Science Fundamentals: Rocks, Minerals, Plate Tectonics & More
Science Overview
What is Science?
- Derived from Latin scientia, meaning knowledge.
- Discovery through observation; not static, continuously evolving.
- Creation of new knowledge through research.
Types of Knowledge:
- Belief Knowledge: Inherent, personal, and often supernatural.
- Research Knowledge: Universal, based on observable and measurable phenomena.
Facts:
- Derived from both belief and research knowledge.
- Science is based on facts that can be tested and repeated.
How Science Works:
- A process of observations (
Ferrous Metals: Properties, Production, and Environmental Impact
Ferrous metals are those containing iron as a base. Types of iron minerals include magnetite, hematite, limonite, and siderite. These minerals have the advantage of being abundant and contain a high proportion of pure iron.
Steel Production
The steel gathering process occurs through blast furnaces (using iron ore) and electric ovens (using scrap metal).
Raw Materials
Iron ore: Before being introduced into the furnace, iron ore should be subject to a series of treatments. These treatments consist of
Read MoreKey Terms in Geography: A Glossary
A.
- Abrasion: Erosion caused by the rubbing action of rock fragments carried by rivers, glaciers, etc.
- Arête: A narrow, knife-edged ridge caused by glacial erosion.
- Attrition: Material is moved along the bed of the river, collides with other material, and breaks up into smaller pieces.
B.
- Bar: A barrier of sand stretching across a sheltered bay.
- Backswash: When water returns down the beach to the sea.
C.
- Climate: The average weather conditions of a place over many years.
- Condensation: Gas changes back into
Spain’s Natural Resources and Hazards: An Overview
Spain’s Natural Resources and Hazards
1. Natural Environment as a Resource
1.1 Resources and Visibility
- Visibility of the Spanish mainland and resources related to human activities.
- Influences settlements.
- Important in farming.
- Provides mineral and energy resources.
- Subsequent communications.
- The terrain’s peculiarities can be a tourist attraction.
- The coastal relief is unfavorable for port installation due to the predominance of rectilinear forms, and fishery resources are affected by the narrow continental
Understanding Landslide Types, Factors, and Prevention
Landslides are movements of materials down a slope. They occur on hillsides and slopes due to the force of gravity. The main types of movements are landslides, flows, and avalanches.
Controlling Factors of Landslides
The factors can be internal and external:
- Internal Factors:
- Intrinsic:
- Lithological: Rock type, degree of consolidation, thickness of mulch and soil.
- Structural: Failures, diaclases, bedding planes.
- Extrinsic:
- Environment: Climatic, freeze-thaw cycle, changes in vegetation type, water table
- Intrinsic:
Understanding Divergent, Convergent, and Transform Edges
Divergent Edges: Most of the diverging edges that produce the expansion of the plates are located along the crests of oceanic ridges. The plates move away from the ridge axis, and fractures once created are filled with molten rock rising from the hot asthenosphere beneath. The expansion of the plates and the ascent of magma add a new oceanic crust (lithosphere) between diverging plates. The extension of the crust is accompanied by alternating episodes of failure and volcanic formation. Adjacent
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