Our Amazing Earth · builds up over time. That creates cone-shaped objects called stalactites and...
Transcript of Our Amazing Earth · builds up over time. That creates cone-shaped objects called stalactites and...
ARTICLE-A-DAY
Our Amazing Earth6 Articles
Check articles you have read:
Volcanoes156 words
Twister!230 words
Wild Weather339 words
Secrets of the Rain Forest201 words
Discover the Rain Forest!280 words
Let's Explore Caves!271 words
Eruption!310 words
Mexico's Natural Wonder: Paricutin Volcano245 words
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Page 1 of 21
Volcanoes
VolcanoesHot Stuff!
Look inside a volcano.
Hot liquid rock moves deep underground. A volcano is ready to erupt, or
explode. Soon, hot liquid rock flows out. That is called lava. Lava can move
slowly or quickly.
Read how a volcano erupts.
Jim Sugar/Corbis
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Volcanoes
(1) Hot liquid rock collects.
Hot liquid rock is found deep underground. It is called magma. (Magma that
flows out of a volcano is called lava.)
(2) The ground shakes.
Magma moves under the volcano. It can cause earthquakes. An
earthquake is a strong, shaking movement of the ground. Rocks break apart
and form cracks in the volcano.
(3) Magma rises.
Magma travels along the cracks deep inside the volcano. Some cracks go
all the way to the outside of the volcano. Those openings are called vents.
(4) The volcano erupts!
Lava comes out the top of the volcano. The top is called the main vent.
Sometimes, gases and smoke burst out too.
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Page 3 of 21
Twister!
Twister!
Pete Turner/Getty Images
Wild Weather
What do you know about tornadoes?
Tornado season has started in the United
States. A tornado is a powerful, spinning wind. It is also known as a twister.
Steve Bloom Images/Alamy
Most tornadoes last fewer than 15 minutes. During
that time, a twister can travel across a large area of
land and destroy everything in its path.
Getty Images
A tornado can destroy homes and trees.
The strong winds
in some
tornadoes reach
speeds of up to
300 miles per
hour. Those
winds can toss
cars and other
objects high into the air.
Tornadoes can happen any time of the
year. However, they are most common
from March through July.
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Page 4 of 21
Twister!
How Does a Tornado Form?Most tornadoes start as thunderstorms. During those storms, heavy rain and
lightning are common. Large hail, or ball-shaped pieces of ice, may also
fall.
Tina Rencelj/Shutterstock
Large thunderstorm clouds appear in the sky. The clouds become dark.
Thunder can be heard.
Jim Reed/Getty Images
Warm and cold air meet. Air rises from the ground to the clouds. If the rising
air starts to spin, a funnel-shaped cloud can form.
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Page 5 of 21
Twister!
Jim Reed/Getty Images
The funnel-shaped cloud spins faster. When the bottom of the cloud
touches the ground, it becomes a tornado.
A.T. Willett/Getty Images
As the tornado travels across the ground, it picks up anything in its way.
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Page 6 of 21
Wild Weather
Wild Weather
fotostock/Superstock
Blizzard
March is filled with many different types of weather. Weather is the
condition of the outside air. Tornadoes are one type of weather. Tornado
winds can reach 300 miles per hour. That's as fast as some airplanes can
fly. Keep reading for answers to some common questions about weather.
The Truth About WeatherThere is a science behind every kind of weather. Uncover some interesting
weather facts.
Why do clouds sometimes look as if they are on the ground instead of
in the sky?
Sometimes clouds form near the ground. That is called fog. Both fog and
clouds are made up of tiny drops of water that hang in the air. Fog forms
over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.
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Page 7 of 21
Wild Weather
What is a blizzard?
A blizzard is a winter storm with strong winds. The wind blows the snow so
that it is hard to see. Most blizzards last at least three hours.
Which comes first, thunder or lightning?
photos.com
Lightning
Thunder and lightning happen at the same time. As lightning strikes, it heats
the air around it. That causes the air to expand. When the air expands, we
hear a loud crash called thunder. The sound reaches us after we have seen
the lightning.
