VOLCANOES

A volcano is a landform (usually a mountain) where molten rock erupts through the surface of the planet. In other words, a volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten rock (magma) below the surface of the Earth. It is a hole in the Earth from which rock and gas erupt.

Now, we talk about the terms of comprises the topic volcano. Lets see the difference between lava and magma. Magma is a liquid rock inside a volcano while lava is the magma that flows out of a volcano.

So how do volcanoes erupt? The earth's crust is made up of huge slabs called plate, which fit together like jigsaw puzzle. These plates sometimes move. Between the earth's crust and mantle is the magma, which we defined earlier. When two plates collide, one section slides on top of the other, the one beneath is pushed down. Magma then is squeezed two plates.

*FUN FACT:

           The name "volcano" has its origin from the name of Vulcan, a god of fire in Roman mythology

Source: http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/mountains/volcanoes.htm

checked by: Prof. Crisencio Paner

MINERALS

Minerals! These oh so precious matters are one of the most beautiful objects in nature. These things are actually used for making things we use every day—including the salt your mom uses for cooking. YES. It’s true. Keep reading to discover more about minerals.

Often times, people presume glittering crystals as minerals. Yes, they may almost certainly be right. But, how can we be sure that those crystals indeed are minerals?

Let’s define minerals first.

Minerals are naturally occurring. They are not made by humans. Also, they are inorganic which means they have never been alive and are not brought up from plants and animals. Obviously, minerals are solid. Not liquid, nor gas. Moreover, minerals have definite chemical composition. Each one is made of a particular mix of chemical elements. Think of it as if you are baking a cake. The chemicals in a mineral are just like the ingredients in making a cake—there has to be an EXACT amount of each ‘ingredient’ to form them perfectly. Furthermore, the chemical elements that make up each mineral are organized in a specific way.

Now let’s go to the fiddly bits---how minerals are formed.

Minerals are made up of chemical elements. A chemical element is a substance that is made up of only one kind of atom. An atom is the smallest unit of any chemical element. They are so small, it's impossible to see them with the naked eye. They are the building blocks that make up each chemical element. Each mineral has a fixed chemical composition. Some minerals are made up of just one chemical element-they contain only one type of atom.Now what is a chemical compound? Here,just as chemical elements are made up of atoms, a chemical compound is made up of molecules. Each molecule in a chemical compound is made up of two or more different atoms connected together.

Now remember what I mentioned earlier about the salt being a mineral? Rock salt is a chemical compound-yes, the kind you put on your fish and chips. Each molecule of this salt contains one atom of an element called sodium connected to one atom of an element called chlorine. Rock salt always contains just as many sodium atoms as it does chlorine atoms: this 'formula' does not vary--rock salt, like all the other minerals has a definite chemical composition.

Now you have the basic knowledge about minerals, try to explore more about the wonders of minerals. Goodluck!

Source:

http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/minerals/define/index.htm


Checked by: Prof. Crisencio Paner

THE MYSTERIES OF THE NIGHT SKY

Every night, we are dazzled about those sparkling little objects up in the bold night sky. We think, what are those really? Do they really move? How far are those twinkling objects from where we are? Overtime, stories are told about the wonders of the night sky. These stories then turned into myths and legends. These observations are the beginnings of astronomy.

Many of the things we see in the night sky are stars, large objects in space that produce light. Stars are so far away that their light does not reach us for years. As light from so far away passes through our atmosphere, it is moved around which makes the stars seem to twinkle. So, what are stars made of? Most stars are made of gases and gas-like substance called plasma. Some stars are made of tiny particles. These subatomic particles can be closely packed together, which makes some stars extremely dense.

A star is born out of a mass of clouds and gas called nebula. Gravity causes hydrogen gas in the nebula to spin. As it spins, it becomes hotter and begins to glow. But of course, stars don’t last forever. When the hydrogen in a star runs low, the star can no longer sustain nuclear fusion. It can no longer turn hydrogen into helium. This is when a star’s fire begins to cool and thus, begins to die. As most stars cool, they turn red.