Conclusion

Conclusion

            Throughout these past ten weeks, I posted essays in my blog regarding different subjects about Earth Science and its different applications. These topics are related with the principal sciences such as geology, physics, chemistry, biology and astronomy. Also different social aspects are discussed in each theme; with the use of descriptions, arguments, information and opinions, I developed these topics. With the research of these, I learned and understood a little more about the science that I will study. My objective was to inform from different sources about the Earth Science and raise awareness of how important it is to care for the resources discussed above. I enjoyed doing this and I hope it was of your liking and you have learned about the environment where we live. 

The Earth in The Solar System

The Earth in the Solar System

One of the principal features of planet Earth is its localization in the Universe.  Astronomy is the science that interrelationships Earth and the outer space, is the discipline that studies celestial bodies, their positions, movements and all related with them. This science emphasizes the study of planets, stars (including the Sun), moons, asteroids, meteors, galaxies, etc. All the phenomena that occurs in the big galaxy and the features of astronomical objects has been studied from ancient to modern times. To understand where we live, we need to know where is the Earth in the Solar System and some of the peculiarities of this planetary system.

First of all, we should know that the Solar System where we live is located in the Milky Way, in a small corner of this galaxy. Here, the Solar System is surrounded by other stars, planets and others astronomical objects that are relatively far away. Within the Solar System itself, there is the Sun, the principal star and a group of planets that revolves around this star. One of these planets are the Earth, the only with the necessary features (such as water, temperatures, atmosphere and special gasses) to support life. In order from the Sun, Earth is the third planet and the fifth largest planet. Accompanying the Earth is the Moon, its only natural satellite. This planet is the only with active tectonic plates and has a unique atmosphere that protects it from the Sun, cosmic rays and other celestial bodies such as meteors.

Neighboring planets to Earth have their special features that distinguishes them individually. The planets of the Solar System are subdivided into three groups: the interior or terrestrial planets (with solid surface, composed by silicates and located between the Sun and the Asteroid Belt), the exterior planets or gas giants (lack solid surface, composed by gasses, mainly hydrogen, helium and methane and are located beyond the Asteroid Belt) and dwarf planets (minor or small planets, are smallest than Mercury, the smallest terrestrial planet). The interior or terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars; the exterior planets or gas giants are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune; and some of dwarf planet are Pluto, Ceres, Eris and Charon.

Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun and lack an atmosphere, having extreme hot and cold temperatures. Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is the brightest celestial body in the sky due to its atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide and clouds of sulfuric acid. Earth is the third planet from the Sun and is the only that support different forms of living organisms, including humans; it has large quantities of water and an atmosphere composed mainly by nitrogen and oxygen. Mars, the red planet and the fourth from the Sun, contains the Olympus Mont, the biggest volcano of the Solar System. Jupiter, the biggest planet of the Solar System and the fifth from Sun has bands and the Great Red Spot that is an atmospheric turbulence strong storms. Saturn, the sixth from the Sun, is distinguished by its rings, composed by rocks and ice fragments that revolve around the planet. Uranus, the seventh from the Sun, gets a blue-green color due to the presence of methane in its atmosphere, and has a faint ring system. Neptune, the eighth from the Sun, contains the strongest winds of the Solar System, it is bluish due its atmosphere and also has a faint ring system. Pluto is a dwarf planet and consists of icy materials due its remoteness from the Sun.

Also, the Solar System its composed of other members. Natural satellites, asteroids, comets and meteorites are part of the neighbors of this planetary system. Natural satellites or moons are celestial bodies that revolve around the planets, for example the Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth, but planets like Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus have 63, 61 and 27 ‘‘moons’’ respectively. The Asteroid Belt, that orbits between Mars and Jupiter contains thousands of rocky objects. Meteorite are fragments of rocks that move around the space that often collide with planets and moons, including the Earth. Comets are small icy objects prevenient from the Oort cloud. We already know general terms of the Solar Systems and it members, we can understand what occurs around the planet where we live, the Earth, in a very small corner of the big universe. 

References:

Information:

http://www.definicionabc.com/ciencia/astronomia.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_System

Alonso J., Serie Naturales. (1998). Descubrimiento 9 Ciencia Integrada.         

            Puerto Rico: Ediciones Santillana, Inc.

