Product Lifecycle: From Extraction to Recycling
The Product Lifecycle
The product lifecycle encompasses all activities necessary to obtain a product, from raw material extraction to end-of-life management:
- Extraction of raw materials
- Transformation into manufactured objects
- Product manufacturing
- Product utilization
- Recycling
Extraction
We have a variety of raw materials with potential for technical application.
Energetic and Metallic Minerals
Coal and minerals like iron and aluminum are obtained through mining techniques in open-pit or underground mines.
Read MoreEarth’s Structure, Rocks, Minerals, and Industrial Uses
Earth’s Structure
At the center is the hot core, surrounded by the mantle (molten rock). The outer part of the mantle is the source of magma that reaches the surface. The crust is the most important layer for people and is made up of seven large tectonic plates.
Types of Rock (Formation)
- Igneous rocks: ‘Formed by fire’ and associated with volcanic activity. Granite and basalt are the most common types.
- Granite: Formed from magma forced into rocks during the formation of fold mountains.
- Basalt: Formed
Understanding Watersheds: Key Elements and River Basin Types
Understanding Watersheds
A watershed encompasses several key elements:
Watershed Divide
The watershed divide is a line that delineates the watershed, marking the boundary between it and adjacent watersheds. Precipitation on either side of the divide flows into different rivers. It’s also known as the divortium aquarum.
The Main River
The main river is typically defined as the watercourse with the greatest volume of water (average or maximum), the longest length, or the largest drainage area. Defining
Read MoreUnderstanding Tectonic Stress, Deformation, and Geological Structures
Tectonic Stress and Strain
Tectonic Stress
Rock may be subjected to three types of stress:
- Compression: These forces cause shortening and thickening of the rocks. These pressures originate from convergent plate margins and transform faults.
- Tension: These forces produce stretching and thinning of the rocks. They can also arise when rocks are released from compressive stress.
- Shear: These are pressures acting on a surface in opposite directions. Shear stress is developed at faults and along plate boundaries.
Solar Energy: Impact on Earth, Meteorology & Uses
Solar Energy and Earth’s Processes
The Sun emits energy created by nuclear reactions. Geological agents are natural systems that produce erosion, mass movement, and sedimentation. Hot water moves due to temperature differences.
When land and water absorb sunlight, they warm up. Some areas of the Earth receive more solar energy than others. Around the Equator, the rays are perpendicular to the ground. At the poles, the rays are oblique.
Atmospheric and Oceanic Currents
Air (ocean) currents are movements
Read MoreMagma Formation, Transport, and Volcanic Processes
Magma Formation and Volcanic Processes
Mid-Ocean Ridges
Thinning of lithosphere due to slab pull forces from the denser and older subducting slab. Adiabatic decompression drives melting of the mantle. Production of primitive basalt (~50% SiO2) called Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalt, or MORB. Volcanism is generally effusive (not explosive), producing voluminous basaltic lava flows and pillow lavas.
Continental Rifts
Melting due to thinning of the lithosphere, decompression-driven. More alkaline basalt than MORB
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