Thursday, December 31, 2009

Ultrabasic Rock



an IGNEOUS ROCK that contains many silicate minerals of iron and magnesium such as AMPHIBOLES and PYROXENES, and with SILICA occurring as quartz.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

______________________________________

An igneous rock with a very low silica content and rich in minerals such as hypersthene, augite and olivine. These rocks are also known as ultramafic rocks.

Taken from Geology.com

Tangent


a function of an angle in a right-angled triangle, defined as the ratio of the side opposite the angle to the length of the side adjacent to it. Also, in geometry, a straight line that just touches the circumference of a circle.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

__________________

In geometry, the tangent line (or simply the tangent) to a curve at a given point is the straight line that "just touches" the curve at that point (in the sense explained more precisely below). As it passes through the point of tangency, the tangent line is "going in the same direction" as the curve, and in this sense it is the best straight-line approximation to the curve at that point. The same definition applies to space curves and curves in n-dimensional Euclidean space.


Similarly, the tangent plane to a surface at a given point is the plane that "just touches" the surface at that point. The concept of a tangent is one of the most fundamental notions in differential geometry and has been extensively generalized; see Tangent space.


The word "tangent" comes from the Latin tangere, meaning "to touch".


Taken from Wikipedia

Sabkha


a flat, coastal belt situated between desert dunes and a lagoon or the sea. It is a site for the formation of evaporite deposits, notably CARBONATES and sulphates. It is named after the Trucial Coast in the Persian Gulf, sabkha being the Arabic word for salt flat.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

_________________

Sabkha is a transliteration of the Arabic word for a salt flat. Sabkhas are supratidal, forming along arid coastlines and are characterized by evaporite-carbonate deposits with some siliciclastics. Sabkhas form subareal, prograding and shoaling-upward sequences that have an average thickness of a meter or less. The accepted type locality is along the coast of the Persian Gulf in the United Arab Emirates. This article outlines research into the evolution, hydrocarbon potential, climate, and dynamic nature of these deposits.

Taken from Wikipedia

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Radar


(radio detection and ranging) the use of radio waves to discover the presence and distance of an object. Radar is used in the navigation of aircraft, ships, missiles and satellites.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

_________________

Radar is an object detection system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range, altitude, direction, or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The term RADAR was coined in 1941 as an acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging. The term has since entered the English language as a standard word, radar, losing the capitalization. Radar was originally called RDF (Radio Direction Finder, now used as a totally different device) in the United Kingdom, in order to preserve the secrecy of its ranging capability

Taken from Wikipedia

Quadrilateral


any geometric shape that has four sides, e.g., a rectangle, square, kite, parallelogram, rhombus.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

__________________________


In geometry, a quadrilateral is a polygon with four 'sides' or edges and four vertices or corners. Sometimes, the term quadrangle is used, for analogy with triangle, and sometimes tetragon for consistency with pentagon (5-sided), hexagon (6-sided) and so on. The word quadrilateral is made of the words quad and lateral. Quad means four and lateral means sides. The interior angles of a quadrilateral add up to 360 degrees of arc.


Quadrilaterals are simple (not self-intersecting) or complex (self-intersecting). Simple quadrilaterals are either convex or concave.


All convex quadrilaterals tile the plane by repeated rotation around the midpoints of their edges.


Taken from Wikipedia

Palaeogeography


the study of the physical geography at periods in the past.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

___________________________________________________________


Palaeogeography (also spelled paleogeography) is the study of what the geography was in times past. It is most often used about the physical landscape, although nothing excludes its use in reference to the human or cultural environment. If the topic is landforms it could also be called paleogeomorphology.


In petroleum geology the term paleogeographic analysis is used for the detailed study of sedimentary basins, since the ancient geomorphological environments of the Earth's surface are preserved in the stratigraphic record. Paleogeographers also study the sedimentary environment associated with fossils to aid in the understanding of evolutionary development of extinct species. The reconstruction of prehistoric continents and oceans depends on paleogeographic evidence. Thus paleogeography provides critical evidence for the development of continental drift and current plate tectonic theories. For example, knowledge of the shape and latitudinal location of supercontinents such as Pangaea and ancient oceans such as Panthalassa result from paleogeographic studies.


Not to be confused with palaeography.


Taken from Wikipedia

Oblique Angle





any angle that does not equal 90º (right angle) or any multiple of 90º.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

Nacreous Clouds


a cloud formation at great height before sunrise or after sunset when its coloring is similar to mother of pearl.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

_________________________________________

Nacreous clouds, sometimes called mother-of-pearl clouds, are rare but once seen are never forgotten. They are mostly visible within two hours after sunset or before dawn when they blaze unbelievably bright with vivid and slowly shifting iridescent colours. They are filmy sheets slowly curling and uncurling, stretching and contracting in the semi-dark sky. Compared with dark scudding low altitude clouds that might be present, nacreous clouds stand majestically in almost the same place - an indicator of their great height.

