Who among us doesn't know chalk? Whose pockets and fingers were not soiled as a child by a piece of light stone the color of snow? Let's find out the origin of chalk, its areas of application....

What is chalk? Properties, extraction and application

From Masterweb

12.03.2018 00:00

Who among us doesn’t know what chalk is? It can be called a “witness of eras” that passed tens of millions of years ago. This compound is of biological origin and therefore has numerous chemical and physical properties.

Features of origin

Discussing what chalk is, let's pay attention to its appearance in nature. About 80 million years ago, when dinosaurs existed on Earth, there was the Cretaceous period. In the small seas of that time lived millions of small mollusks that built their shells and skeletons from the calcium contained in the water. The remains of the creatures accumulated in multi-meter layers in the bottom sediments and turned into white chalk.

Mineral composition

In percentage terms, there are several components of this mineral:

• about 10% are fragments of the skeletons of protozoa, multicellular animals that can accumulate calcium in tissues;
• up to 10% of chalk is included in the shells of small foraminiferal mollusks;
• fragments of algae growths contain up to 40% calcium salts. Living microscopic suspension in the seas is coccolithophores, which create calcareous silt;
• up to 50% is crystalline fine calcite;
• lump chalk (in the form of silicates) – up to 3%. It is presented in the form of geological debris (sand, rock remains), which are carried by winds and currents into the Cretaceous deposits.

Compound

Discussing what chalk is, let's consider its composition. In chemistry, this name was given to calcium carbonate, which is a salt of carbonic acid. Let's take a closer look at its composition. White chalk contains up to 50% calcium oxide and about 2% magnesium oxide. What substances give color to this mineral? Studying what chalk is, we note that in some cases, it may even contain 3-4% aluminum oxide, as well as minimal amounts of iron oxides. How does this affect appearance mineral? In this case, the chalk for drawing takes on a red or pink tint.

Is blackboard chalk safe to eat? If there is a lack of calcium in the body, a person develops a craving for eating chalk. Doctors have ambivalent views on this issue. When chalk is exposed to gastric juice (concentrated hydrochloric acid), it significantly changes its properties.

Chalk, having gone through many oxidative processes, loses its initial neutrality and turns into an aggressive chemical compound, similar in properties to slaked lime (calcium hydroxide).

That is why, upon contact with oxidized chalk, the mucous membrane of the digestive organs is seriously damaged.

If in large quantities eating blackboard chalk, this provokes liming of blood vessels. In case of calcium deficiency, it is much safer to use special medications, for example, calcium gluconate.

Doctors warn patients about the inadmissibility of using agricultural feed, construction, and stationery chalk for food.

Applications

It is not advisable to use chalk as a masonry material, since it has insignificant hardness. How is this mineral mined? School chalk is mainly obtained from open-pit mines. The extracted blocks are crushed and then lowered into water.

With constant stirring, calcium particles float to the surface. They are dried and used for various purposes. Stones that have not undergone such processing are sent for firing, which results in the formation of lime.

Construction chalk

It has been used for a long time to whitewash indoor ceilings. Currently, this scope of application is practically absent, since other finishing materials have appeared.

Currently, chalk is added to cement mixtures to give them additional softness.

The mineral is also in demand in the manufacture of glass, rubber, plastics, paints and varnishes, composite mixtures, and rubber.

Chalk is used in large quantities in the linoleum and carpet industries. With its help, I regulate the viscous properties of latex glue, impart strength to products, and improve heat-saving characteristics.

The calcium mineral is also necessary for the production of soil fertilizers and animal feed. Chalk powder is the basis for creating numerous cosmetics: powder, creams, lipstick. It is difficult to imagine the functioning of the cardboard and paper industries without chalk.

Chemical and physical characteristics

Depending on the characteristics of the deposit, there may be significant differences in the natural characteristics of chalk. Air humidity has a significant impact on the material. Chalk does not dissolve in water, it forms a suspension. When moisture is absorbed, calcium carbonate loses its strength, while the ductility of the material increases significantly. This causes serious problems in the extraction and processing of the mineral; it sticks to the excavator bucket. Chalk has low frost resistance. After defrosting, the material breaks down into many individual small particles. This quality is used in agriculture to reduce soil acidity.

Differences between lime and chalk

Despite common roots, these materials differ in properties and composition. Both are considered environmentally friendly, but chalk contains carbon dioxide, and lime is obtained by burning natural limestone.

In order to independently distinguish between chalk and lime, you can take a small handful of each material, grind until it becomes dusty, then rinse with a small stream of water. The chalk will immediately be removed along with the water, but in order to get rid of the lime, you will have to work hard.