How does rain make a rainbow?
Rainbows appear when sunlight passes through raindrops in the sky. As the
light passes through, it is broken up into seven colors: red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Cloud Coverage
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Page 8 of 21
Wild Weather
Corel Images
Roy G. Biv is a name made with the first letters of the colors in a rainbow.
Clouds form when warm air rises and then cools.
Cirrus clouds are white, wispy streaks high in the sky. Inside these clouds is
ice.
Cumulonimbus clouds are large thunderclouds. Thunderstorms and
tornadoes can form in these clouds.
Cumulus clouds are large and puffy. They usually form near the ground and
rise to the sky.
Stratus clouds are thick layers of clouds low in the sky. Light rain or snow
can fall from these clouds.
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Page 9 of 21
Secrets of the Rain Forest
Secrets of the Rain Forest
Roine Magnusson/Getty Images
David Sheldon
Life in a Tropical Rain Forest
What can you find in this amazing place?
Welcome to a tropical rain forest! It is a warm, rainy place with many tall
trees. More than half of the world's species, or types, of plants and animals
are found here.
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Page 10 of 21
Secrets of the Rain Forest
Layers of LifeA tropical rain forest has four layers. From top to bottom, the forest is full of
life.
Ian Cumming/Getty Images
People walk on a bridge through a tropical rain forest canopy.
Trees Clean the AirYou can thank tropical rain forests for
keeping the air clean. Trees help to
recycle Earth's air. The leaves take in a
gas called carbon dioxide. Too much
carbon dioxide in the air is harmful to
people. The leaves then give off a gas
called oxygen. People need oxygen to stay alive.
Marion Brenner/Jupiter Images
Lemon trees grow in tropical rain forests.
Foods and MedicineWhat do lemons, chocolate, and cashew
nuts have in common? They are foods
that first came from tropical rain forests.
Hundreds of foods grow there today.
Many medicines are made from rain forest
plants. Today, scientists are studying the
plants to find new medicines to cure
diseases.
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Page 11 of 21
Discover the Rain Forest!
Discover the Rain Forest!
Many animals live in a tropical rain forest. Some of them have bright colors.
The red-eyed tree frog is one of those animals.
USDA.com
A leaf-cutting ant uses leaves to make a tent for shelter.
What are some others?
What a Colorful Place!
A tropical rain forest is a warm, wet place.
It is a home for many animals. Many kinds
of plants grow there too. Read about the
layers of a rain forest.
The emergent layer is the top layer. It is
made up of the tops of the very tallest
trees. It is home to many birds and insects. Macaws fly up in the trees here.
They like to call loudly to each other. These birds eat fruits, nuts, and
flowers.
The canopy is made up of the tops of most other rain forest trees. It is
home to many animals. Sloths hang upside down from tree branches here.
Big, strong claws on the sloth's feet help it grab a branch. The furry sloth
does not move much.
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Discover the Rain Forest!
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Jaguars live in the understory of the rain forest.
The understory is a dark, cool layer
under the leaves of many trees. Emerald
tree boas wrap around branches of trees
here. The boa hunts at night to catch birds
and other small animals. This snake can
open its jaws wide enough to swallow a
bird whole!
The forest floor is dark and damp. Not
much sunlight reaches it. Leaf-cutter ants
work hard here, using their sharp jaws to cut pieces of leaves. This ant
carries leaves that are 20 times its weight. That is like a person carrying a
1-ton load!
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Page 13 of 21
Let's Explore Caves!
Let's Explore Caves!
The Cool World of Caves
photos.com
A cave is an empty space inside Earth. Its opening is usually on the side of a hill. Caves are filled with a lot of interesting things. What hangs out in caves?
Caves are home to many different animals. Like any home, a cave suits the
creatures that live in it. Some animals can survive only in a cave's unique
ecosystem. An ecosystem is an environment in which certain plants and
animals depend on each other to live. So, just what lives in caves?
A Blind FindYou might see blind salamanders in caves, but they won't see you! Blind
salamanders do not need sight. They live in the darkest parts of caves-in
water or on land. They are able to catch food by feeling the movements of
other animals.