Taken from Atmospheric Optics

Mach number


the speed of a body expressed as a ratio with the SPEED OF SOUND. Mach I is sonic speed, and thus below I is subsonic and above I is supersonic.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

__________________


Mach number (Ma or M) (generally pronounced /ˈmɑːk/, sometimes /ˈmɑːx/ or /ˈmæk/) is the speed of an object moving through air, or any fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance. It is commonly used to represent an object's (such as an aircraft or missile) speed, when it is travelling at (or at multiples of) the speed of sound.


\ M = \frac {{v_s}}{{u}}

where


\ M is the Mach number

\ v_s is the speed of the source (the object relative to the medium) and

\ u is the speed of sound in the medium

Labelled Compound


a compound used in radioactive tracing, where an atom of the compound is replaced by a radioactive ISOTOPE, which can be followed through a biological or physical system by means of the RADIATION it emits.

Taken from Dictionary of Science
_________________________________________

Chemical compound in which a radioactive isotope is substituted for a stable one. The path taken by such a compound through a system can be followed, for example by measuring the radiation emitted.

This powerful and sensitive technique is used in medicine, chemistry, biochemistry, and industry.

Taken from Tiscali

The Journey


Every star has that moment when she knows that the journey has begun. For Judy Ann Santos, that came when her idol Julie Vega died. When she learned about the soap opera star's death, Judy Ann disappeared, first into her room, then into the bathroom. She turned the doorknob quietly, pushed the door shut and stood in front of the sink. She looked at herself in the mirror -- then she cried.


In a strange yet funny sort of way, it confirmed for Judy Ann that she would become an actress. She was upset over Vega's death, but at the same time, couldn't stop watching herself in the mirror as tears rolled down her chubby cheeks. The little girl was mesmerized by her own reflection. "Umiiyak ako talaga, tapos bumalik ako sa kwarto ko, at umiyak ako. Tapos pumasok ako sa banyo at tiningnan ko yung sarili ko sa salamin habang umiiyak ako. In short, uma-acting ako."

But the journey of Judy Ann Lumagui Santos goes back much farther than that. Growing up in Antipolo, this baby of the family -- she had two older siblings, Jeffrey and Jackie -- had to make do with very little. Their family was cash strapped, a grocery they had owned folded up, and the separation of her parents split their meager resources even further. Growing up, she didn't have many toys, but she relied on her imagination and her resourcefulness to make things fun. Rummaging through the stock of unsold goods from their defunct grocery, she pulled out unsoiled packs of starch, and sold them to neighbors. The money she earned, she gave to her mom to help her make ends meet. She kept only enough for herself to buy a rootbeer. Then she would pretend to get drunk. "Doon ako sa puno sa likod ng bahay namin. Naglalasing lasingan. At feeling ko, talagang nalalasing ako sa rootbeer. Nahihilo hilo talaga ako. Parang totoo."

As the family's little girl, Judy Ann was especially close to her mother. Her brother and sister were closer to their father. Judy Ann was extremely possessive about her mom, and tried, in her own childish fashion, to keep her mom's affections for herself. She wanted to stay wrapped in that protective cocoon forever -- and if that meant shutting out her mother's suitors after her parents broke up, then so be it, Judy Ann told herself. She didn't care. When she grew up and started to become an actress, her directors would use that episode in her life to motivate her and make her cry. "May nanliligaw noon kay Mommy [nang magkahiwalay sila ni Daddy] na hate na hate ko. 'Yun ang ginagamit na motivation sa akin na ngumalngal ako talaga, kulang na lang magpapadyak ako."

Mommy Carol tried to understand her youngest child, but at times, no matter what she did, Judy Ann stuck to her feelings. No one else, not even her beloved mother, could make her feel any differently. "Hindi naman naloka si Mommy Carol," she laughs. "Naiintindihan naman niya kung bakit ako ganoon, pero sinusubukan niya akong i-console, 'yun nga lang, hindi ko mapigilan 'yung emosyon ko eh. Hindi talaga. Hindi ko maitago." This unrestrained show of emotions would help her much later in life as she drew from it to take on challenging acting roles. "Selfish ako pagdating sa nanay ko. Ayokong may iba. Bunso kasi ako kaya ayokong may iba."

Even in her younger days, there were already indications of the actress that Judy Ann would become.

