How many layers does the Earth have? At its simplest, the Earth has four layers. These are the crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core. However, these layers can be divided up into smaller layers as well, depending on how you define a layer. The crust is the rocky outer layer that […]
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What causes an avalanche or landslide? The causes of avalanches and landslides do have some similarities, but landslides involve the movement of rock, earth, and debris, while avalanches involve snow and ice. An avalanche starts when an unstable mass of snow and ice breaks loose and slides down the slope. The avalanche picks up speed
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Why do geysers form? Geysers form where the groundwater is heated by geothermal vents until it boils. This steam builds up until the pressure is too great and it erupts out through weak points in the rock. The word geyser comes from the name of a geyser in Iceland back in 1780. It was called
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What causes a heat island? A heat island is caused by cities because they absorb more heat and produce more heat than rural areas. Heat islands are more commonly known as urban heat islands because they happen in urban areas. Before we look at what causes them, let’s look at urban areas themselves. The first
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What is continentality? Continentality is the condition of being in the center of a large landmass, which makes summers much hotter and winters much colder than other places. Anybody who lives in the center of a large landmass will notice that the temperatures in the summer are higher and the temperatures in the winter are
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What is the water table? The water table is a layer between soil that is not saturated with water and soil that is completely saturated with water. The water table is at different depths depending on the makeup of the ground and the topography. It is usually at the bottom of the soil layer, just
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Why do so many borders in Africa have straight lines? So many countries in Africa have borders with straight lines because there are no landmarks to define the borders in those areas. Along with that, nearly all of the borders were created by the colonial powers. If you look at the borders between countries in
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What is a Banana Republic? A Banana Republic is a small, poor, politically unstable country with an economy dependent on one export and usually controlled by foreign companies. The existence of US controlled banana republics have created an environment where drug cartels can rise up. Banana Republic is not a positive term. The economy is
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Why are minerals found in certain places on Earth? Different minerals tend to concentrate in certain places on Earth because of geological conditions and the chemical condition in each place. Also, minerals in some places are just easier to get to than others. Minerals are naturally occurring elements or compounds. Some minerals are formed from
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Why are there no bridges over the Amazon River? There are no bridges over the Amazon River because the majority of it goes through thick rainforest where there are no roads and not enough people to need bridges. The Amazon River is either the second longest river in the world or the longest river in
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