Spain’s Natural Resources and Energy: A Comprehensive View
Natural Resources and Industry in Spain
Industrialization in Spain is influenced by natural and human factors, including economic, technical, and political considerations. Raw materials, essential for industrial use, are categorized as mineral (metallic and non-metallic) and organic (plant and animal).
Raw Materials
Mineral Raw Materials
Mineral raw materials are non-renewable but reusable.
Metallic Minerals
- Iron: Abundant throughout Spain, though often of poor quality. The traditional mining area in
Key Environmental Terms and Definitions
Environment
Environment: A complex system of abiotic elements (solar energy, soil, water, and air) and biotic elements (living organisms) that form the Earth’s biosphere, supporting life.
Pollution and Contamination
Pollution: The presence of substances, elements, or energy in the environment at concentrations exceeding legal limits, posing a risk to health and ecosystems.
Contaminant: Any element, compound, substance, or energy whose presence in the environment, at certain levels or durations, may
Read MoreLandscape Evolution: Relief, Weathering, and Erosion
7A Landscape and Relief Evolution
Relief is the aspect of the land surface shaped by biotic factors. Relief maps, or topográficos, represent this aspect. Classification uses descriptive and interpretive criteria.
Descriptive Classification
Relief forms are classified by their appearance.
Interpretive Classification
Based on the processes leading to relief forms.
Weathering and Erosion
Weathering: The breakdown of rocks due to environmental agents, fracturing and changing their minerals.
Erosion: The evacuation
Read MoreBuilding Construction: From Foundations to Demolition
Pillars and Chains
Chains, also known as Q beams, are structural elements that resist loads. They can be made of wood, steel, concrete, HA, or a combination of these materials. Chains behave similarly to beams in bending.
Pillars
Pillars are structural elements that transmit loads to the supporting structures. They can be made of wood, steel, concrete, or HA.
Roof Structure
A roof structure is a combination of structural elements forming a lattice. These elements primarily experience axial loads.
The
Read MoreChemical Contaminants: Classification and Impact
Classification of Chemical Contaminants by Presentation
Aerosol
An aerosol is a dispersion of solid or liquid particles smaller than 100 μm in a gaseous medium. Aerosols exhibit a range of physical states:
- Powder (Dust): Airborne solid particles from physical disintegration processes, ranging from 0.1 to 25 μm in size.
- Mist: Airborne liquid droplets generated by condensation from a gaseous state or by liquid spray disintegration, ranging from 0.01 to 10 μm.
- Fog: Visible airborne liquid droplets caused
Soil Composition, Horizons, and Types
Soil Factors
The bedrock is the mineral substrate from which the soil is formed, affecting its color, texture, structure, permeability, and acidity.
The climate is the most influential factor in pedogenesis. Rainfall supplies water for biological activity and chemical leaching or dissolution, dragging items from the topsoil. Soil can be zonal (closely linked to climate) or azonal (related to factors other than climate).
The topography also influences soil composition: plain areas accumulate coarse
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