Lime whitewash leaves no traces, but chalk will remain a reminder for a long time even after the renovation is completed. Lime has been shown to have excellent antiseptic characteristics, so it is used to protect trees and shrubs from insect damage.

In conclusion

Chalk is a material that is familiar not only as a tool for teachers in schools, but also as a historical witness to the events that occurred on our planet millions of years ago.

Its main part consists of calcium deposits from the shells of protozoan prehistoric plants and microorganisms.

Chalk deposits are currently needed in various areas of production: in the creation of paints, the production of cosmetics, the development food additives. Cretaceous natural deposits often include various undesirable impurities: sand, stones, various mineral particles.

That is why chalk extracted from deposits is first crushed and then mixed with water to form a suspension. Heavy impurities settle to the bottom, light chalk particles are caught in a special container. After adding adhesive to them and drying, you get chalk suitable for drawing on a blackboard.

Among the new areas of use of chalk, we can highlight its application to the playing field. Fine particles of this substance rise into the air, so players can clearly see the lines made.

To remove sweat and fat, chalk powder is also in demand in some sports: weightlifting, gymnastics, rock climbing.

The finished product is an excellent component of toothpastes and powders. It is used as a filler in the manufacture of cardboard and paper products.

The raw mineral, mined by quarrying, is needed in the construction industry for the production of lime.

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Chalk is a white powdery substance, obtained in most cases by crushing, drying and fine grinding the original sedimentary rock. Chalk consists of grains of calcite, better known to everyone as calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate makes up almost 99 percent of the total volume of chalk. Chalk also contains tiny grains of quartz, a companion mineral of calcite. The reserves of chalk on our planet are very significant and they are not yet in danger of being depleted.

Chalk is used as a filler in paint and varnish, rubber, and other industries. The use of chalk for production is very important. building materials. The most important properties of chalk are its exceptionally white color, fairly high natural dispersion, and low abrasiveness.

Chalk is one of the most common materials used in construction and repair work. With the help of chalk diluted with water, primitive work can be carried out. This simple composition still finds its application in some cases today. Whitewashing with chalk is an inexpensive and fairly simple method that allows you to obtain an even, matte, snow-white coating that hides minor surface defects. Chalk used for whitewashing is sold dry. Chalk paste is also available for sale. To prepare a whitewash solution, it is diluted with water in a certain proportion. Chalk paste and chalk can be stored without losing their qualities and properties for a very long time. Dry chalk in some cases may contain foreign impurities, as well as unground pieces. For this reason, before preparing the whitewash solution, it is advisable to sift the chalk through a sieve, and after dissolving, strain the prepared solution. Chalk paste or dry chalk for whitening is diluted in warm water and stirred thoroughly. Laundry soap or washing powder is added to the resulting solution for additional strength. To prevent the whitewash from acquiring a yellowish tint, the solution is tinted with a small amount of blue. Instead of blue, a blue color for water-based paint is quite suitable. To obtain a more durable chalk coating in the same old-fashioned way, add a little wood glue to the whitewash solution. In this case, the whitewash will no longer stain, but it will also be much more difficult to wash it off if necessary.

Scientific and technological progress does not stand still and the whitewashing technologies discussed above are no longer used everywhere, as they were about half a century ago. Today, chalk is included in many ready-to-use paints, which are widely used for whitewashing. Chalk is also used as a filler for the production of dry construction mixtures, all kinds of grouts and plasters, plastics, paper, rubber, as well as cable products.

It is very interesting that one of the main industrial areas of consumption of fine chalk is the production of plastics. Chalk performs a number of functions in plastics. In particular, it is used to correct the whiteness of the material, reduce its cost, as well as some other purposes. In the production of rubber, chalk helps to improve the wear resistance of products, as well as to save very expensive rubber and other components. Chalk is widely used in PVC-based composite materials. It is used in significant concentrations in shoe and cable plastics. Moreover, it is used in almost all cases for the manufacture of cable sheaths.

Chalk is also widely used in non-plasticized PVC materials, in particular, for the production of profile moldings - window profiles, pipes and even finishing. A property that complicates the industrial use of chalk is its ability to aggregate even with very little moisture. This leads to its caking in bunkers and difficulty in transportation. To eliminate this drawback, chalk is subjected to hydrophobization, which involves the application of surfactants that give the chalk the ability not to be wetted by water, which ensures its fairly good flowability. The hydrophobization process can be carried out by exposing the surface of chalk particles to stearic acid. Hydrophobization of chalk occurs most fully when acid is supplied during the grinding process by spraying a hydrophobizing agent directly into the grinding chamber of the grinding unit.

