Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

gave Apollo a lyre (a kind of stringed

instrument). Apollo loved the gift and

became skilled at playing it.With his

music, Apollo charmed the other gods at

feasts on Mount Olympus.

#More to explore

Artemis • Greece, Ancient • Hermes

• Mythology • Zeus

150 Apollo BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Appalachian

Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains of eastern

North America are lower but much

older than the Rocky Mountains in the

West. For early settlers who wanted to

move from the territory of the original

13 American Colonies to the west, the

Appalachians were a natural barrier.

The Appalachians extend almost 2,000

miles (3,200 kilometers), from the

Canadian province of Newfoundland

and Labrador in the north to the U.S.

state of Alabama in the south. The

mountains are more than 250 million

years old and have been worn down over

the years.

Because they extend so far north and

south, the Appalachians have a wide

range of temperatures. In Canada and in

the White Mountains of New Hampshire,

Arctic conditions often prevail,

especially at high elevations. The south

has milder weather, but heavy clouds

and haze are common.

Before settlers arrived from Europe, the

Appalachian area from Maine to Georgia

was completely covered by forests.

The forested area is now smaller but still

impressive. Hawks, wild turkeys, and

many kinds of songbirds make the

Appalachians their home. The region

also has black bears, white-tailed deer,

wild boars, raccoons, and beavers.

Before the arrival of Europeans, the

northern part of the Appalachians was

occupied by Native Americans of various

EasternWoodland groups. In the southern

mountains, the Cherokee were the

main inhabitants. By the middle of the

1800s, most of the Native Americans

had been removed from the area. In the

south, they were replaced by settlers who

lived in isolated communities. Separated

from the outside world by the hills,

Screw Auger Falls are in a section

of the northern Appalachian

Mountains in Maine.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Appalachian Mountains 151

 

these people made their own distinctive

culture and music.

Eastern Appalachia has rich farmland.

Cotton is grown in the south, while

tobacco and fruit are the main crops

farther north. The Appalachian area is

also known for its minerals. Coal is the

most important mineral. It is mined in

large quantities in the Appalachian Plateau,

from Pennsylvania to Alabama.

Tourism is also a major industry. The

Appalachians offer splendid scenery and

many opportunities for outdoor activities.

The Appalachian National Scenic

Trail is a hiking path that winds through

14 states on its way from Mount Katahdin,

in Maine, to Springer Mountain in

Georgia.

#More to explore

Mountain • Rocky Mountains

Appendix

The appendix is a part of the human

digestive system. It is a finger-sized tube

attached to the large intestine. The

appendix does not seem to help with

digestion. However, if it becomes

blocked or infected, it can cause an illness

called appendicitis.

Human beings are one of the few animals

that have an appendix. The human

appendix is usually 3 to 4 inches (8 to

10 centimeters) long. It is less than half

an inch (1.3 centimeters) wide. It

extends outward from the first section of

the large intestine, in the right side of

the lower belly.

Appendicitis usually occurs in people

younger than 35 years of age. The illness

happens when something (such as digestive

waste) blocks the opening of the

appendix. The appendix then swells and

becomes infected. If swelling continues,

the appendix may burst.

An attack of appendicitis usually starts

with a dull pain in the belly.Within

hours the pain may worsen. The pain

may move downward, to the right side

of the lower belly. Nausea and vomiting

are also common.

Doctors treat appendicitis by removing

the appendix. The surgery to remove an

appendix is called an appendectomy.

#More to explore

Digestive System • Intestines

Apple

Apples are one of the world’s most

widely grown fruits. People have eaten

them since ancient times. There are

thousands of varieties of apple. They

grow on trees that belong to the same

scientific family as roses.

The highest

peak in the

Appalachian

Mountains is

Mount Mitchell

in North Carolina.

It reaches

a height of

6,684 feet

(2,037

meters).

152 Appendix BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Where Apples Grow

People grow apples in North America,

Europe, and Asia. The leading producers

of apples include China, the United

States, Poland, Iran, Turkey, and France.

Apple trees grow best in areas where the

summers are mild and the winters are

somewhat cold.

Physical Features and Growth

Apple trees are small to medium in size.

In the spring they grow white flowers.

The fleshy fruits are usually ready to be

picked in autumn. Apples are red, yellow,

or greenish and fairly round. They

are about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters)

wide.

A new apple tree can grow from an apple

seed.However, it will not grow the same

variety of apple as the tree that made the

seed. Because of this, people normally

grow apple trees using another method.

They cut a twig or bud from the apple

tree to be reproduced. They attach this