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

The Hydrosphere: Oceans, Seas, and Freshwater

The hydrosphere comprises the Earth's water. Oceans and seas account for 97% of this water, while freshwater makes up the remaining 3%.

Freshwater Distribution

Freshwater is distributed as follows: 78% in glaciers, 21% in subterranean sources, and 1% on the surface.

Key Properties of Water

Water possesses several unique properties:

• It is a good solvent.
• It absorbs large amounts of heat.
• Its thermal expansion (dilatation) is abnormal.
• It is adherent.

Ocean Water Movements

Ocean water exhibits three primary movements:

• Waves: Caused by wind.
• Currents: Movement of large water masses.
• Tides: The periodic rise and fall of sea levels.

The Water Cycle

The water cycle is the continuous set of steps and processes that water... Continue reading "Earth's Water, Minerals, and Rock Formations" »

Understanding Natural Resources

All elements of nature that can be utilized to meet human needs and ensure survival and well-being are defined as natural resources.

Classification by Regeneration Rate

Natural resources are primarily distinguished based on the time required for their formation or regeneration:

• Renewable Resources

  These resources can regenerate after use, provided their consumption rate does not exceed their regeneration rate. Examples include water and solar energy.

• Non-Renewable Resources

  These are resources that cannot be recreated or replenished once consumed. Examples include oil and coal.

• Inexhaustible Resources

  These resources are used by humans in very small amounts relative to their vast abundance in nature. An example is solar

Climate: Concepts and Parameters

Climatology is the science that deals with climate studies. Climate is a set of meteorological phenomena that characterize the situation and weather in a particular place on Earth. The climate is the result of a series of interactions between latitude, altitude, continentality, and prevailing wind patterns.

Precipitation

Precipitation is water falling on the Earth's surface in liquid or solid form. For precipitation to occur, clouds must first be formed. This happens in three different ways:

• Convective Precipitation: Caused by rising warm air.
• Orographic Precipitation: Occurs when moist air is forced to rise over mountains.
• Frontal Precipitation: Results from the interaction of different air masses along a front.

Types

The Solar System: Planets and Origins

Planets of Our Solar System

According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Origin of the Solar System

Observations supporting theories of solar system formation include:

• The Sun and the planets revolve in the same direction.
• The planets travel in nearly circular orbits lying in the same plane.
• The rotation of most planets occurs in the same direction as their convection.
• Planets near the Sun are small and dense, while external planets are large and lightweight.
• All planetary bodies show evidence of large impacts.

The Planetesimal Theory

Designed by astronomers Carl F. Von Weizsäcker and Gerard Kuiper between 1944 and 1950, this... Continue reading "Understanding Our Solar System and Earth's Dynamic Geology" »

Petroleum Refining: Cracking Process

Sometimes, crude oil distillation yields only a small percentage of gasoline. To increase this percentage, a secondary distillation process called cracking is used. Cracking breaks down high molecular weight hydrocarbons (such as gas oil and fuel oil) into lower molecular weight compounds (like gasoline). This process always forms hydrogen and carbon compounds. It is very important in petroleum refineries as a way to increase gasoline production at the expense of heavier, less valuable products, such as kerosene and fuel oil.

Types of Cracking

There are two main types of cracking: thermal and catalytic.

• Thermal Cracking: This process involves heating the heavier parts of crude oil to high temperatures under

Understanding Pollution and Its Control

The concept of pollution is related to humanity's ability to modify its environment beyond its own subsistence needs and related activities, much like other animal species. To combat pollution, control regulations often focus on 'end-of-pipe' solutions. This means ordering actions to remove or treat contaminants. The strategy aims to render emitted contaminants harmless or to package and store theoretical compounds away from the environment. However, the true solution to environmental problems lies in preventing and avoiding contamination altogether.

Defining Atmospheric Contamination

Atmospheric contamination occurs when the air's composition changes, altering its chemical and physical properties, or when... Continue reading "Impacts of Pollution on Our Atmosphere" »

Spain is geographically softened, like an inaccessible castle. The Iberian Peninsula has the highest average altitude in Europe, second only to Switzerland. The coast is often surrounded by walls, and the citadel would be the plateau, with a mean altitude of 700 meters. This plateau is the higher, more archaic, and more exposed part of the peninsula. However, even within this core, inaccessibility occurs again, as if there were more castles within the main one.

Geological Evolution

The geological evolution of the Iberian Peninsula is primarily due to its location between the African and European plates. There are several geological land surface sets in Iberia:

Geological Sets

• Very Ancient Materials (Precambrian or Archaic): Heavily affected by

Weather

Weather is one of the most influential factors in the distribution of living beings on Earth. It is defined as the combination of meteorological phenomena that determine the atmospheric conditions characterizing a place.

Weather Elements

• Air Temperature: The amount of heat contained in the atmosphere at a given time, measured with a thermometer.
• Barometric Pressure: The weight of air exerted on Earth's surface, varying according to temperature and measured using a barometer.
• Wind: The movement of air caused by differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure.
• Atmospheric Moisture: The amount of water contained in the lower layers of the atmosphere, measured with a hygrometer. Clouds form from this moisture.
• Rainfall: The amount of precipitation

**Key Differences Between Western and Eastern Catalan**

Western Catalan (Including Valencian and Northwestern Dialects)

• Clear distinction in the articulation of unstressed vowels.
• Greater presence of the sound **é**, maintained because some words sounded the same in Vulgar Latin.
• Maintenance of the diphthong **ua** after *g*.
• Pronunciation of the vowel in the group following **ix**.
• Retrieval of the etymological **No** behind an unstressed vowel in the plural of some words.

Eastern Catalan (Including Roussillon or Northern, Central, Balearic, and Algherese Dialects)

• Confusion in the articulation of unstressed vowels.
• Greater presence of the sound **ê**, amended because some words sounded like *é* in Vulgar Latin.
• A tendency to reduce the diphthong

The Appearance of Oxygen on Earth

The presence of pyrite, a mineral found in sedimentary rock, can indicate the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere. In older rock strata, pyrite appears dull and lacks the brilliance found in pyrite from younger strata. This suggests that oxygen levels were lower in the past. By calculating the age of these rocks, we can estimate when oxygen first appeared in the Earth's atmosphere.

Miller's Experiment and the Synthesis of Organic Matter

Stanley Miller conducted an experiment to simulate the conditions of early Earth and investigate the synthesis of organic matter from inorganic compounds. He successfully synthesized amino acids from inorganic molecules like methane, ammonia, and water, demonstrating the possibility... Continue reading "The Origin and Early Evolution of Life" »