Picture:

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistema_solar#/media/File:Solar_sys.jpg

Natural Disasters

Natural Disasters

Planet Earth through its geological history and since its formation has evolved in different ways. Many of these processes of transformation and change occur in a drastic and cataclysmic way. Actually, these change continue and manifest themselves in many ways. Natural disasters are part of these changes that happen in the Earth, this term is defined as extreme and sudden events caused by environmental factors that injure people and damage property. These disasters can be sub divided into two groups: the natural disasters related with atmospheric phenomena and natural disasters caused by geological force and processes. Therefore, these are the result of external and internal processes that happen in the planet.

Natural disasters produced by atmospheric phenomena are part of these external processes of Earth. The external process that occurs in the atmosphere, specifically in troposphere (one of the atmosphere’s layers), changes every day, modifies the climate and the weather of a particular region of the world. This means that these phenomena occurs in any part of the world. Natural disasters related with external process in the Earth’s atmosphere are cyclonic storms like tropical storms and hurricanes, winter storms like blizzards, droughts, heat waves, floods by heavy rains, electrical storms, hailstorms and tornadoes. Some major meteorological disasters can generate others, for example, hurricanes (systems that forms over the ocean), produce floods by heavy rains (overflow of water that submerges land), electrical storms (lightning and thunderstorms), hailstorms (drops that arrive as ice) and tornadoes (a violent rotating column of air that is in contact with surface and a cloud) inland. Heat waves (a period of excessively hot weather) and drought (unusual dryness of soil and water reservoirs) are associated together with the lack of rain in a large period of time. Also winter storms generate blizzards (heavy snow and strong cold wind) and others extreme events related with lower temperatures.

Also, natural disasters can be classified by geological disasters, these that happen by internal processes of Earth. Tectonic forces generated inside the Earth created the mountains, produced volcanoes, generated earthquakes, and deformed rocks. The tectonic plates are pieces of the lithosphere (external layer of the Earth) that slide over the asthenosphere (part of the outermost portion of the Earth’s mantle that is below the lithosphere) being less dense. These process produces the geological disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, avalanches and mudslides and the opening of sinkholes. Earthquakes are originated by sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that creates seismic waves, tectonic plates generate this colliding with each other, separating from one another and rubbing each other. Tsunamis are a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of large volume of water that arrive to coastal areas, they can be caused by undersea earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Volcanoes can generate destruction in many ways: the explosion can produce fall of rocks, lava can destroy everything in its path, including also the volcanic ash. Avalanches and mudslide can bury entire villages and can be produced by internal and external processes.

There are other natural disasters such as wildfires (large fires which starting wildland area and are caused by lightning, drought or human negligence), health disasters and space disasters. Health disasters are related with epidemics, outbreak of a contractible diseases that spreads through a human population, also it can be pandemic (spread globally). Space disasters are less common, an example of this are asteroid or meteorite impacts associated with major extinction events, and solar storms, events where the sun releases a great amount of radiation, although they are unlikely to cause direct injury, but can affect electric equipment.

All these natural disasters generate many human and materials losses. Around the planet there had been different natural disasters. In 2005 hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of United States, being one of the most powerful hurricane of the world. As recently as in 2011 happened in Japan one of the most powerful earthquake followed by a devastating tsunami that produced thousands of human and material losses, including geological deformation. Other disasters related with diseases and natural events generate devastation in entire world. The majority of these disasters cannot be controlled by humans, some can only be forecasted, for these reasons all we can do is prepare as much as possible to face these natural processes and change of the planet on which we live.

 

References:

Information:

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0775896.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_disaster

Alonso J., Serie Naturales. (1998). Descubrimiento 9 Ciencia Integrada.         

            Puerto Rico: Ediciones Santillana, Inc.

Natural Resources

Natural resources

Biology has different applications and interrelationships with Earth Sciences. One of these applications is the study of natural resources; ecology is the study of the ecosystems and the relationship between living organisms and their environment. The meaning of natural resources is based on this; resources provided by nature that humans can use for different aspects. The natural resources are subdivided into two groups: renewable natural resources and nonrenewable natural resources. The majority of the energetic resources need the natural resources for their optimum performance; also other human use depends on these resources of nature.

Renewable natural resources are that they renew their selves at a faster rate or equal than the rate of consumption. These resources include perpetually sustainable resources that never run out. There are many sustainable resources that human beings utilize during their daily life and as resources that are perpetually renewable. Solar energy, wind power, hydroelectricity, tidal power, bio energy from biomasses and geothermal power are examples of renewable resources. Each one of these generates electricity to the population; solar energy are taken by photovoltaic cells, wind power is acquired by eolic turbines, and hydroelectric takes advantage of the force of water that go through a reservoir. Renewable resources are those that naturally replenish themselves at as sustainable rate; some of these are oils from plants, natural gasses, water, oxygen, alcohol. Renewal commodities are the items that are depleted but can be carefully regulated and replaced to make them sustainable; for example, meat from animals, fruit, vegetables, paper and ground water are some of renewal commodities, necessary to humans.

