PHILIPPINE FAULT LINES AND TRENCHES

This is a map showing the active faults and trenches in the Philippines. The Philippine Fault Zone is a 1,200 km zone that runs across the country. It extends from Bangui, Ilocos Norte, crosses Infanta, Quezon and travels across Northern Samar, and traverses up to Mati, Davao Oriental.

The fault zone has been the source of large-magnitude earthquakes over the years including magnitude 7.7 Luzon earthquake in 1990 and the magnitude 6.2 Masbate earthquake in 2003.

List of faults in the Philippines:
Bangui Fault
West Ilocos Fault System
Dummon River Fault Sytem
Abra River Fault
Divalacan Fault
Tubao Fault
Casiguran Fault
East Zamabales Fault
Iba Fault
Digdig Fault
Infanta Fault
Guinyangan Fault
Valley Fault System
Central Marinduque Fault
Lubang Fault
Sibuyan Fault
Central Mindoro Fault
Aglubang River Fault
Lake Bato Lineament
Southern Mindoro Fault
Northern Samar Lineament
Tablas Fault
Masbate Fault
Southern Samar Lineament
West Panay Fault
Central Negros Fault
Cebu Linemanet
Central Leyte Fault
East Bohol Fault
Cabanglasan Fault
Tagoloan River Fault
Lanao Fault System
Davao River Fault
Lianga Fault
Eastern Mindanao Fault
Central Mindanao Fault
Mati Fault
Tangbulan Fault
Mindanao Fault Daguma Extension
Zamboanga Fault System

The Philippines has six trenches.

The Philippine Trench is an underwater or submarine trench to the east of the Philippines that has a length of about 1,320 km and a width of about 30 km. Separated by the Benham Plateau, on its north is the East Luzon Trench.

Other trenches include Manila Trench, Negros Trench, Sulu Trench, and Cotabato Trench.




References:
http://www.affordablecebu.com/load/philippine_government/philippines_fault_lines_and_trenches/5-1-0-28503
http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=379&Itemid=500023

PANGAEA

The Continental Drift Theory explains the existence of a supercontinent before its pieces drifted apart and resulted to smaller continents. This idea was presented in 1912 by geophysicist and meteorologist Alfred Wegener.

The supercontinent was named Pangaea ("all the Earth") by Wegener.

This is an illustration of supercontinent Pangaea.

This is an illustration that represents Pangaea before and after.

The seven continents of the world are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

The continents fit together, and are like puzzle pieces of Pangaea.

Reference:

http://www.livescience.com/37529-continental-drift.html

THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

Above is an illustration of the Earth's internal structure. You'll see the Earth's crust, mantle, outer and inner cores.

The crust is the Earth's covering. It has two different types - the thin oceanic crust and the thick continental crust. The thin oceanic crust are mostly made up of basalt, and underlies the ocean basins, while the thick continental crust is mostly made up of granite, and underlies the continents.

The Earth's mantle is its second layer, lying between the crust and the core. It is the biggest part of the Earth, and takes up 84% of its volume. The mantle is divided in two sections - the Asthenosphere and the Lithosphere. The Asthenosphere is found below the Lithosphere, and is made up of plastic-like fluid. The Lithosphere, on the other hand, is at the top part of the mantle, and is made up of cold, dense rock. The mantle has an average temperature of 3000 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature of the mantle is beneath the crust, while the highest temperature is where the mantle is in contact with the core.

The core of the Earth is its source of heat. It is divided into the outer core and the inner core. The outer core is liquid because the temperatures found here can melt the iron and nickel alloy. The inner core is solid and has a temperature higher than the outer core.

The internal structure of the Earth can be compared to the cross-section of any fruit, such as this calamansi:

Its green outer layer represents the Earth's crust.

When you cut it in half, you'll see a very thin part of its skin, the seeds, and its yellow flesh. The yellow flesh represents the Earth's mantle, and the seeds its core. 

