GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE ARK

Reference library

Foundations

Explore concepts, laws, equations and methods, with clear explanations of their use and sources. Choose an area of study or find a specific entry.

More filters

Reference entries

Showing 301–330 of 1709 reference entries

BiologyDevelopment and cell differentiation

Regulated cell states, division and spatial organization produce multicellular form.

Model
Earth & cosmosMinerals, structure and diagnostic properties

Mineral identification combines structural and physical evidence.

Method
Earth & cosmosRadiometric ages and sample history

Isotopic measurements estimate an age only with a suitable geological model.

Method
Earth & cosmosSeismic constraints on Earth's interior

Wave travel, refraction and transmission constrain an interior model.

Method
Earth & cosmosThe geodynamo model

Fluid motion in the outer core maintains much of Earth's magnetic field.

Model
Earth & cosmosWater budgets and storage change

A defined area's water storage changes with total inflow and outflow.

Model
Earth & cosmosDarcy flux and hydraulic conductivity

Groundwater flow is often approximately linear in hydraulic-head gradient.

Approximation
Earth & cosmosOcean circulation and overturning

Wind, buoyancy changes and mixing contribute to ocean transport.

Model
Earth & cosmosGlobal atmospheric circulation

Unequal heating and rotation organize broad circulation patterns.

Model
Earth & cosmosClimate forcing and energy-budget perturbations

External changes can disturb climate's radiation budget.

Definition
Earth & cosmosClimate feedback mechanisms

Climate responses can amplify or damp a change.

Model
Earth & cosmosClimate detection and attribution methods

Attribution compares observed changes with plausible drivers and variability.

Method
Earth & cosmosStellar evolution and fuel stages

Stellar structure changes as core fuel and conditions change.

Model
Earth & cosmosWhite dwarfs, neutron stars and stellar black holes

Different evolutionary outcomes leave different compact remnants.

Model
Earth & cosmosAnnual stellar parallax and distance

Changing observing position permits geometric distance inference.

Method
Earth & cosmosCosmological redshift and distance inference

Spectral stretching carries expansion information but is not one universal distance ruler.

Method
Earth & cosmosGalactic rotation and inferred mass

Measured motions constrain the gravitational mass distribution.

Method
Earth & cosmosPlanetary formation in young-star disks

Disk observations and competing growth mechanisms inform planet-formation models.

Model
Earth & cosmosCosmological parameters inferred from the CMB

CMB statistics constrain parameters within a chosen cosmological model.

Method
Earth & cosmosGravitational evidence for dark matter

Motions and lensing constrain mass beyond that accounted for by luminous material.

Empirical finding
Earth & cosmosWhat constitutes dark matter?

Gravitational evidence does not yet settle the unseen component's physical identity.

Open question
Earth & cosmosWhat explains accelerated cosmic expansion?

Expansion evidence motivates competing physical descriptions with unresolved origin.

Open question
Mathematics & logicIntermediate values and compact-domain extrema

A continuous real function on a closed bounded interval attains a maximum and minimum and takes every value between its endpoint values.

Mathematical statement
Mathematics & logicProduct, quotient and chain rules

Differentiable real functions satisfy (fg)′=f′g+fg′ and (g∘f)′=(g′∘f)f′.

Mathematical statement
Mathematics & logicMean value theorem

If f is continuous on [a,b] and differentiable on (a,b), a<b, some c∈(a,b) satisfies f′(c)=(f(b)−f(a))/(b−a).

Mathematical statement
Mathematics & logicDarboux intermediate-value property of derivatives

For f differentiable throughout an open real interval, its derivative takes every value strictly between f′(a) and f′(b) at some c∈(a,b), whenever a<b are points of that interval.

Mathematical statement
Mathematics & logicSubstitution in a definite integral

For g of class C¹ on [a,b] and f continuous on an interval containing g([a,b]), ∫ₐᵇ f(g(x))g′(x)dx=∫g(a)ᵍ(b)f(u)du.

Method
Mathematics & logicIntegration by parts

For u,v of class C¹ on [a,b], ∫ₐᵇuv′dx=[uv]ₐᵇ−∫ₐᵇu′v dx.

Method
Mathematics & logicDarboux sums and Riemann integrability

For bounded real f on [a,b], lower and upper Darboux sums use each subinterval's infimum and supremum.

Mathematical statement
Mathematics & logicContinuity and the Riemann integrability criterion

A bounded real function on [a,b] is Riemann integrable exactly when its discontinuity set has Lebesgue measure zero.

Mathematical statement
MethodSource checked

Minerals, structure and diagnostic properties

Earth & cosmos

Mineral identification combines structural and physical evidence.

Key knowledge

Mineral species are distinguished by composition and ordered atomic structure. Useful identification properties include hardness, cleavage, streak, lustre and density. Several properties together provide stronger identification than colour alone, which can vary with composition, inclusions or surface appearance.

Conditions and scope

  • Solid solution, alteration and mixed samples can complicate identification.
  • A field property comparison is not a complete chemical or crystallographic analysis.
Sources · 2

References

Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.

  1. Steven Earle — Physical Geology, 2nd edition, BCcampus Open Education2 sources
    1. 1.4: Minerals and RocksSteven Earle — Physical Geology, 2nd edition, BCcampus Open EducationTextbook chapteropentextbc.caRead source
    2. 2.6: Mineral PropertiesSteven Earle — Physical Geology, 2nd edition, BCcampus Open EducationTextbook chapteropentextbc.caRead source

Evidence and review

Earle's mineral lattice description and diagnostic-property comparisons.

2026-10-10 · Checked identification scope without equating colour, crystal shape and chemical identity.

Entry detailsPermanent link to this entry ↗
Record identity
earth-mineral-properties
Revision
university-reference.1
Structured reference record
University reference