Matter Organization, Properties, and Material Science
Matter Organization and Properties
The Periodic Table
The periodic table is a summary of accumulated knowledge about the elements. Dimitri Mendeleev created it in 1869, sorting all known elements and leaving space for those yet to be discovered.
Complexity of Structure
- Chemical Elements: Matter is composed of chemical elements. In 2008, 116 elements were known, with 90 occurring naturally.
- Chemical Compounds: A chemical compound is a substance that can be separated into its components by physical processes.
Climate Zones of Spain and Catalonia: A Detailed Analysis
Climate Zones of the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands
The Mediterranean air mass significantly influences the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, softening as it progresses westward. Atlantic air masses also have an impact, albeit to a lesser extent. The interaction between Mediterranean and Atlantic air masses results in very mild temperatures during both winter and summer months.
Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification, based on the climatic elements most influential
Read MoreKey Terms in Geography and Agriculture
Atmospheric Phenomena
- Anticyclone: Center of high atmospheric pressure, associated with stable weather.
- Aridity: Lack of moisture; excessive dryness.
- Barlovento: Area exposed to the wind direction (windward).
- Borrasca: Depression generating intense winds, cloudiness, and precipitation.
- Coastal Breeze: Light, local wind generated by thermal differences between land and sea.
- Isobar: Imaginary line on a map connecting points with the same atmospheric pressure.
- Isotherm: Imaginary line on a map connecting
Understanding Building Material Corrosion & Moisture Damage
Corrosion and Moisture Issues in Building Materials
Localized Corrosion (Pitting)
Pitting: A form of localized corrosion characterized by small cavities on a material’s surface. Pits vary in number, shape, and size. They can significantly contribute to component failures under high stress, and can lead to stress corrosion cracking. Pitting occurs in various alloys and metals, including stainless steels and aluminum alloys.
Stress Corrosion Cracking
Corrosion and Stress Cracking: A failure mode where
Chemical and Biological Evolution: From Molecules to Biodiversity
Chemical Evolution
Refers to the processes that created the molecules that make up living things (biomolecules), and then formed structures called protocells, which exhibited a certain organization and were separated from the environment by membranes:
- Biomolecules were created.
- More and more complex biomolecules were created.
- Protocells were formed.
Biological Evolution
Processes that led protocells to become different types of cells, and resulted in all the different organisms ever to have inhabited
Read MoreBrick Types, Manufacturing, and Mortar Guide
Brick Types, Manufacturing, and Mortar
Brick Classification by Texture
- Rough or Coarse Bricks: These bricks are made from unrefined earth, molded by hand, and fired in simple outdoor furnaces called anthills (piles of bricks covered with burning firewood).
Firing Degrees and Brick Quality
The firing degree determines the brick’s quality:
- Escafilado: Holy brick
- Recocho: Over-fired brick (best quality, deep red color, most used in construction)
- Good Looking: Well-fired brick
- Brown Porter: Under-fired brick
- Fine