References:

http://gamediv1.weebly.com/mantle.html

http://geology.com/nsta/earth-internal-structure.shtml

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS

Topography is the study of the features and shape of the Earth's surface, and topographic maps represent this surface. 

Included in a topographic map is a map scale, vertical scale, and contour lines. A map scale cover areas from a block, a city, on the entire Earth, while a vertical scale allows the determination of a point in 3-D space. The contour lines are lines that are made from connecting points of equal elevation.

Topographic map of Metro Manila

A screenshot of a part of Metro Manila taken from Google Maps

Streams in topographic maps are easy to identify as they are represented by blue lines. Streams are found in local topographic lows. When contour lines run down the streams, they form V-shape patterns and point uphill.

Rerefences:

http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geog/basics/topo.htm

http://faculty.chemeketa.edu/afrank1/topo_maps/streams.htm

http://weather.gladstonefamily.net/topoweb/guide.html

ALL ABOUT THE PLASTICS

What are plastics and where do they come from?

Plastic is the common term for different synthetic and semi-synthetic materials used in a wide-range of application.

Plastics are polymers, or chains of like molecules that are linked together. They are derived from materials found in the environment. Most plastics are made from natural products such as cellulose, coal, and natural gas, and oil.

Plastics are usually lightweight, and with varying degrees of strength.  It can be cast, pressed, or extruded into bottles, boxes, fibers, and a lot more.

The two categories of plastic materials are thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. Thermoplastics can be heated up to form products. When these products are heated again, the plastic will again melt. Majority of plastics are under this category. Thermoplastics are usually used in food packaging. Examples also include jugs and soft drink bottles. Thermosetting plastics, on the other hand, can be heated and formed, but can no longer be reheated. They stay solid, and cannot melt again. Examples of thermoset plastics are epoxy and phenolic adhesives. These kinds of plastic are used in automobiles and construction.

Different kinds of plastics include polybutylene, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyethylene, and polymethylpentene.


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References:

https://www.plasticsmakeitpossible.com/about-plastics/types-of-plastics/what-are-plastics/

http://www.plasticseurope.org/what-is-plastic.aspx

https://plastics.americanchemistry.com/How-Plastics-Are-Made/

MINERALS IN THE PHILIPPINES

The Philippines is rich in minerals such as copper, chromite, and gold. Many of the equipment that we use were made of these minerals. Below are some minerals being mined in the country, and their uses.

1. Copper

- Conduction of electricity

- Cooking utensils, heat exchanges, heat sinks

2. Chromite

- Chrome plating

- Alloying

- Production of superalloys, nichrome, stainless steel

3. Cobalt

- Aircraft engine parts

- Batteries and electroplating

4. Gypsum

- Cement, plaster of Paris, hardening retarder, soil conditioning, wallboard

5. Iron

- Steel

6. Nickel

- Stainless steel

7. Silver

- Silver tableware

- Mirrors

- Batteries, brazing alloys, dental alloys, electrical contacts, solder

8. Sulfur

- Black gunpowder, fireworks, matches, 

- Vulcanization of rubber

- Fungicide, fumigant, insecticide

- Phosphate fertilizers


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References:
http://tagaloglang.com/minerals-and-the-mining-industry/
http://geology.com/minerals/copper.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromite
http://www.chemicool.com/elements/cobalt.html
http://geology.com/minerals/gypsum.shtml
http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/26/iron
http://periodic.lanl.gov/28.shtml
http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/47/silver
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/science/sulfur-uses.html

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Minerals in the Philippines
II. All About the Plastics
III. Topographic Maps
IV. The Internal Structure of the Earth
V. Pangaea
VI. Philippine Fault Lines and Trenches
VII. Philippine Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics
VIII. The Big One
IX. Relative Dating of Rocks
X. Characteristics of Living Things
XI. Plant Anatomy
XII. Asexual Reproduction in Plants
XIV. The Different Life Forms
XV. Conservation Biology
XVI. Species Diversity