Oceanography and Meteorology: An Introduction
Oceanography
Composition of Seawater
Seawater is composed of 3.5% salt, with the remaining percentage being water. Salinity is measured as 35 parts per thousand. The most abundant dissolved components in salt are sodium and chlorine.
Ocean Bathymetry
Ocean bathymetry is the measurement of ocean depths and the charting of the shape of the ocean floor. It is measured by sending outgoing signals from a boat and reading the reflected signals from the ocean floor.
Abyssal Plain
The abyssal plain is the deep
Read MoreEarth’s Natural Resources & Biogeochemical Cycles: A Comprehensive Guide
Natural Resources: Earth’s Biosphere
Biosphere
The biosphere encompasses the intricate network of living organisms (animals, plants) and non-living elements that interact to sustain life on Earth.
Biotic and Abiotic Components
Biotic Components: Living organisms form the biotic component.
Abiotic Components: Non-living elements like air (atmosphere), water (hydrosphere), and soil (lithosphere) constitute the abiotic component.
Air
Air is a mixture of gases, primarily nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and
Read MoreIntroduction to Geology: Processes and Phenomena
Metamorphism
Metamorphism is the process of mineralogical and textural changes of rocks in their solid state in response to physical and chemical conditions which differ from those under which they originally formed.
Pressure
Hydrostatic pressure: confining pressure in water, proportional to the weight of the overlying water.
Lithostatic pressure: confining pressure in solids, proportional to the weight of the overlying rocks.
Directed pressure (same as differential stress): forces are stronger in one
Read MoreENGR 202 Review: Intro to Sustainable Development & Environmental Issues
ENGR 202 – Review Sheet
Introduction to Sustainable Development and the Role of Engineers
What is “The Environment”?
The environment is the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences, especially as affecting the existence or development of someone or something. This generally refers to the physical environment around us; the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the lands, oceans, rivers, and forests that cover the earth.
Categories of Anthropogenic Environmental Change
- Changes
Exploring the Cosmos: Earth, the Solar System, and Beyond
Explanation
Topic 8: The Earth, a Star
For thousands of years, humans gazed at the sky, pondering the nature of the luminous bodies that moved against the backdrop of the blue velvet above. The Greeks, observing the movement of some of these bodies, called them planets, meaning wanderers.
However, the Greeks were not alone in their celestial observations. The Mesopotamians meticulously documented eclipses and solstices in the “Tables of Venus” and developed a 365-day calendar.
The Canaanites, also known
Read MoreUnderstanding Groundwater: Resources, Impacts, and Sustainability
Groundwater: A Vital Resource
What is Groundwater?
Groundwater is water held underground in the phreatic zone (saturated zone) beneath the water table. The phreatic zone consists of permanently saturated solid rocks and sediments. Groundwater replenishment can take up to 20,000 years, making it a non-renewable resource.
Importance of Groundwater
Groundwater is a crucial component of the global hydrological cycle and represents the world’s largest freshwater store, holding over 90% of the total supply.
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