Previously, due to wide availability and very low cost, natural chalk or chemically deposited chalk was used as a filler in polymer compositions in most cases. Well, recently, due to increased requirements for the quality characteristics of plastic compounds and the appearance on the market of high-quality varieties of hydrophobic chalk and its analogues, large enterprises producing PVC compositions have almost completely switched to using hydrophobized chalk, despite its relatively high cost compared to usual. This made it possible to significantly improve the technology, improve the quality and even expand the range of PVC materials manufactured using it.

And this is not all that could be written about the seemingly ordinary and extraordinary chalk.

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Modern youth devote little time to sports, not only at the professional but also at the amateur level. An extensive network of competitions operates to popularize the sport. Today we will look at which country they originated in Olympic competitions when they were carried out, the situation today.

Sports competitions of antiquity

The date of the first Olympic Games (hereinafter referred to as the Olympic Games) is unknown, but remains them - Ancient Greece. The heyday of Hellenic statehood led to the formation of a religious and cultural holiday, which for a time united the layers of selfish society.

The worship of beauty was actively cultivated human body, enlightened people sought to achieve perfection of forms. It is not for nothing that most marble statues from the Greek period depict beautiful men and women of that time.

Olympia is considered the first “sports” city of Hellas; here the winners of the championships were revered as full-fledged participants in hostilities. In 776 BC. revived the festival.

The reason for the decline of the Olympic Games is Roman expansion into the Balkans. With the spread of the Christian faith, such holidays began to be considered pagan. In 394, Emperor Theodosius I banned sports competitions.

Attention! Sports competitions provided for several weeks of neutrality - it was forbidden to declare or wage war. Every day was considered sacred, dedicated to the gods. It is not surprising that they were born Olympic Games precisely on the territory of Hellas.

Prerequisites for the revival of the Olympic Games

The ideas of world championships never completely died; England held tournaments and sports competitions of a local nature. The history of the 19th century Olympic Games is characterized by the holding of Olympia, the predecessor of modern competitions. The idea belongs to the Greeks: To Sutsos and public figure Zappas. They made the first modern Olympic Games possible.

Archaeologists have discovered clusters of ancient monumental structures of unknown purpose in the country where sports competitions originated. of those years he was very interested in Antiquity.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin considered it inappropriate physical training soldier. In his opinion, this was the reason for the defeat in the last war with the Germans (Franco-Prussian confrontation of 1870-1871). He sought to instill in the French a desire for self-development. He believed that young people should “break spears” sports arenas, and not through military conflicts.

Attention! Excavations on the territory of Greece were carried out by a German expedition, so Coubertin succumbed to revanchist sentiments. His expression “The German people found the remains of Olympia. Why shouldn’t France restore the fragments of its former power?”, often serves as fair evidence.

Baron with a big heart

is the founder modern Olympic Games. Let's spend a few words on his biography.

Little Pierre was born on January 1, 1863 in the capital of the French Empire. The youth passed through the prism of self-education, attended a number of prestigious colleges in England and America, and considered sports an integral part of the development of a person as an individual. He played rugby and was a referee in the first final of the French championship.

The history of the famous competitions was of interest to the society of that time, so Coubertin decided to hold competitions on a global scale. November 1892 was remembered for his presentation at the Sorbonne University. It was dedicated to the revival of the Olympic movement. Russian General Butovsky was imbued with Pierre's ideas, as he held the same views.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appointed de Coubertin as Secretary General, and subsequently president of the organization. Work went hand in hand with imminent marriage. In 1895, Marie Rotan became a baroness. The marriage brought two children: the first-born Jacques and daughter Renee suffered from illnesses nervous system. The Coubertin family was interrupted after the death of Marie at the age of 101. She lived with the knowledge that her husband had revived the Olympic Games and occupied a prominent position.

With the beginning, Pierre went to the front, leaving social activities. Both of his nephews died on the way to victory.

While serving as head of the IOC, Coubertin often faced criticism. The public was outraged by the “wrong” interpretation of the first Olympic Games and excessive professionalism. Many claimed that he abused his power in dealing with various issues.

Great public figure died September 2, 1937 year in Geneva (Switzerland). His heart became part of a monument near the ruins of Greek Olympia.

Important! The Pierre de Coubertin Medal has been awarded by the IOC since the death of the honorary president. Deserving athletes are recognized with this award for their generosity and adherence to the spirit of Fair Play.