Of course, their trip together through life has not always been blissful. The mag-ina would go on to have their tampuhan, then when Mommy Carol left the country to work -- because of which she missed out on a great deal of Judy Ann's pre-teen years -- it gave them a chance to step back and take a good look at their relationship. "Sa lahat ng mag-iina, the time comes na nagkakaroon talaga ng misunderstandings at tampuhan. Ang katumbas ng tampuhan namin ni Mommy, pag nangyari, ligwak ang buong araw ko. But these things happen for the both of you to have a deeper relationship.

"Mommy and I, we had a lot of catching up to do, because most of my pre-teen years, wala siya. Kaya minsan, nasa proseso kami na nagkakatampuhan kami. Kaya pinagdadasal ko lagi is for us to have more patience and more understanding with each other. Dahil kapag magkasundo kami, ang saya-saya namin.

At home with her sister Jackie, Judy Ann grew up in Antipolo, where she first went to school and made friends.

"Anak lang ako. Di ko alam kung ano ang nagagawa kong tama o mali. Mas higit ang takot ko sa kanya, di ko alam kung paano ko siya i-a-approach. Minsan, nag-de-debate kami, na ang ending, mag-so-sorry ako. It pains me when she cries, pero proseso 'yon ng paglaki naming dalawa. Baby girl niya ako, bunso pa. So she's really very protective. Pero hanggang ngayon, kahit matanda na ako, I still long for her touch, her hug, her comforting words. When we were promoting Ploning, ang dami kong kinausap, sobrang pagod at stressed ako. Pagkakita ko sa kanya, naiyak na lang ako. Pero pagkatapos n'on, puwede na ako humarap sa mundo. Iba talaga ang yakap ng ina. Sila lang ang puwedeng magbigay ng ganitong klaseng pag-aaruga."

Taken from Starstudio magazine: Judy Ann Santos special issue

Kame


a structure produced by glacial deposition. It occurs as a mound of sands and gravels, with bedding (that is, it is arranged in layers) and often slumping at the sides. It was formed by the melting of stagnant ice which as a result dropped its load of sediment.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

________________________________________

A kame is a geological feature, an irregularly shaped hill or mound composed of sand, gravel and till that accumulates in a depression on a retreating glacier, and is then deposited on the land surface with further melting of the glacier. Kames are often associated with kettles, and this is referred to as kame and kettle topography.

Taken from Wikipedia

Jasper


an impure variety of minutely crystalline quartz (SiO2). It is usually red, brown or yellow, and some varieties are banded, e.g. Egyptian or ribbon jasper.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

__________________________________________________________


Jasper, a form of chalcedony , is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow, brown or green in color. Blue is rare. This mineral breaks with a smooth surface, and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone. It can be highly polished and is used for vases, seals, and at one time for snuff boxes. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called striped or banded jasper. Jaspilite is a banded iron formation rock that often has distinctive bands of jasper. Jasper is basically chert which owes its red color to iron(III) inclusions. The specific gravity of jasper is typically 2.5 to 2.9.

Taken from Wikipedia

Ice Age


the spreading of ice as glaciers over areas that have, before then, been ice-free. Most is known about the last ice age during the Pleistocene geological epoch 2 million years ago. However, geological studies show evidence of earlier ice ages although less is known about these.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

_____________________________________________

The general term "ice age" or, more precisely, "glacial age" denotes a geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in an expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. An ice age is a natural system. Within a long-term ice age, individual pulses of extra cold climate are termed "glaciations". Glaciologically, ice age implies the presence of extensive ice sheets in the northern and southern hemispheres; by this definition we are still in an ice age (because the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets still exist).

Taken from Wikipedia

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Haber Process


the industrial process for the production of ammonia (NH3) by the direct combination of nitrogen and hydrogen in the presence of an iron CATALYST. The process gives a maximum yield (4o per cent) using relatively low temperatures and high pressures. The Haber process is important in industrial chemistry since it is the most economic way to produce ammonia, from which fertilizers are made.

Taken from Dictionary of Science

__________________________

The Haber process, also called the Haber–Bosch process, is the nitrogen fixation reaction of nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas, over an enriched iron catalyst, to produce ammonia. The Haber process is important because ammonia is difficult to produce on an industrial scale, and the fertilizer generated from the ammonia is responsible for sustaining one-third of the Earth's population. Despite the fact that 78.1% of the air we breathe is nitrogen, the gas is relatively unreactive because nitrogen molecules are held together by strong triple bonds. It was not until the early 20th century that this method was developed to harness the atmospheric abundance of nitrogen to create ammonia, which can then be oxidized to make the nitrates and nitrites essential for the production of nitrate fertilizer and munitions.

Taken from Wikipedia