Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Geology

Lithosphere Dynamics: Creation and Destruction

Oceanic vs. Continental Lithosphere

In the oceanic lithosphere, processes involving creation at divergent boundaries and destruction at convergent boundaries (subduction zones) generally balance each other. In contrast, the continental lithosphere is typically older because its creation rate is faster than its destruction rate, and growth primarily occurs at divergent boundaries.

Consequences of Plate Tectonics

Climate and Living Things

The movement of tectonic plates varies the arrangement of continents and oceans. This variation determines local climates and the distribution of different climatic zones across the planet, significantly impacting living organisms.

Geological Processes

The movement of... Continue reading "Lithosphere Dynamics, Plate Tectonics, and Seismic Activity" »

Elements of a Topographic Map

• Contours: These are the lines connecting points at the same altitude.
• Dimension: Sea level is the reference altitude.
• Equidistance: The difference in elevation between each contour line and the next.
• Scale: The relationship between the real size and the represented size.
• Orientation: An indication of the direction in which North lies.

Factors Influencing Water Erosion

• Climate
• The type of materials
• The slope
• Vegetation

Torrent

A stream with a fixed channel, short length, steep slopes, and irregular flow.

• Receiving area
• Drainage channel
• The alluvial fan

River Erosion

• Flow: A river erodes more when its flow is greater.
• The speed of the water: The more slope, the more erosion.

Transportation of Materials

• In solution
• In solid form: rolling,

Patagonian Andes and Fueguinos

They are isolated, separated by wide valleys. From Pino Hachado to Staten Island, they form two high-elevation areas (3,000 meters), separated by a sector with peaks not exceeding 2,500 meters above sea level. Key peaks include Lanín volcano and Tronador.

The last glaciation greatly influenced this landscape. Remnants persist as continental ice fields and glaciers like Perito Moreno.

Rivers originating here have great power, harnessed for hydroelectricity (e.g., Futaleufú Dam).

Temperature varies with altitude. Prevailing westerly winds bring heavy rainfall, especially in winter. Slopes are forested, with trees over 20 meters tall and an understory of shrubs and Colihue reeds.

Introduced plant and animal species... Continue reading "Patagonian Andes and Fueguinos: Mountains, Glaciers, and Wildlife" »

1. Structure of the Atmosphere

1.1. Lonosphere

Here, equi-rays and gamma rays are absorbed. Comets appear.

1.2. Mesosphere

It contains clouds of ice and dust.

1.3. Stratosphere

The ozone layer is located here.

1.4. Troposphere

It contains 80% of the total mass of Earth. It is where meteorological phenomena occur.

2. The Weather and the Climate

2.1. Weather

Weather refers to a series of atmospheric phenomena that occur at a specific moment in a specific place.

2.2. Climate

Climate refers to the main atmospheric phenomena in a specific region over a long period of time.

3. Atmospheric Phenomena

They occur in the troposphere and are responsible for changes in the weather. The wind and water in the air can cause these phenomena.

3.1. Atmospheric Phenomena Caused

Earth and Geographic Features

Circles perpendicular and parallel to the terrestrial axis are parallel. Ecuador, at 0 degrees, is a semicircle. Meridians go from pole to pole. Meridian 0 degrees passes through Greenwich.

Latitude and Longitude

Latitude is the angular distance from any point of land to Ecuador. Longitude represents the distance from meridian 0.

Maps and Relief

A map proportionally represents land or a part of it. Geography is the science that studies landscapes, understood as a set of physical and human elements that relate to each other.

Relief is the set of forms that the Earth's surface presents, shaped by terrestrial forces.

Morphostructural Units

Organic and erosive forms are the internal disposition that relief takes. Erosion is... Continue reading "Earth Science: Landforms, Climate, and Water Flow" »

Conventional Electricity Generation Methods

Conventional energy sources are currently the most significant contributors to global power generation:

• Thermal Power Generation

  Thermal power plants burn fuel to produce heat, which converts water into high-pressure steam. This steam then moves turbines connected to electrical generators, producing electricity. Coal is the most commonly used fuel in these plants.

• Nuclear Power Generation

  Nuclear power is produced from the fission (or breaking apart) of atoms of radioactive minerals, primarily uranium. This fission process, carried out in nuclear power plants, generates heat that warms water to create high-pressure steam. The steam drives turbines, which in turn generate electricity.

• Hydropower Generation

  Hydropower

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC)

Closed-Loop Systems

In a closed-loop OTEC system, a working fluid with a low boiling point, such as ammonia, is heated by warm surface seawater. This causes the fluid to vaporize into steam, which then drives a turbogenerator to produce electricity. Cold deep-ocean water is used to condense the vapor back into a liquid, allowing the cycle to repeat.

Open-Loop Systems

Open-loop OTEC systems directly use warm surface seawater as the working fluid. The warm seawater is flash-evaporated in a vacuum chamber, creating low-pressure steam. This steam then drives a turbine. Cold deep-ocean water condenses the steam, producing desalinated fresh water as a byproduct.

Benefits of OTEC

• Renewable Energy Source: Utilizes the

Definitions

• Principle of Actualism: Analyzing present processes is key to interpreting past events.
• Relative Dating: Establishes the order of events without numerical ages.
• Absolute Dating: Provides numerical ages for events (e.g., years or millions of years ago).
• Stratification Planes: Surfaces that delimit layers (strata).
• Roof: The uppermost and youngest part of a stratum.
• Wall (Base): The lowermost and oldest part of a stratum.
• Series Roof: The top and youngest part of a series of strata.
• Series Wall: The bottom and oldest part of a series of strata.
• Thickness: The vertical distance between the roof and wall of a stratum.
• Polarity Criteria (Roof-Wall): Sedimentary structures that help determine the orientation of strata.
• Concordance: Two materials

The Book of Good Love: Text, Author, and Context

The Book of Good Love is attributed to Juan Ruiz, also known as the Archpriest of Hita. The work survives in three manuscript copies and several fragments. The author identifies himself as Juan Ruiz. Limited information exists about him.

Manuscript Dates and Versions

The manuscripts contain two dates, 1330 and 1343, suggesting that there were two successive versions of the book. This accounts for the differences between the texts. However, some scholars believe the work to be a single redaction, arguing that the variations among the manuscripts reflect the complexities of transmitting medieval texts. None of the manuscripts bear the title Book of Good Love; this title was assigned later.

Language,

Tributary

River that flows into another, larger river.

Stream

A small, continuous flow of water in a channel.

Flash Flood

Sudden, violent increase in water level flowing down a stream or dry channel, occurring abruptly in areas with steep slopes.

Water Balance

The relationship between available water resources and their use. In Spain, this balance is currently considered positive.

Flow (Discharge)

The amount of water flowing through a river channel at a specific point in time, typically measured in cubic meters per second.

Instantaneous Flow

The instantaneous amount of water passing a specific point in a river per second.

Hydrographic Basin (Drainage Basin)

The territory where all surface water drains to a common point, such as a river, lake, or ocean.... Continue reading "Hydrology Terms Defined" »