Glossary Unit 8 (Social Sciences)

Unit 8

Mechanization: To equip something with machinery.

Mining: The act, process, or industry of extracting coal, ores, etc. from the earth.

Mineral: Any of a class of naturally occurring solid inorganic substances with a characteristic crystalline form and a homogeneous chemical composition.

Fossil fuels: A hydrocarbon deposit derived from living matter of a previous geologic time and used for fuel.

Industry: Organized economic activity concerned with manufacture, extraction and processing of raw materials, or construction.

Irrigated farming: Farming based on the artificial distribution and application of water to arable land to initiate and maintain plant growth.

Energy: A source of power.

Biomass: The total number of living organisms in a given area, expressed in terms of living or dry weight per unit area.

Management: The members of the executive or administration of an organization or business.

Workforce: The total number of workers employed by a company on a specific job, project, etc.

Wind turbine: Is a rotary engine that extracts energy from the flow of wind.

Solar panel: A group of connected solar cells.

Renewable energy: Any type of energy that is tireless.  

Non-renewable energy: Any type of energy that can be finished.  

Traditional energy: Energy that has been used from ancient times is known as conventional or traditional energy.

Alternative energy: A form of energy derived from a natural source, such as the sun, wind, tides, or waves.

Dam: A barrier of concrete, earth, etc, built across a river to create a body of water for a hydroelectric power station, domestic water supply, etc.

Guild: An association of men sharing the same interests.

Heavy industry: Relates to a type of business that typically carries a high capital cost, high barriers to entry and low transportability.

Light industry: A section of an economy's secondary industry characterized by less capital-intensive and more labor-intensive operations.

Cutting-edge industries: Refers to technological devices, techniques or achievements that employ the most current and high-level.

Craftsperson: A person who practices a craft with great skill.