Earth’s Subsystems and Pollution: A Comprehensive Look
Earth’s Interacting Subsystems
Within the Earth system, we can differentiate several interacting subsystems: the atmosphere (gaseous envelope), the geosphere (the solid Earth formed by rocks and minerals), the hydrosphere (inland waters, seas, and oceans), and the biosphere (all living organisms on the planet). All Earth system components are interdependent and supportive. What occurs in one subsystem will have consequences on the other subsystems; thus, there is a dynamic equilibrium.
Examples:
- The
Natural Resources and Energy: Types, Uses, and Global Impact
Raw Materials
Raw materials are items available in nature that humans use for direct consumption and to create products to meet energy needs. They can be of:
- Animal origin (meat, wool, milk)
- Vegetable origin (cotton, wood, fruit)
- Mineral origin (metals, rocks)
Minerals
- Metallic: Metals are extracted from these minerals (gold, silver, copper, iron)
- Non-metallic: No metals are extracted from these minerals (marble, plaster). They are used for construction.
- Energy use: These minerals provide energy (coal,
Energy Sources, Conversion, and Storage: A Comprehensive Analysis
Energy Perspectives
Energy: The property of matter and radiation which is manifest as the capacity to perform work.
Primary energy: Energy in the form that it is first accounted for in a statistical energy balance, before any transformation to secondary or tertiary forms of energy. For example, coal can be converted to synthetic gas, which can be converted to electricity: in this example, coal is primary energy, synthetic gas is secondary energy, and electricity is tertiary energy.
System: A part of
Read MoreChilean Geography and Global Environmental Concepts
Chilean Ocean and Insular Chile
Chilean Ocean: Includes the Polynesian islands, such as Easter Island (3700 km west of the port of Caldera) and Isla Sala y Gómez (located 390 km northeast of Easter Island).
Insular Chile: Encompasses the aforementioned islands of Oceania and those belonging to the Chilean sea space, such as the Juan Fernández Archipelago, San Félix Islands, and San Ambrosio Island.
Chilean Sea: Includes the concept of the Territorial Sea, which extends 12 nautical miles from the
Read MoreGeomorphology: Landforms, Processes, and Coastal Features
Sand Dune Types
- Barchan: Small sand dunes on flat terrain.
- Transverse: Large sand dunes on flat terrain.
- Barchanoid: Crescent-shaped dunes.
- Yardangs: Low ridges carved by wind in flat deserts.
Mass Movement Causes
- Slope angle exceeds the angle of repose.
- Uplift changes the slope angle.
- Removing material from the bottom or adding to the top.
Types of Mass Movement
- Slide: Movement on a basal slip surface (planar or curved).
- Slump: Smaller slides caused by gravity on well-defined surfaces.
- Flow: Movement as a
Climate Factors and Weather Patterns in Spain
Factors Influencing Climate
a) The Tilt of Earth’s Axis
The tilt of Earth’s axis gives rise to different climatic zones:
- Torrid: Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
- Temperate: Between the tropics and the polar circles.
- Frigid: Between the polar circles and the poles.
b) Air Circulation
- Warm air ascends into the upper layers of the atmosphere.
- Origin of low pressure or squalls.
- Cools and descends to the surface.
- Origin of high pressure or anticyclone (stable, dry, and sunny weather).
- Surface