Soil Formation and Composition: An In-Depth Look
**Soil: The Foundation of Terrestrial Ecosystems**
Strata: Horizontal levels that descend vertically, characterizing the vegetation of an ecosystem and sustaining life.
Humus: The most fertile layer of soil, formed by decaying organic matter, primarily leaves, and is highly nutritious.
Leaching: The process by which mineral salts are carried from a higher to a lower soil horizon.
Microbiota: Organisms that inhabit the soil, including worms, scorpions, centipedes, and other arthropods, seeking sustenance
Read MoreEarth’s Atmosphere, Climate, and Biodiversity
Earth’s Atmosphere: Composition and Function
The atmosphere is the **gaseous layer that surrounds the Earth**. It consists of a mixture of gases arranged in concentric layers of different thickness and density. This protective cover acts as a thermal regulator and regulates complex mechanisms, balancing ecosystems.
Atmospheric Composition
- The atmosphere is composed of a homogeneous mixture of gases, suspended particles, and liquid droplets.
- It consists mainly of **nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)**.
Hydrology and Vegetation in Spain: Key Factors
**Influencing Factors**
- The weather plays the biggest influence since water in lakes and rivers comes from aquifers and precipitation.
- The relief and topography influence the organization of watersheds in the erosive capacity of the rivers and the formation of lakes and aquifers.
- The lithology is the rock type, and its characteristics may promote or facilitate surface runoff, water infiltration, and the formation of aquifers.
- The vegetation holds the soil and prevents its erosion.
- Human beings consume
Material Properties: Metals, Polymers, Ceramics, and Composites
Metals and Metal Alloys
Metallic bonds
Features:
- Ordered crystalline structure
- High electrical conductivity
- High thermal conductivity
- Ductility
- Reflect light (shine)
- Large alloy
- Plastic deformation
- They are tenacious
- Medium elasticity
- Medium voltage
Covalent Bonds: Polymers
Features:
- Material formed by long chains from the union called monomers (basic chain)
- Are not crystal
- Polymer mechanical properties vary
- Bad electrical conductors
- Thermal bad drivers
- Used as an insulator
- Low density
- Low-temperature decomposition
Ionic
Read MoreUnderstanding Soil Types and Foundation Engineering
Types of Land
Classification by RQD (%), one considers the following types of terrain in its initial state, in excavations:
- Excellent or Hard: Attackable with machinery and/or scaler, but not billed as a land of transit, broken rocks, soil, very compact, and so on.
- Good Quality: Attackable with a machine.
- Medium Quality: Attackable with beaks, but not with the shovel, as semicompact clays with or without gravel or gravel.
- Poor Quality: Attack with the shovel, and loose soils, topsoil, sand, etc.
- Very
Earth’s Dynamics, Natural Hazards, and Resource Management
Earth: A Dynamic Planet
Earth is a dynamic planet where changes occur, some cyclically, i.e., repeated periodically.
- Heat from the sun falling on the air makes it rise. Its place is occupied by colder air, and this produces atmospheric currents. By heating the water, the hydrologic cycle starts (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation) and, similar to the atmospheric currents, produces ocean currents (oceanic conveyor belt).
- The core of the Earth warms the planet’s interior, and convection produces