Acid Rain

What gases are the major cause of acid rain?

~Nitric and Sulfuric acids.

Where do most of these gases come from?

~rotting vegetation, volcanoes, burning fossil fuels by coal-burning power plants, factories, and cars.

Describe a few negative effects of acid rain. 

~Impacts aquatic environments because the aluminum get into the soil and it turns the water toxic killing  crayfish, clams, fish, and other aquatic animals. It Also kills the trees because the aluminum gets into the soil and makes it hard for the trees to get water. 

What the frack is fracking?

What is the purpose of fracking?

~ to release the gas trapped there. 

How is fracking done?

~water and toxic chemicals are injected at high pressure into the ground to break up rocks and release the gas trapped there

Why are people concerned about fracking?

~Some people think that the stuff they use to break up the rocks gets released into their drinking water, and can harm their health. 

Tier 2

In my opinion, I think humans should continue to attempt to control rivers. If scientists make a better working item to control rivers, than they could save more money, people, and land. The article about the Nile river really contributed to my decision. The Egyptians had many great ways to control the Nile river, like the shaduf and their basins. If the Egyptians can use the Nile river to create fertile land out of non-advanced materials, modern humans can create better systems of irrigation and be able to control rivers. The shaduf  added water to a little area of land. Modern day humans could make a bigger shaduf, and that would lead to bigger fields fertile to grow food. This could lead to the end of  world famine. Also, as long as humans continue to control rivers, the trade route to Louisiana will continue. I also had to re-think my decision a few times, mostly because of the costly factor. It costs thousands of dollars to control the Mississippi River. I think that before we try a new form of river control, we need to test it in laboratories first, so we do not waste money on those things. Imagine spending hundreds, thousands, or millions of dollars on a new form of flood control and it not working. America is in a tough time. All we need is to lose more money and go into another depression. By testing the products maybe with a smaller prototype, It is a good way to save money, and make sure the product works as well as it needs to. 

Weathering in the Colosseum

What kind of weathering is affecting the Colosseum? 
The colosseum is being affected by Frost Wedging, a kind of weathering.


Is it chemical, or mechanical? 
It is mechanical weathering.

1/31/2012

1. The horizontal axis is showing years and is ranging of 1905 to 2000.

2. Present day is on the right.

3. The vertical axis is showing Co2 levels with units of 20 ppmv's. Also,  Global temperature in units of 0.5˚ Celsius.

4. The data is from http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/08/the-global-warming-hoax-in-charts.php

01/10/2012 ~Soil~

only 11% of Earth is soil.
~My reaction: If 11% of Earth is soil, than what is that like as the size of a country?


The US, which just avoided turning the Great Plains into a dust bowl in the 1930s, is still losing soil 18 times more rapidly than it is forming it.
My Reaction: That is a interesting fact. 

December 12th, 2011

 What are the causes of explosions in coal mines?
~methane ignitions 


 How were families in the United States compensated for the deaths of their family members, and how does that compare to the compensation of Chinese families? 
~U.S. family members were paid 1.5 million dollars per family members of the family lost. The company spent over tens of millions of dollars total.


~In China, the families are given 10,000 yuan ($1,577) for funeral and death expenses and a compensation package was given to the family members which included 660,000 yuan. ($103,709.76) 




Speculate about why miner safety conditions are so much worse in China.
~There is no monitoring system in China to make sure everything is safe and secure.
~The management is rebellious and doesn't follow the correct rules and codes.
~The license for that specific mine was taken away about a year before the explosion. 
~Gas explosions, floods, and fire happen often in Chinese mines.