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

Sort by
Subject
Level

Understanding Raw Materials, Properties, and Technological Products

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 4.84 KB

Raw Materials and Their Properties

Raw materials are substances extracted directly from nature. They can be classified as:

  • Animal: Leather, wool, silk
  • Vegetable: Flax, esparto, wood
  • Mineral: Iron ore (hematite), clay

A material ready for processing is called a field-ready material. These materials undergo physical and chemical transformations to create products like paper, board, and wood.

Technological Products

A technological product is any object created by humans to meet their needs and improve their quality of life. These objects are made from various materials (e.g., books, tables). The process of creating technological products involves transforming raw materials into usable materials and then into the final product.

Common Technological Materials

The... Continue reading "Understanding Raw Materials, Properties, and Technological Products" »

Natural Hazards: Flooding and Landslide Risk Management

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 3.99 KB

Risk of Flooding: Natural Phenomena and Impacts

Floods are natural phenomena, occurring almost periodically in coastal or continental areas due to increased water levels and waterlogging potential. Flood-prone lands are typically near water channels that converge within a vast watershed.

Causes of Flooding

Natural Causes

  • Climate and Weather: Cyclones, rapid melting of ice and snow, or climates with marked periods of drought followed by torrential rain fronts.
  • Obstruction of Natural River Channels: Blockages that impede water flow.

Human Causes

  • Direct:
    • Works in the riverbed: dykes, dams, and pipelines.
    • Dam breaks and sudden water releases from reservoirs.
    • Mining works.
  • Indirect:
    • Deforestation and loss of vegetation.
    • Poor cultivation practices and erroneous
... Continue reading "Natural Hazards: Flooding and Landslide Risk Management" »

Understanding Energy: Types, Sources, and Conservation

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 3.54 KB

What is Energy?

Energy is the ability or property of bodies and physical systems to produce changes around them. During transformation, energy is exchanged through two mechanisms: work or heat. Energy is conserved and degraded in each transformation, losing the capacity to make further changes.

Thermal Energy or Heat

Thermal energy, or heat, is the energy exchanged between bodies with different temperatures. Heat is a form of energy transferred from one body to another as a consequence of the temperature difference between them.

Body temperature can be measured using the following scales:

  • Celsius Scale: The fixed point 0 is the temperature at which water freezes, and point 100 is the temperature at which water begins to boil.
  • Kelvin Scale: The fixed
... Continue reading "Understanding Energy: Types, Sources, and Conservation" »

Understanding Material Properties and Classifications: Metals and Alloys

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 3.91 KB

Understanding Material Properties and Classifications

A material is any substance used for the construction of an object. Raw materials are those funds derived from nature in order to use them in any subsequent process of production. The evolution of materials is due to technological progress.

Properties

Properties may be classified as electromagnetic, thermal, chemical, and optical. The mechanical properties are the most important. The main ones are:

  • Hardness: The resistance of a material to being pierced or scratched by another.
  • Tenacity: The ability of a material not to deform or break when a force is applied.
  • Plasticity: The ability of a material to deform under the action of a force and retain the new shape.
  • Elasticity: The ability of a material
... Continue reading "Understanding Material Properties and Classifications: Metals and Alloys" »

Geological Hazards: Understanding and Mitigation Strategies

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 4.66 KB

Diapirs: Geological Risks and Mitigation

When sedimentary rock salt material reaches a certain temperature, it behaves like a fluid and tends to rise. This process can cause folded sedimentary materials and salt to reach the surface, a phenomenon known as diapirism. Saline materials are economically significant.

Measures Against Diapirs:

  • Preventive Measures:
    • Conduct adequate geological studies to understand their evolution.
    • Implement effective territory planning.
  • Corrective Measures:
    • Inject solid materials into areas where they might dissolve.
    • Monitor and curb the development of the diapir.