On the other hand, we have the nonrenewable natural resources that consist in the energy sources that we use and consume faster than nature produces them. Resources like fossil fuels (that take centuries to form naturally) and crude oil (that take millions of years to form) are not infinite and will cease to exist. There are four principal nonrenewable energy sources: oil and petroleum products, coal, natural gas and uranium. These natural sources are formed from geological and evolutionary processes that take long time to originate. Metals and minerals are also nonrenewable resources for example: gold, copper, aluminum, silver, lithium, diamond; and once these materials are mined, they cannot be replaced at a sustainable rate. All of these have different uses and the people utilize it every day; gasoline, a petroleum products, are used to move our cars, petroleum is also used to produce electricity; many products like plastic come from derivate of petroleum; coal, uranium and natural gas are used to produce energy; almost all products contain at least one metal or mineral that takes years to occur again.

Overexploitation of natural resources can create many ecological and social problems. The contamination of these resources also generates some critical situations that produce damage to the environment and people. Moreover the use and production of some nonrenewal sources such as petroleum and coils generate large quantities of pollution to environment, specifically to air and water. For this reason, using responsibly and carefully the renewal nature resources is a great option to decrease the quantity of contaminants present in the environment as they are clean energy sources. Also diminish the high consume can reduce exploitation of all of these sources. Another great practice to keep the natural resources is recycling, process whereby many products are reused and it reduces the amount of trash that is sent to landfills. Each person can make some activities like walking or driving less to reduce the fuel and therefore diminish the pollution that is a menace to the natural resources, the same that we use every day to survive. In this way, we can maintain the environment clean and have a better performance from the natural resources. 

Reference:

Information and definitions: 

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Examples_of_Renewable_Resources

 http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Non_Renewable_Resources

Pictures:

http://prosandconsbiomassenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/renewable-energy-sources-4.jpg

http://msplanksclass.weebly.com/12-non-renewable-resources.html

Surface Waters

Surface Waters

Surface waters are studied by hydrology, the science related to the water over the Earth’s surface. Although the oceans are studied also by hydrologists, in this time the focus will be on water bodies that flow over lands. The Hydrologic Cycle is important to these water deposits because it circulates and recycles the liquid. As the oceans contain 97% of the water on the terrestrial surface, the remaining 3% it is found over land, as freshwater, in icebergs, and water steam. This water that can be found in land includes groundwater, freshwater and some deposits of salt water. The pollution and contamination of these water bodies will discuss below.

The water over land flows through streams, rivers, lakes and aquifers that are found within watersheds. A watershed is an area of land on slopes or valleys, which drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet, either by the ground surface or below it. As part of watersheds there are rivers, lakes and reservoirs, wetlands, estuaries and underground waters. Rivers are watercourses moving from a higher altitude to a lower altitude due to gravity, the water comes from precipitation and runoff that arrives to these water bodies. Lakes are where surface water has accumulated in a low place hollow relative to the surrounding countryside, while reservoirs are man made lakes, both can found in a watercourse or outside it. Wetlands are transitional areas between permanently flooded deep waters environments and well-drained uplands, can have freshwater, salt water or brackish water due to closeness to coast and mouth rivers; marsh, swamp and lagoons are examples of wetlands. Related to wetlands are estuaries, regions where freshwater binds from inland to sea water. Groundwater are these that seep throughout ground and are confined under it, examples of this are aquifers. 

   

All of these water bodies are exposed to the actions of humans. Some uses of surface water are: domestic use (water supply to population), agricultural use (crop irrigation), industrial use, generation of hydroelectric energy, recreation and navigation. These activities generate pollution for water. When surface water is not used appropriately, it can harm their use and therefore bring bad consequences to its nature. Most of these contaminants come from industrial and domestic use. The garbage and human waste as well as industrial waste generate pollution that arrives to rivers, lakes and reservoirs; therefore water quality decreases.

Water conservation is vital to humans and their natural environment. To make this, we can be careful with this resource and protect the quantity and quality of this liquid. Another advantage of conservation is the protection and conservation of the different organisms that live in these ecosystems. If each person helps to keep the surface water clean, it contributes to a better quality of life in society. Each water body has their importance to nature and to the society, but they are threatened by human activity, for this reason each person has the responsibility to keep and protect the surface water.  

