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…
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…
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…
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…
The nitrogen cycle explains the how nitrogen flows between animals, bacteria, plants, the atmosphere, and the soil on earth. The uniqueness of the nitrogen cycle is that nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the earth’s atmosphere, about 78% of all air, but it can’t be directly utilized by the animals and plants unless it…
The water cycle explains the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the earth. It is also referred to as the Hydrological Cycle. The cycle describes the properties of water that make it undergo the various movements on the planet. The water cycle has nine main physical processes that create a…
Air pollutants are substances in the air which pose adverse risks to human health and have the potential of damaging the ecosystem. The substances are in the form of gases, liquid droplets, or solid particles and are either naturally occurring or anthropogenic. They primarily originate from various sources such as volcanic eruptions, exhaust from automobiles,…
Acid rain is formed by elevated levels of sulfur and nitric acids in the atmospheres that accumulate as a result of Nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Sulfur dioxides (SO2) emissions. Acid rain is a mix of atmospheric water molecules and dry depositions of Sulfur dioxides and Nitrogen oxides emitted from industries and vehicles. When these gases…
The act of deforestation has impacted on the world in terms of depreciating the natural environment and wildlife. It has also impacted on humans on the account of changes in environmental support processes such as weather conditions. For more than a century, the number of trees on the surface of the earth has plummeted, resulting…
The contamination or degradation of soils impacts heavily on the health of plants. Humans are also affected in numerous ways either directly or indirectly. Polluted soil can harm humans by making contact with the soil or consuming vegetation produce from contaminated soils. Children are even more susceptible to the harms of soil pollution since they…
Air pollutants can potentially harm human and animal health, damage or hinder vegetation growth, and can make the living conditions in the environment unbearable. In most regions of the world, air pollution has adversely affected people and the environment in various aspects. The short-term and long-term effects of air pollution as experienced across the world…
Air pollution is the introduction of harmful substances in the air that have detrimental impacts to the environment and humanity. It occurs when the harmful substances such as foreign gases, odour, dust, or fumes are present in the air at levels that can harm the comfort and health of animals and humans or even destroy…
A variety of measures has been undertaken or proposed and instituted to curb the effects of air pollution. Solving the air pollution problem requires joint effort and takes different ways from one region to another. For example, it primarily requires behavior change and institutionalization of measures that can considerably ameliorate the situation in the short-term…
By now we’ve all heard of the expression the cycle of life. Keep this in mind as you briefly learn how the carbon cycle originated and how it operates within our earth’s ecosystem today. Today, it remains an evolutionary process of keeping checks and balances and restoring a natural order of giving birth to life…
Global warming is the most common term that comes up when we talk about climate change or pollution. Global warming is the result of increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As we consume more fossil fuels, cut down trees, use more toxic fertilizers in the agriculture, and multiply human population, we…