Expansive Soils: Characteristics and Management

Expansive soils are composed of rocks that can easily absorb and release water (e.g., clay, loam). These rocks are... Continue reading "Geological Hazards: Understanding and Mitigation Strategies" »

Fire Protection Systems: Dry Columns and Sprinklers Explained

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 3.18 KB

Dry Columns: Firefighter Access

Dry columns are designed exclusively for firefighters. They consist of galvanized steel studs, typically 80 mm in diameter, and are empty. A water outlet is usually located on the front of the building, on the ground floor. The column ascends or descends within the stairwell of buildings, providing hydrants on each floor. In the event of a fire, dry columns facilitate water flow and pressure for firefighters.

Dry columns are required in all buildings exceeding 24 meters in height, except for hospitals, where the limit is 15 meters. They are also required in parking lots with more than 3 floors below ground or 4 floors above ground, on all floors.

Sprinkler Systems: Automatic Fire Suppression

Sprinkler systems, often... Continue reading "Fire Protection Systems: Dry Columns and Sprinklers Explained" »

Understanding Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 3.37 KB

Natural Resources

Renewable resources are exploited at a rate slower than their formation. They are virtually inexhaustible, and we can use them in a potentially unlimited way. Renewable resources are those that are replenished by natural processes in a relatively short time, provided that their exploitation does not exceed the capacity for regeneration. They can become non-renewable resources if used for a long time more rapidly than they can be renewed by natural processes. When the rate of resource exploitation is faster than its replacement process, it is called environmental degradation. The highest rate at which a potentially renewable resource can be used without lowering is called sustained yield.

Renewable Energy Resources

  • Biomass energy:
... Continue reading "Understanding Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources" »

Reinforced Concrete Fundamentals: Materials and Design Principles

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 4.42 KB

Chapter I: Introduction to Reinforced Concrete

Basic Properties of Concrete

  • Concrete is a mixture of cement, inert aggregates (sand and gravel), and water (often with additives).
  • It has high resistance to compressive forces.
    • Typical compressive strengths (f'c): 180, 210, 240, 280, 300 kg/cm².
    • Concrete has low tensile strength, approximately 1/10 of its compressive strength (f'c).
  • Due to concrete's low tensile strength, steel reinforcement is used in civil engineering works to resist tensile or traction forces.

    Figure 1: Concrete and Steel Interaction

  • In its fluid state, concrete can be cast into molds of any shape.
  • Plain concrete is considered a homogeneous material; however, with the addition of steel reinforcement, it becomes a heterogeneous composite.
... Continue reading "Reinforced Concrete Fundamentals: Materials and Design Principles" »

Understanding Ecosystem Dynamics: Communities and Succession

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 2.28 KB

Ecosystem Fundamentals

An ecosystem is defined as the set of living beings that inhabit an environment, the physical-chemical factors of that environment, and the interactions that develop between them.

Ecological Communities

Communities are sets of populations of different species that occur together in space and time and interact with each other.

Ecological Succession

In any ecosystem, there is a progression towards the acquisition of a series of successively more stable states, which we call succession. These sequences occur over long periods and are often irreversible, leading to ecosystem maturation. As maturation increases, the rate of ecosystem changes slows down, as more efficient regulatory mechanisms develop in relation to a situation... Continue reading "Understanding Ecosystem Dynamics: Communities and Succession" »

Acción Revocatoria: Creditor Protection Against Debtor Fraudulent Transfers

Classified in Geology

Written on in English with a size of 3.91 KB

Understanding the Revocatory Action (Acción Revocatoria)

The Acción Revocatoria, also known as fraudulent conveyance, is a legal mechanism regulated by Article 1111 of the Civil Code, with its specific prerequisites established in Articles 1295 to 1299. It is presented as a rescissory action aimed at protecting creditors.

Who Can Challenge Debtor Acts?

Creditors are empowered to challenge acts undertaken by the debtor in fraud of their rights. This action seeks to declare the inefficacy of specific acts performed by the debtor, though its value is primarily realized when it benefits the creditor. Its purpose is to request the rescission of fraudulent acts, ensuring that assets and resources that left the debtor's patrimony are returned, allowing... Continue reading "Acción Revocatoria: Creditor Protection Against Debtor Fraudulent Transfers" »