Lecture Notes on Lithosphere, Soil, and Energy Resources

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about Lithosphere, Soil, and Energy Resources.

Lithosphere

Solid component of the earth serving as habitat for various species; also known as the 'stone layer'.

Soil

Complex mixtures of minerals, organic matter, water, and air that support plant life.

Land

Surface of the earth that is not covered by water, including soil and other natural resources.

Minerals

Naturally occurring inorganic substances with a defined chemical composition.

Crust

Outermost layer of the Earth, varying in thickness from 5 to 25 miles, composed of silicate materials (47% oxygen, 28% silicon).

Mantle

Makes up about 80% of the Earth's volume, characterized by high pressures and temperatures, and contains the asthenosphere.

Outer Core

Liquid layer composed of molten iron and nickel, responsible for Earth's magnetic field.

Inner Core

Solid layer due to immense pressure, despite being composed of iron and nickel.

Continental Crust

Supports the continental plates.

Oceanic Crust

Supports the ocean floor.

Mohorovicic Discontinuity (Moho)

Boundary between the crust and the mantle.

Silica (SiO2)

Significant compound found in sand, also known as quartz.

Asthenosphere

Semi-liquid layer that is the source of magma for volcanic eruptions; Greek word for 'weak layer'.

Seismology

The science of earthquakes.

Igneous Rocks

Rocks formed from cooled magma, e.g., granite.

Sedimentary Rocks

Rocks formed from compacted sediments, e.g., limestone.

Metamorphic Rocks

Rocks formed from existing rocks subjected to heat and pressure, e.g., marble from limestone.

Rock

Earth material which makes up the crust.

Rock Cycle

Describes the transformation of rocks from one type to another over millions of years.

Minerals

Solid, inorganic, naturally occurring substances essential for life.

Mineral Resources

Useful materials which could be derived from the rock cycle.

Subsurface Mining

Involves digging tunnels to access deep mineral deposits, often using explosives.

Surface Mining

Includes open-pit mining, dredging, and strip mining, which are less invasive but can have significant ecological impacts.

Open-Pit Mining

Method in which limestone, sandstones, granite, and marble are removed from the resource site.

Dredging

Use of chain buckets or draglines to scoop out underwater minerals from the ocean or sea bed.

Strip Mining

Large machines such as bulldozers or power shovels are used to remove in strips the layers of rocks and soils that cover the mineral deposits.

Phosphorus (P)

Vital nutrient for plant growth often found in phosphate salts integrated in rocks and ocean sediments.

Phosphorus Cycle

Unique cycle as it does not include the atmosphere, making it a long one compared to other important elements.

Upswelling

Process in which nutrients from the bottom of the sea reach the surface with the movement of water.

Soil Profile

Consists of distinct layers or horizons, each with unique physical and chemical properties.

Pedosphere

Thin outermost layer of the Earth made up of soil.

O Horizon

Usually made up of organic materials such as leaves, twigs, grass, insects, and other forms of newly decomposing surface litter, present in areas with many trees such as a forest.

A Horizon

Also known as the topsoil, it is the first mineral layer of the soil.

B Horizon

Also known as the subsoil layers; materials leached from O and A horizons accumulate in this horizon.

C Horizon

Usually made up of massive bedrock of the original parent material.

E Horizon

Under the O horizon, stands for eluvial, which means materials such as clay, aluminum, iron, and organic matter have been leached from it.

Parent Material

Materials from which soil is formed.

Soil Texture

How the soil feels when touched; pertains to how much sand, clay, or silt is present in the soil.

Soil Color

Indicates the presence of minerals; dark soils are rich in humus, while reddish soils indicate iron content.

Soil Consistence

Refers to the ease of breaking soil apart.

Soil Acidity

Influences plant growth; affected by plant material and environmental factors like acid rain.

Land

The solid component of the earth which goes deeper than the surface.

Sovereignty

Refers to the independence of a country to rule over its people and manage its resources.

Erosion

Transfer of soil particles and its other components into another place.

Sedimentation

Leading cause of pollution of bodies of water as rivers and lakes accumulate sediments, decreasing their depth.

Overgrazing

Occurs when the livestock that graze in the grasslands are beyond the carrying capacity.

Salinization

When the concentration of salt ions builds up in the soil.

Waterlogging

Soil becomes oversaturated with water.

