granite surface plate
11Australia — /aw strayl yeuh/, n. 1. a continent SE of Asia, between the Indian and the Pacific oceans. 18,438,824; 2,948,366 sq. mi. (7,636,270 sq. km). 2. Commonwealth of, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, consisting of the federated states and… …
12building construction — Techniques and industry involved in the assembly and erection of structures. Early humans built primarily for shelter, using simple methods. Building materials came from the land, and fabrication was dictated by the limits of the materials and… …
13mountain — mountainless, adj. /mown tn/, n. 1. a natural elevation of the earth s surface rising more or less abruptly to a summit, and attaining an altitude greater than that of a hill, usually greater than 2000 ft. (610 m). 2. a large mass of something… …
14metamorphic rock — Any of a class of rocks that result from the alteration of preexisting rocks in response to changing geological conditions, including variations in temperature, pressure, and mechanical stress. The preexisting rocks may be igneous, sedimentary,… …
15Earth Sciences — ▪ 2009 Introduction Geology and Geochemistry The theme of the 33rd International Geological Congress, which was held in Norway in August 2008, was “Earth System Science: Foundation for Sustainable Development.” It was attended by nearly… …
16tunnels and underground excavations — ▪ engineering Introduction Great tunnels of the world Great tunnels of the worldhorizontal underground passageway produced by excavation or occasionally by nature s action in dissolving a soluble rock, such as limestone. A vertical opening …
17Igneous rock — Geologic provinces of the world (USGS)   Shield …
18Geology of Tasmania — Tasmania has a varied geological history, with the world s biggest exposure of diabase, or dolerite. Rocks from the Neoproterozoic, Paleozoic and Mesozoic time periods appear. It is one of the few southern hemisphere areas glaciated during the… …
19ASIE - Géographie physique — L’Asie est le plus vaste des continents: 44 millions de kilomètres carrés. Elle s’étend sur 75 degrés de latitude et, en tenant compte des îles, sur 92 degrés (de la Severnaïa Zemlia, ou Terre du Nord, 810 de latitude nord, à l’île Roti, 110 de… …
20Africa — /af ri keuh/, n. 1. a continent S of Europe and between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. 551,000,000; ab. 11,700,000 sq. mi. (30,303,000 sq. km). adj. 2. African. * * * I Second largest continent on Earth. It is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea,… …
