Building Materials and House Construction Guide

Building a House: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Structural Elements of a House

Foundations

Foundations transmit the weight of the entire structure to the ground. They support the pillars and concrete beams, which in turn hold the roofs and upper floors.

Roof

The roof protects the building from rain and weather. It can be sloped or flat (a terrace).

Exterior Walls

Exterior walls, typically made of bricks, protect the interior from the elements. Double walls with insulation improve energy efficiency.

Interior

Read More

Spain’s Natural Landscapes & Human Impact: An Environmental Overview

Natural Landscapes of Spain

The Oceanic Landscape

Located on the northern peninsula, encompassing the Cantabrian coast and Galicia, this landscape is characterized by an oceanic climate with abundant and regular rainfall, and low-temperature variations due to the influence of the sea. The Cantabrian side boasts most of the rivers. Siliceous rock supports brown earth, while limestone areas feature calcareous brown earth.

The Mediterranean Landscape

This landscape dominates the southern peninsula, the

Read More

Renewable & Non-Renewable Energy Sources

Non-Renewable Energy

Coal

Coal is a solid fossil fuel formed from ancient forests buried underground. It was the first fuel used for energy generation and remains the cheapest. Coal reserves are estimated to be ten times larger than oil and gas reserves.

Advantages

  • Open-pit mining extraction.
  • High heat yield, used to generate steam for turbines.
  • Abundant reserves.

Disadvantages

  • Negative impact on the landscape.
  • CO2 and sulfur emissions contribute to the greenhouse effect and acid rain.
  • Waste contaminates
Read More

Earth’s Interior: Heat, Tectonic Plates, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes

1. Why is the Earth’s Interior so Hot?

The Earth’s interior is hotter than the exterior because of the heat generated when the Earth was formed. The temperature in the inner core is hotter (above 6,000ºC) than the surface of the Sun. The temperature increases by about 25ºC for every kilometer in depth.

4,600 Million Years Ago

Giant meteorites continually collided with the Earth. The heat they contained made the Earth hotter.

4,000 Million Years Ago

As the Earth heated up, it expanded. Metal material

Read More

Renewable Energy Sources: Geothermal, Wind, and Hydraulic Power

Geothermal Reservoirs

Hydrothermal Deposits

Hydrothermal deposits contain fluid, primarily water, within the Earth. This water originates from surface sources like rain, snowmelt, and rivers, seeping into the ground through various cracks and fissures. Depending on the pressure (P) and temperature (T) within the reservoir, the water can exist in either gaseous or liquid form.

The surface of a hydrothermal deposit typically consists of:

  • A heat source (e.g., magma)
  • Impermeable rock surrounding the heat
Read More

Homo Sapiens Sapiens: Evolution, Origins, and Characteristics

Homo Sapiens Sapiens

Also known as Cro-Magnon, Homo sapiens sapiens is the direct ancestor of modern humans.

Homo sapiens sapiens is a subspecies of Homo sapiens, the only surviving species of the genus Homo and the hominid family. Therefore, their closest living relatives are the great apes (to which they belong), such as gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans.

Homo sapiens sapiens means “thinking man”.

Homo sapiens sapiens originated in Africa approximately 45,000 to 100,000 years ago and has since

Read More