Ronnie Hedlund, age 14, of Gulfport, Miss., for his question:

IS POPOCATEPETL AN ACTUAL VOLCANO?

Popocatepetl is a famous volcano about 40 miles southwest of Mexico City. Here's how you say the name: poh poh kah tay PET 1.

The Aztec name means "smoking mountain." It is often simply called Popo.

The top of Popocatepetl is always covered with snow. At 17,887 feet, it is one of North America's highest peaks. In the clear Mexico City air, the mountain seems to be closer to the city than it really is.

Popocatepetl is a volcano that has not erupted violently in many years. However, clouds of smoke and gas and sometimes stones and ashes regularly pour from it. There was a small eruption of ash from the crater in 1943, but the last major eruption occured in 1702.