Spanish Landscapes: Climate, Relief, and Human Impact
Ocean Landscape (North)
- Area: North of the Peninsula, Cantabrian Mountains and Galicia.
- Relief: Mountains and short, uneven surfaces.
- Climate: Frequent precipitation, low temperatures, thermal influence of the sea.
- Water: Short rivers originating in mountains near the sea, regular flow.
- Vegetation: Deciduous forests (beech and oak), scrub (heather, gorse, broom), abundant meadows.
- Soil: Siliceous (brown earth, rich in humus), limestone (brown limestone soil).
Mediterranean Landscape (South)
- Area: South
Coastal Landforms, Aeolian Processes, Karst, and Glacial Features
Coastal Landforms
Sea water transports particles, driven by waves, tides, and currents. The accumulation of sediments along coastlines rapidly forms various features:
- Beaches: Formed in the interior of bays, where waves lose force.
- Coastal bars: Similar to beaches, but not fully joined to the coast, often long and visible or submerged.
- Reefs/spits: Joined to the coast at one end.
- Barrier islands: Not joined to the coast.
- Land-tied islands: Join the coast with a nearby outcrop.
- Coastal pools: Coastal lakes
Historic Mosques: Kairouan and Cordoba Architectural Marvels
Uqba Mosque: A Fortress of Faith in Kairouan
The Uqba Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Kairouan, resembles an imposing fortress. This is due to the strength of the 1.9-meter-thick rocks used to raise the walls, corner towers, and foothills that support and reinforce the structure. The mosque has an irregular ring shape. The courtyard, accessible by six side doors, is a rectangle of impressive dimensions. This vast space is surrounded by beautiful galleries formed by double arches supported
Read MorePlateresque, Purism, and Herrerian Styles in Spanish Architecture
Plateresque Style in Spanish Architecture
The Plateresque style is a fine decorative style that covered the facades of buildings. It is characterized by the following:
- Elements and survival of late Gothic structures (ribbed vaulting, archways)
- Mudejar elements: persistence of ceilings and medieval structure of buildings
- Abundant decorations (medals, garlands)
- Appearance of representative works, such as altarpieces
A typical example is the facade of the University of Salamanca. It resembles a front-altarpiece
Read MoreEarth’s Relief and Geological Processes: A Detailed Study
Earth’s Relief Classification
- Mountain: Relief over ten degrees with a large gap between the top and its base.
- Hill: Relief with little unevenness.
- Gorge or Throat: Narrow valley featuring steep walls on its sides.
- Plateau: Relief with a flat top.
- Terraces: Graduated relief.
Interpretive Rating of Relief Forms
Some terms are:
- Mountain: Relief that stands out from contiguous areas, formed by the folding of materials or volcanic activity.
- Witness Hill: Relief that, at peak height, is not at the same level
Understanding Metals and Plastics: Properties & Processes
Metals
Metals are usually obtained from the transformation of minerals, which are rocks extracted directly from nature.
Some metals, such as gold, silver, platinum, and copper, can be found in their purest form and are called native metals.
Physical Properties
Electrical conductivity is the property that allows the passage of electrical current.
Thermal conductivity is the property of materials to transmit heat.
Density is the amount of material mass per unit volume.
Expansion is the relative variation
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