220 questions and answers in this section

Natural Sciences » Geology

Explain why was the town of Ivittuut (in Greenland) abandoned after the depletion of cryolite?

Explain why was the town of Ivittuut (in Greenland) abandoned after the depletion of cryolite?

Ivittuut thrived mainly due to its enormous reserve of cryolite, a rather rare and highly sought-after mineral. The great peculiarity of cryolite is that it...

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Explain why some volcanoes are active while others are dormant?

Explain why some volcanoes are active while others are dormant?

Magma, this burning liquid rock beneath the Earth's surface, largely determines a volcano's ability to erupt. Its texture, called viscosity, directly influences its activity: fluid...

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Explain why has the city of Crescent City (in the United States) been affected by so many tsunamis?

Explain why has the city of Crescent City (in the United States) been affected by so many tsunamis?

Crescent City is located on the northwestern coast of California, not far from the border with Oregon, directly across from the Pacific. The big issue...

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Explain why do Icelandic volcanoes emit ash clouds?

Explain why do Icelandic volcanoes emit ash clouds?

Iceland is located right on the border between two major tectonic plates: the North American plate and the Eurasian plate. These plates slowly drift apart...

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Explain why most volcanoes are located at the boundaries of tectonic plates?

Explain why most volcanoes are located at the boundaries of tectonic plates?

Most volcanoes on Earth are located near the edges where large tectonic plates collide, pull apart, or overlap. This area where volcanism is concentrated forms...

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Explain why do salt crystals form in certain desert conditions?

Explain why do salt crystals form in certain desert conditions?

In deserts, the intense heat leads to the rapid evaporation of water present on the surface or just below the ground. When this water evaporates, it leaves...

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Explain why natural hot spring water is often rich in minerals?

Explain why natural hot spring water is often rich in minerals?

Natural hot springs primarily occur when rainwater or meltwater seeps into the ground, descends deep, and then heats up in contact with areas of geothermal...

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Explain why is Mount Everest nicknamed the roof of the world?

Explain why is Mount Everest nicknamed the "roof of the world"?

The expression "roof of the world" is not a recent term: it actually comes from the Sanskrit term "Sagarmatha," which roughly means "front (or head)...

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Explain why limestone caves often have underground rivers.

Explain why limestone caves often have underground rivers.

Limestone is a sedimentary rock primarily composed of calcium carbonate, often derived from the remains of dead marine organisms accumulated on the sea floor a...

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Explain why some volcanoes form underwater?

Explain why some volcanoes form underwater?

Beneath the oceans, the Earth's crust is not fixed but divided into immense pieces called tectonic plates. These plates move slowly, sometimes pulling apart and...

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