References:

Information:

http://water.usgs.gov/edu/mearthsw.html

Alonso J., Serie Naturales. (1998). Descubrimiento 9 Ciencia Integrada.         

            Puerto Rico: Ediciones Santillana, Inc.

Pictures:

Luis Espada

The Oceans

The Oceans

Oceanography is another application of Earth Science and it consists in the study of the oceans and seas. These disciplines are subdivided into four branches: physical oceanography (related with the physical properties of oceans and seas), chemical oceanography (studies chemical properties), biological oceanography (studies the biological and ecological features of these water bodies) and geological oceanography (studies the geological nature of oceans). This multidiscipline science uses other sciences to investigate and understand the natural processes of oceans to know and predict their behavior. For this reason, oceanography studies everything related with these water bodies including their formation, natural processes, their origins, the life there and the interaction of humans with oceans, seas and also gulfs. Therefore, understanding the oceans is important to understand the relationship with other terrestrial phenomena.

Separating the ocean and sea term is important to have a clear picture of who they are. Oceans are very large salt water bodies with particular features that differentiate from continents, and seas are saltwater bodies much smaller than the oceans and usually they are delimited by land or islands. Earth oceans are Pacific (the bigger), Atlantic (an ocean with a S form and extending toward both poles), Indian (with a triangular form), Artic (located in the North Pole) and Antarctic (located in the South Pole), the last two are the smallest. Some of the most important seas of Earth are Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Dead Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, among many others. Gulfs, bays, narrows and inlets are also part of the oceans. Oceans, seas, and ocean ice compose the 97.957% of total volume of water that exists on Earth. In general terms, the greater amount of water of oceans was originated from the melting of the rocks and the impacts of meteors, these and other events cause that the water trapped in the rocks escapes to the atmosphere in form of water vapor and becoming liquid precipitate as rain. The salt in the oceans is the result of physic and chemical weathering of igneous rock of the Earth crust. The relief, depth, composition and slope of the oceans are also studied by oceanographers.

In the oceans many processes occur, all working and contributing to these water bodies at same time. The Hydrologic Cycle is very important to the oceans because it removes and deposits water from and to the oceans, also involving lands. An important process of the oceans is the salinity that is the quantity of dissolved solids in the ocean water. Chlorine and sodium are the major components of ocean water, although there are others components like sulfate, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, acids and other substances. In areas of high rainfall on land and in the mouth of large rivers the salinity is lower due to discharge of fresh water from runoff. On the other hand, the sea waters near desserts and enclosed seas are high in salinity. The oceanic circulations are another process of these, for example the thermohaline circulation is the movement of depth water generated by the salinity and temperatures, these circulations distributes the water of the Atlantic Ocean to the rest of the oceans and brings oxygen from surface to depth areas. Surface circulation is the most important and is driven by the winds. These circulations influence the atmosphere and therefore affect the weather, generating most of the atmospheric phenomena. Tides and waves are natural processes of oceans and seas; the tides are the horizontal and vertical movements of the water caused by the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun, every day and depending on the position of the Moon in regard to respect the Earth there are high and low tides. The waves are energy or a periodic disturbance that moves from one part to another over the surface of water, these are generated offshore and arrive to the coast generating breaking waves.

Oceanographic biology is an important part of this discipline. This studies all the life and ecosystems that exists in these water bodies. The marine environment is dominated by some factors like temperatures, depth, salinity, nutrients, acidification, underwater currents, etc. The terrestrial environment, influences the sea and oceans ecosystems, for example, all the nutrients that arrive from lands through rivers are deposited in seas, these nutrients are used by sea plants and other organisms.  The atmosphere also influence in the life of oceans because it provides the majority of gases including oxygen and carbon dioxide.  The oceans harbor life of all kinds and size, from microscopic plants to microscopic animals, also there are the bigger animals of Earth. Into the ocean and seas we have different ecosystems like rocky coasts, the beaches, estuaries, mangroves, marine lagoons, sea grasses, coral reefs, polar zones and also there is life in the deepest areas of the oceans. The majority of these ecosystems have a direct relation with land and therefore with the organisms and humans that live here. In geological terms the oceans plays a very important role, the majority part of sand is originated in the seas, also part of the rocky coast is formed due to the energetic action of waves and these rocks are composed of death sea organisms.