Desertification

Condition in which the soil has become very dry and infertile due to the absence of plant nutrients and the presence of too much salt.

Leaching

Process of removing or extracting the components of a soluble material with the help of a solvent, which in soil is usually water.

Water Transparency

Refers to the clearness of the water and the ability to allow light to pass through.

Water Turbidity

Refers to the cloudiness or murkiness of the water.

Protected Area

Classified to be in a critical condition that if left alone, will become ecologically and environmentally degraded.

Watershed Area

Area where water collects and drains towards a reservoir; usually a protective area.

Energy Resources

Form of potential energy that can be used to perform work.

Sun

Main source of energy on Earth.

Renewable Resources

Natural resources that are continuously replenished.

Non-Renewable Resources

Finite resources that take a very long time to replenish.

First Law of Energy (Law of Conservation of Energy)

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed.

Second Law of Energy

As energy is changed from one form to another, its quality also degrades.

Electricity Generation

Involves converting various energy sources into electrical energy primarily through power plants.

Generator

Converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Electric Cables/Transmission Lines

Metallic wires made of good conductors of electricity and covered with good insulating materials that electrical energy passes through.

Step-Up Transformer

Boosts electrical voltage to about 400,000 volts.

Step-Down Transformer

Reduces electrical voltage to 220 volts, which is the voltage used in homes.

Power Distribution Grid

The process in which electricity from the power plant gets into homes.

Watts (W)

Standard unit of power.

Kilowatts (kW)

Unit of power that measures how much energy is generated per unit of time.

Kilowatt Hour

Equal to the number of kilowatts used times the number of hours of use.

Fossil Fuels

Form from the remains of organic matter plants and animals which died indicate a long time ago.

Coal

First fossil fuel to be discovered it form over the geologic time from bird plant and animal remains.

Crude Oil

Also known as petroleum it is produced from the fossils of plants and animals bird of a million of years under conditions of high temperature and intense pressure.

Natural Gas

Is a mixture of light hydrocarbons, primarily composed of methane with smaller amounts of ethane propane and butane making it a cleaner fuel option.

Peat

Contains much moisture and is not classified as coal yet. It is a form of biomass which was already used as a fuel before the discovery of real coal

Lignite

Sedimentary rock which is also called brown coal.

Bituminous

Another sedimentary rock and is a soft type of coal

Anthracite

Very good type of call because it gives off a good amount of heat.

Petrochemicals

Or a number of important substances produced by refining crude oil.

Alternative or Non-Conventional Energy Resources

Usually renewable resources that have less environmental impact.

Solar Energy

Harness from the sun it is the most abundant energy source available on earth.

Wind Energy

Generated from the kinetic energy of moving air it is a clean and renewable resource

Geothermal Energy

Derived from the heat stored beneath the earth's surface is a reliable source of energy

Hydropower

Utilizes the energy of flowing water to generate electricity often through dams and turbines

Nuclear Energy

Harness from the fusion of radioisotopes like uranium-235 and plutonium-239

Biomass

Derived from biological matter, such as from plant and animal resources

Biodiesel

It is a petroleum biofuel blend could provide achiever alternative to a pure petroleum flowery resource

Photovoltaic/Solar Cells

Invented to absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity

Solar Panels

Group of solar cells

Wind Turbines

The blades or routers are attached to a turbines and generator that convert mechanical energy into electricity

Geysers

Are hot springs with sporadically shoots up jots of very hot water steams

The Gazers in California

Known as the largest producer of geothermal electricity in the world

Nuclear Fission

Is the reaction that happens in atomic bomb explosions. Also known as the reaction which splits the radionuclide into smaller isotopes

Solid Waste

All household commercials waste non-hazardous institutional ports or harbors and industrial waste etc

Garbage

Often use synonymously with the word trash which is defined in the dictionary as any material which has no value or use

Biodegradable Waste

Are those that can be decayed by bacteria and other organisms

Non-Biodegradable

Are those that cannot undergo bacterial decay

Industrial Waste

Usually contain water oils organic solvents and other liquid chemicals

Celluloid

Improve version of Parkes’ plastic adding comfort to the cellulose fibers. It is a much improve moldable material for billiard ball

Monomers

Building blocks of plastics formed from carbon and hydrogen atoms combined with nitrogen

Polymerization

The process producing plastics in a faster method