Biological weathering also means organic weathering. It is the disintegration of rocks as a result of the action by living organisms. Plant and animals have a significant effect on the rocks as they penetrate or burrow into the soil respectively. Biological weathering can work hand in hand with physical weathering by weakening rock or exposing…
Rocks ordinarily lie everywhere on the ground of the Earth. They constitute most of the landforms, as we often notice. For instance, rocks make up the mountains and most of the non-water portions of the earth’s surface. A rock is hence defined as a solid naturally occurring mass of consolidated mineral matter. This is because…
Physical weathering is also referred to as mechanical weathering. It is the weakening of rocks followed by disintegration due to the physical or mechanical forces including the actions on the rocks by abrasion, frost chattering, temperature fluctuations and salt crystal growth. External environmental forces such as wind, water waves, and rain also consistently exert pressure…
Chemical weathering pertains to the changes in rock structure under the action or influence of chemical reactions. There are hundreds of natural chemical processes and reactions within the rocks the change the composition and the structure of the rocks over time. Temperature and, especially, moisture are critical for chemical weathering. Chemical weathering, therefore, occurs more quickly in…
A habitat is a “home ground” or an environment in which an organism or group of species normally lives or occurs. In this sense, a habitat is any particular place that supports animal or plant life. From the habitat is where plants or animals get their survival essentialities such as water, food, shelter, and breeding…
Various simple and implementable ways can be used to limit the pollution of our water resources. These actions can be taken individually or collectively and must be done repeatedly to reduce the impacts on the water systems. Some people perceive that the harmful substances or pollutants normally disappear once discharged into water. There are lot…
Overpopulation is the state whereby the human population rises to an extent exceeding the carrying capacity of the ecological setting. In an overpopulated environment, the numbers of people might be more than the available essential materials for survival such as transport, water, shelter, food or social amenities. This regularly contributes to environmental deterioration, worsening in…
Many people undertake activities that result in electricity wastage and in the long run the outcomes are very costly. Perhaps, this is the reason electricity prices become more and more expensive year after year. In order to ameliorate the situation, it is imperative to undertake daily practical electricity saving tips. By doing so, the entire…
There are multiple and simple ways that can be used in everyday life to help prevent air pollution and improve air quality. Every time we use our air conditioners, drive to work or school, use coal to heat our homes, style our hair or even apply deodorants to smell fresh, we undertake activities and make…
A tsunami is a sudden violent change in the earth’s surface resulting from a destructive sea wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption. The volcanic or earthquake activity usually creates a huge wave underneath the ocean, which eventually come down violently onto the shoreline. The outcomes can be devastating for the communities living adjacent…
Hurricane is a severe tropical cyclone – rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low pressure centre, usually with heavy rains and winds moving at 73 to 136 knots (miles per hour) forming over the Atlantic Ocean or Eastern Pacific Ocean. Hurricanes are witnessed as massive storms during powerful rains with strong winds, lightning, and…
Tornadoes are associated with violent and destructive windstorms occurring over land characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud extending towards the ground. In other words, a tornado is a funnel-shaped violent windstorm that whirls upwards rapidly with a tip touching the ground. If the tip doesn’t touch the ground, it is termed as a funnel. Tornadoes contain…
Floods are natural occurrences where an area or land that is normally dry abruptly becomes submerged in water. In simple terms, flood can be defined as an overflow of large quantities of water onto a normally dry land. Flooding happens in many ways due to overflow of streams, rivers, lakes or oceans or as a…
A volcano is a fissure – opening or vent – in the earth’s crust through which molten rocks and gases erupt. The molten rocks can be in the form of mixture of hot gases, ash, lava, or other extremely hot substances within the earth’s crust. A volcano looks like a huge heap of soil or…
During dry and hot weather periods, it is common to find dry and cracked earth without even a single shed of water or wet areas. Lakes, rivers, and streams may as well run dry. Well, these are the typical earth conditions that define drought in layman terms. Drought can simply be defined as extended periods…