is symbolic. Those actions or behaviors that are reprehensible from an ethical point of view or that are contrary to the values shared by a community are classified as despicable.
If a mother forces her seven-year-old daughter to follow a diet to lose weight in order to have a better chance of winning a beauty contest, such an attitude will be judged as despicable by a large part of society. The same can be said of the person who abandons a dog when he reaches old age because he does not want to take charge of providing the care that the animal requires.
Like all issues related to values, what is considered despicable in one culture may be accepted by another. In some tribes it is accepted that a father arranges the marriage of his minor daughter in exchange for cattle or other consideration, something intolerable in the Western world.