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Page 14 of 21
Let's Explore Caves!
Going Up or Down?When water mixes with calcium and drips inside caves, it hardens and
builds up over time. That creates cone-shaped objects called stalactites and
stalagmites. Stalactites hang from the ceiling. Stalagmites rise from the
ground. Sometimes they meet and form columns.
Hanging AroundMany bats sleep in cave doorways. They fly out to find food. Some bats
hibernate in caves during the winter.
sxc.hu
A bat.
Lots of LegsMillipedes like to chill out in the cool, damp middle sections of caves. They
can have anywhere from 80 to 400 legs! Having so many legs helps them
dig their way underground.
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Page 15 of 21
Let's Explore Caves!
Sneaky Snake
photos.com
A snake.
Rat snakes do not live in caves, but they sure do like to visit! Rat snakes
slither through cave openings to look for food.
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Page 16 of 21
Eruption!
Eruption!
Mexico's "Volcano of Fire" roars back to life. When will the next big explosion occur?
Colima Volcano Observatory
The Colima Volcano
The Colima (koh-LEE-mah) Volcano in Mexico has
roared to life again. The 12,500-foot volcano is
also called the "Volcano of Fire." Over the past few
centuries, it has had several major eruptions.
The Volcano of Fire is Mexico's most
active volcano. It has erupted many times over the
years. What scientists are most worried about is
the next big eruption. The volcano has had huge
eruptions about every hundred years. In the 20
th
century, there was one that took place in 1913.
Leigh Haeger
Scientists study the pattern of activity and compare
it to data taken from the major eruption of 1913.
Volcano experts can use their studies to predict a
time period when there might be a large, explosive
eruption.
Living Near the Volcano
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Page 17 of 21
Eruption!
Leigh Haeger
Inside a volcano.
The volcano is 20
miles north of the city of Colima. To make
sure no one is in danger, officials created
a safety zone around the volcano. People
aren't allowed in that area.
Scientists use special equipment to track
changes within the volcano. "We're
looking for clues of another large,
explosive eruption," says Luhr. "That way, we can be prepared."
How a Volcano Works
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Page 18 of 21
Eruption!
Volcanoes are openings called vents on the surface of Earth. Volcanoes
can be active (currently erupting or erupted not long ago), dormant (not
currently active but likely to erupt someday), or extinct (unlikely to erupt
again).
Magma is hot, melted rock beneath the surface of the Earth. When magma
erupts onto the surface of the Earth, it is called lava. Magma collects in
chambers beneath Earth's surface. After pressure from gases in the magma
builds up, the magma erupts out of volcanoes. Volcanoes let out gases,
ash, steam, and lava.
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Page 19 of 21
Mexico's Natural Wonder: Paricutin Volcano
Mexico's Natural Wonder: Paricutin Volcano
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Paricutin Volcano erupting
The Paricutin Volcano in Mexico earned its title as one of the seven natural
wonders of the world in an explosive way.
In 1943, this volcano emerged from a cornfield in a village about 200 miles
west of Mexico City. People living in the area had been feeling the ground
shake and hearing it rumble for weeks. Then one day, the earth in the
cornfield rose up about six feet! Ash and vapor exploded from the ground.
By later that day, a small cone shape had formed. The volcano had begun
erupting, sending lava and pieces of molten rock into the air. As these rock
pieces landed around the new volcano, the cone shape grew bigger and
bigger.
As Paricutin continued erupting, the surrounding area was covered in
smoke and ash. People were forced to leave.
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Page 20 of 21
Mexico's Natural Wonder: Paricutin Volcano
The eruption was most intense during the first year. By the end of the first
year, the volcano was over 1000 feet high! Within two years, only the top of
a church was visible above all the lava.
Paricutin continued exploding for about nine years before stopping. It is now
about 1,391 feet high!
Now, Paricutin is considered extinct. But during the nine years it was active,
scientists studied the volcano closely. Paricutin is the first volcano that
scientists were able to study and document from birth to death. Thanks to
this natural wonder, scientists learned a lot about volcanoes.
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