Minerals, Rocks, Mountains, and Deforestation
Types of Luster in Minerals
Metallic: Resembles metal, for example, pyrite.
Non-metallic: Includes various types such as:
- Waxy: Resembling oil or fat.
- Dull: Not shiny.
- Glassy: Resembling glass.
How Are Mountains Formed?
Mountains are formed through a combination of processes, including:
- Erosion
- Transportation
- Weathering
- Fulmination
All You Need to Know About Slate
Slate is a foliated rock. It is usually black and slightly shiny due to the presence of mica. It is hard but can be separated into thin layers or
Read MoreFundamental Principles of Energy, Motion, and Fluids
Topic 5: Energy
Energy is the property of materials, bodies, or systems that allows for the production of transformations such as work and/or heat.
- 1 J = 0.24 cal
- 1 kJ = 103 J
- 1 cal = 4.18 J
- 1 kcal = 103 cal
Mechanical energy (Em) is the energy linked to the position or movement of bodies. There are two types of Em, and Em = Ec + Ep
Ec: This is the energy that moving bodies possess. Its value depends on the mass and velocity of the body.
Ep: This is the energy that certain bodies possess due to their position.
Sedimentary Architecture, Facies, and Ichnofacies
Sedimentary Architecture and Facies
Sedimentary architecture is the division of the stratigraphic succession into a hierarchy of architectural units. Facies are bodies of rock with specified characteristics that may be identified from adjacent bodies of rock by means of color, bedding, composition, texture, fossils, and sedimentary structures.
Types of Facies
- Biofacies: Defined by biological content.
- Lithofacies: Defined on the basis of the physical and chemical characteristics of the rock.
- Microfacies:
Preventing Water Damage: Capillarity, Filtration, Condensation
Capillarity: Basic Techniques to Prevent Water Damage
Filtration
Phases:
- Wetting and saturation (the larger, the slower the rate of suction). Slow and fast.
- Sheet as texture and superficial “adsorption”.
Penetration Routes:
- Porous structure
- Construction seals (flat, angled)
- Expansion joints
- Joint practices
- Breaks (cracks, fissures)
Water Tightness:
- Exposure level
- Façade geometry (angles and corners)
- Physical properties of materials (suction and absorption)
Drainage:
Depends on:
- Tilt of horizontal planes.
- Flaps on
Natural Environment: Resources, Hazards, and Policies
The Natural Environment as a Resource
1. Relief as a Resource
The relief of the Spanish mainland provides resources and is related to human activities:
- Influences settlements
- Plays a role in farming
- Provides mineral and energy resources
- Impacts communications
- The peculiarities of the terrain can be a tourist attraction
The coastal relief is unfavorable for the installation of ports due to the predominance of rectilinear forms. Fishery resources are impacted by the narrow width of the continental shelf.
2.
Read MoreUnderstanding Natural Phenomena: Earthquakes, El Niño, and Red Tide
Earthquakes: Causes and Effects
An earthquake (from the Greek σεισμός, tremor) is a shaking of the ground produced by the collision of tectonic plates and the release of energy in the course of a sudden reorganization of the crust material to overcome the state of mechanical equilibrium. The most important and frequent earthquakes occur when the stored elastic potential energy is released in the gradual deformation of rocks adjacent to an active fault plane. However, they can also occur from
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