Water Resources: Management and Industrial Applications
Water Supply
The oceans store 97.6% of natural water (water alone, in solid, liquid, or gas). The water available to organisms of terrestrial life represents only 0.5% of the total, most of it groundwater. While the amount of atmospheric water is relatively small, its rate of recycling in the atmosphere is relatively high, with an average atmospheric residence time of nine days. Therefore, atmospheric water vapor is renewed 40 times a year. The two human activities that consume more water are industrial
Read MoreMaterial Classification and Fire Safety in Construction
Classification of Materials
Classification of materials: The most general classification of materials is as follows:
- Metal: Ferrous, Nonferrous
- Nonmetallic: Organic, Inorganic
Ferrous Metals
Ferrous metals, as its name suggests, its main component is iron. Its main features are its high tensile strength and hardness. The principal alloys are obtained with tin, silver, platinum, manganese, vanadium, and titanium.
The main products of representatives of metallic materials include gray iron castings, malleable
Read MoreEarth’s Dynamic Systems: Atmosphere, Tectonics, and Life’s Origins
The Earth: Atmospheric Changes
Some minor gases control climate and life. For example, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane are greenhouse gases, transparent to visible radiation from the sun but opaque to infrared. These gases trap heat emitted from the Earth, raising the Earth’s surface temperature over 30ºC. Without them, half of the atmosphere’s temperature would be -18ºC.
- Main components of the atmosphere: Nitrogen 78.1%, Oxygen 20.9%, and Argon 1%.
Why is There Liquid Water on Earth’s Surface?
Read MoreEarth’s Structure, Composition, and Geological Processes
Direct and Indirect Methods of Studying the Earth
Direct methods of study are those that provide testable data on what is being investigated. On the other hand, indirect methods are applied to obtain information when material objects cannot be manipulated directly.
Indirect Methods
Seismic Method
The seismic method involves the study of earthquakes and seismic waves, which are vibrations of the Earth’s crust recorded as waves on a seismograph. The waves that can be recorded are:
- P-waves: Primary or longitudinal
Key Concepts in Geomorphology and Soil Formation
1. Vocabulary:
- Marine Transgression: The advance of the sea over a territory not previously occupied by it, caused by coastal subsidence or rising sea level. The transgression is accompanied by the deposition of marine sediments over that territory.
- Evapotranspiration: The loss of moisture from the Earth’s surface due to the sun, plant transpiration, and soil evaporation.
- Leaching: The process of rainwater carrying soluble materials from the soil’s surface horizons to deeper horizons. It is stronger
Understanding Plant Species and Ecosystems
Cork Oak
The cork oak (Quercus suber) is a tree characteristic of the Mediterranean area, covered by a thick crust, which produces cork. The leaves are persistent, remaining on the tree between 12 and 22 months. The fruit is an acorn, which matures in autumn and winter. It thrives on siliceous, loose, and permeable land. It needs bright light and holds heat well but does not thrive in excessively dry climates. The acorn is used as feed for pigs, but the most important product is the cork.
Dryness
Dryness
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