We explain what structure is in various disciplines such as architecture and geography and what its general characteristics are.
In architecture, a structure is the elements capable of resisting a load.What is structure?
A structure is usually defined as the set of important elements of a body, a building or something else. It is usually related to the armor that serves as a support for that particular body, building, among others. The term comes from Latinstructūra.
The word structure is used in various subjects:
- Architecture and civil engineering. It refers to the elements that fulfill the function of resisting loads. For this they meet the condition of stability and balance. The first condition is linked to movements of the buildings. This avoids possible collapses caused by external factors such as the wind. The second condition, balance, also guarantees immobility, but at the same time does not allow the shape of the building to be altered.
- social Sciences. In the Sociology we speak of social structure. This term refers to the organization or the system social that determines the relationships between people in a given weather Y space. These structures are usually guided by the society's own values and rules, whether they are legal or not.
This concept is widely used by other social sciences, such as the anthropology wave philosophy. In turn, it can be interpreted in different ways depending on the current by which it is studied, be it functionalism, empiricism, dialectics, etc. Some of the factors that are taken into account when analyzing social structures are the culture, the institutions, the values, the medium in which the society and the technologies that applies for its development. - Geography. On the other hand, the term can be used in another sense in the social sciences, for example the case of a demographic structure. This term, widely used in geography, is used as a synonym for demography. In this case, it is analyzed how a certain population, be it from a state, town or region. These studies are usually represented by pyramids and take into account factors such as the distribution of resources, age, gender, deaths, births etc. They are often included analysis that include movements related to migration.
- Marxism. Within the Marxist theory structure is understood as the set of social and technical relations of production. In other words, economic ties are referenced. On the other hand, they also define the superstructure as that which is related to social institutions, religion, ideology and the politics, determined by the structure.
- Astronomy. In terms of Astronomy, we talk about the structure of the universe and the stellar structure. The first refers to the galactic deposition and organization, studying the various concentrations that are formed. When we speak of stellar structure, we refer to both the form and the internal and proper organization of the stars. They have three constituent elements, firstly the atmosphere, in second the mantle and finally the nucleus.