Natural Land

Our first Natural Land Feature of 2008 is the Mayon Volcano. We present this particular valcano because it is considered one of the most active volcanos on our planet. Also because it is a natural wonder as it towers over 8,000 feet upwards for all to see. Often smoking like a chimney, and it's high activity, it has been dubbed as part of, whats known as, The Pacific ring of Fire.

Volcanologists have classified this volcano as a stratovolcano. It was formed over many eruptions into the almost perfect symetrical cone we see. With each eruption the pyroclastic flows and lava flowed down creating layer on-top of layer forming this wonder. Over a 400 year period the Mayon Volcano has erupted almost 50 times. It is located on the island of Luzo northwest of the city of Legazpi.

Elevation 2,463 metres 8,081 ft 
Location Albay, Philippines 
Coordinates 13°15′24″N 123°41′6″E 13.25667, 123.685 
Type Stratovolcano 
Last eruption 2006

Earth, the only known planet with life. Planet Earth consists of a core of molten iron and nickel, surrounded by a "mantle" of solid elements(iron, silicon, aluminum, and oxygen), with a crust near the surface. It has multi-levels of loose rock, dirt, clay and sand on the surface of the crust. Also we know the surface is covered mostly by water. There are about 8 elements that make up all of the earth's crust, mainly: calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, oxygen, magnesium, aluminum, and silicon.

Where the land is visable on the earths' surface, we call them continents, and they are about 35 km thick. Where beneath the oceans the land is only about 7 km thick. Most of the earth's mass comes from the mantle layer. It is solid making up 70% of the mass. Another 30% comes from the 1270 km thick core of the earth, the iron and nickel center. Only 1% stems from the crust or surface layer of earth.

 Statistics
Mass (kg) 5.976e+24 
Equatorial radius (km) 6,378.14 
Mean density (gm/cm^3) 5.515 
Mean distance from the Sun (km) 149,600,000 
Rotational period (days) 0.99727 
Rotational period (hours) 23.9345 
Orbital period (days) 365.256 
Tilt of axis (degrees) 23.45 
Mean surface temperature 15%deg;C 
Atmospheric pressure (bars) 1.013 
Atmospheric composition Nitrogen 77%
Oxygen 21% Other 2%

Rock is a substance composed of minerals.Rocks are classified according to thier mineral composition and the processes that formed them. There are three processes known to make igneous rock, sedimentary rock, and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock comes from the process of molten magma. Sedimentary rock comes from the process of deposits and compression. Metamorphic rock comes from igneous or sedimentary rock that has been altered by temperature.

Another interesting thing about rock that brings it to our site for our readers, is it's ability to hold an imprint of organic materials. These imprints are know as fossils and have played a major role in our wisdom, when it come to the history of our planet earth. Many historical facts are based on fossil finds. In fossils we have discovered a past on earth that does not exist today. Many plants, animals, and organisms, have been found in fossil imprints embedded in various rock all over the earth. A sort of fossil record is being compiled constantly giving man great insight to our past.

A mineral is composed of only one substance. There are about 3000 different minerals in the world. Minerals are made of a single chemical or a combination of chemicals. There are 103 known chemical elements. Minerals are classified into these 8 groups below, with examples given for each group.

• Nitrates, Carbonates, Borates ~ calcite, dolomite, malachite
• Sulfates, Chromates, Tungstates ~ celestite, barite, gypsum
• Native Elements ~ copper, silver, gold, nickel,iron, diamond
• Sulfides ~ sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite
• Halides ~ halite, fluorite
• Oxides, Hydroxides ~ corundum, hematite
• Phosphates, Arsenates, Vanadates ~ apatite, turquoise
• Silicates ~ quartz, almandine garnet, topaz, jadeite, talc,

The air fern, which is labeled in stores and some garden centers as: "A plant that needs no water or fertilizer", is actually the skeletal remains of a tiny sea animal called Sertularia, a distant relative of coral. They look like ferns and have extremely fine foliage. In stores they are also sold as "air plants" or "air moss". The skeletons are collected by ships which dredge for them along coastal areas and in streams or rivers. They are then treated with chemicals and dyed green. If you have an air fern, don't water or fertilize it!