          Only the 5% of the oceans have been explored by humans. We can make an important connection between the humans and the oceans. Throughout our history, human society has been influenced direct or indirectly by oceans and seas. Many historical events have been carried out thanks to these water bodies; example of this was when the European arrives to America from the fifteen century. Also, in the actuality these are used as communication routes, to bring and carry all kinds of merchandise and people, therefore is an important part of tourism. Also are used to realize investigations, as food source, the film industry use it as a setting for movies, in addition it is are part of the economic and political situation of all countries surrounded or boarded by oceans and seas. All these human activities, including those made inland generate pollution that affects adversely the entire ocean, specifically, the organisms and even we. As the weather is influenced by oceans, these can help to produce atmospheric phenomenon like hurricanes, the same that affects the humans, but are an essential part of nature. Keeping and preserving the oceans and seas not only will help to maintain the entire organisms that live there, also will maintain the life in lands and therefore our own life.

References:

Information:

Alonso J., Serie Naturales. (1998). Descubrimiento 9 Ciencia Integrada.         

            Puerto Rico: Ediciones Santillana, Inc.

Earth’s atmosphere and the weather

Earth’s atmosphere and the weather

An application of Earth Sciences is meteorology related with physics and geology. Meteorology is a branch of geophysics that studies atmospheric phenomena, atmosphere’s properties and specifically the relationship between the weather and Earth’s surface and oceans. Through the observation of atmospheric phenomena, meteorologists try to predict and define the interactions of the atmosphere with different systems. This way scientifics can understand and create models of climate and their changes in the future. To understand the weather and atmospheric phenomena, we need to know general things about the atmosphere.

Earth’s atmosphere is a big mass of air that surrounds the planet, it is composed of gases and other necessary elements to maintain living conditions, for this reason there is life on Earth. Also, the atmosphere protects us from sunlight and circulates air around the world. It is held in place thanks to gravity forces and it is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% of other gases. Earth’ atmosphere is subdivided into some layers where the temperature, atmospheric pressure, composition and height varies. The first layer from Earth to space is the troposphere, this is the most important layer and it extends from Earth’s surface up to 5 miles in at the poles and 11 miles at the equator; here is where 90% of the gases exists and it is here where meteorological phenomena and weather occur; also while height increases, temperature and atmospheric pressure decrease. The second layer is the stratosphere, it begins about 11 miles from the troposphere, until 30 miles; here is where the ozone layer is found, a gas responsible of protecting us from Sun’s ultraviolet rays; in this layer temperature increases as height increases, converting oxygen into ozone. The third layer is the mesosphere, the coldest layer of the atmosphere, it extends between 30 until 50 miles above; here the air is very thin and is an important layer because chemical changes occur, including ionization; also is there where meteors burn and create their lights, produced by the friction with the layer. The forth layer is the thermosphere that extends from 50 miles to 500 miles, it contents warmer temperatures, sometimes reaching more than 2,000° F; here is where the space shuttle orbits and the polar lights or aurora occur. The fifth and most external atmosphere’s layer is the exosphere, it extends from 500 miles to 800 miles and is where atoms escape to space and where satellites orbit around the Earth.

As we know, the most meteorological phenomena occurs in the layer most near the Earth’s surface, the troposphere. Although it is important to note that some clouds can reach the stratosphere, the next layer in the atmosphere. These atmospherics phenomena are related with the types of clouds and many atmospheric and Earth factors that can modify this. Hurricanes, winter storms, tornadoes, frontal systems, heavy rains and droughts are some of these meteorological phenomena. For example, tropical storms and hurricanes are phenomenons that occur in the tropical latitudes of Earth, these produce heavy winds and rains as they are formed by the hot waters of oceans and other atmospheric factors. Tornadoes and heavy rains are associated with cumulonimbus clouds formed by the combination of different masses of air with different temperatures and pressures. These are some of the factors that affect the daily weather of our planet.

The weather governs and modifies our life every day. Both rainy and sunny days affect us, and this is determinate to occur by factors in the atmosphere and the oceans. For this reason understanding the weather is important to society, also to know if an atmospheric phenomenon like a hurricane, tornado or heavy rains can affect us. The presence or lack of this phenomenon can generate some problems for society, for example, a frontal system can generate enough rain to produce floods, or on the other hand, the lack of these types of phenomenon can generate droughts. The objective of meteorology is to predict all of this to prepare the population for these natural disasters. 

References:

Information:      

http://www.definicionabc.com/medio-ambiente/meteorologia.php

(2011, February 14). Mi Resuelve Escolar: La atmósfera. Primera Hora.

Pictures:

http://africafedericocarmona.blogspot.es/cache/media/files/00/817/756/2015/06/collages.jpg

http://scied.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/images/large_image_for_image_content/atmosphere_layers_diagram_720x440.jpg