Revival of the Olympic Games

The French baron revived the Olympic Games, but the bureaucratic machine delayed the championship. Two years later, the French Congress made a historic decision: the first Olympic Games of our time will take place on Greek soil. Among the reasons for this decision are:

• the desire to “outdo the nose” of a German neighbor;
• make a good impression on civilized countries;
• championship in an undeveloped area;
• the growing influence of France as a cultural and sports center Old World.

The first Olympic Games of modern times took place in the Greek polis of Antiquity - Athens (1896). Sports competitions were successful, 241 athletes expressed a desire to participate. The Greek side was so pleased with the attention from world states that they proposed to hold the competition “forever” in their historical homeland. The IOC decided on rotation between countries in order to change the host country every 4 years.

The first achievements gave way to a crisis. The stream of spectators quickly dried up, as the competitions were held for several months. The first Olympics in 1906 (Athens) saved the disastrous situation.

Attention! The national team of the Russian Empire came to the capital of France for the first time, women were allowed to participate in competitions.

Irish Olympian

James ConnollyJames Connolly – first Olympic champion peace. Working hard from an early age, he became interested in contact sports.

He studied at Harvard University and, without permission, went on a cargo ship to the shores of Greece. Subsequently he was expelled, but the first Olympiad succumbed to him.

With a result of 13 m and 71 cm, the Irishman was the strongest in the athletics triple jump. A day later, he won bronze in the long jump and silver in the high jump.

At home, he was awaited by the restored title of student, popularity and universal recognition as the first modern champion of famous competitions.

He was awarded the title of Doctor of Science in Literature (1949). He died at the age of 88 (January 20, 1957).

Important! The Olympic Games are held under the supervision of a unique symbol - five interconnected rings. They symbolize the unity of all in movement sports improvement. At the top are blue, black and red, at the bottom are yellow and green.

Situation today

Modern competitions are the founder of the culture of health and sports. Their popularity and demand is beyond doubt, and the number of participants and spectators of the competition is growing every year.

The IOC is trying to keep up with the times and has established many traditions that have taken root over time. Sports competitions are now full of atmosphere"ancient" traditions:

1. Grand performances at the opening and closing ceremonies. Everyone tries to carry them out in a big way, some of them overdo it.
2. Ceremonial passage of athletes from each participating country. The Greek team always goes first, the rest are in alphabetical order.
3. The outstanding athlete of the receiving party must take an oath of fair fight for everyone.
4. Lighting of a symbolic torch in the Temple of Apollo (Greece). It travels to participating countries. Each athlete must complete his part of the relay.
5. The presentation of medals is filled with centuries-old traditions, the winner rises to the podium, above which the national flag is raised, and the national anthem is played.
6. A prerequisite is the “first Olympics” symbolism. The receiving party designs a stylized symbol sports festival, which would reflect the national color.

Attention! The release of souvenirs can cover the costs of the event. Many European countries will share their experience on how to gain without losing anything.

Many people are interested in when the Olympic Games will take place, we hasten to satisfy the interest of readers.

Symbolic torch lighting ceremony in the temple

What year is the new championship?

First Olympics 2018 will take place on the territory South Korea. Climatic features and rapid development made it an ideal candidate for hosting the Winter Games.

Summer is hosted by Japan. Country high technology will provide safety and comfortable conditions for athletes from all over the world.

The football confrontation will take place on the fields of the Russian Federation. Now the majority sports facilities completed, work on the arrangement of hotel complexes is underway. Improving infrastructure is a priority for the Russian government.

2018 Olympics in South Korea

Prospects

Modern ways of developing these competitions suggest:

1. Increasing the number of sports disciplines.
2. Propaganda healthy image life, social and charitable events.
3. Introduction of advanced technologies for the convenience of celebrations, increased security, and comfort of participating athletes.
4. Maximum distance from foreign policy intrigues.

First Olympic Games

1896 Olympics

Conclusion

Pierre de Coubertin is the founder of the modern Olympic Games. His obsession has helped save millions of lives as countries compete openly in the sporting arena. Preserving peace was a priority at the end of the 19th century, and remains so today.

One of the most striking and massive events on the planet are the Olympic Games. Any athlete who managed to take the podium at Olympic competitions, receives the status Olympic champion for life and his achievements remain in the world history of sports for centuries. Where and how did the Olympic Games originate and what is their history? Let's try to carry out short excursion into the history of the origin and holding of the Olympic Games.

Story

The Olympic Games originated in Ancient Greece, where they represented not only a sports, but also a religious holiday. Information about the holding of the very first games and their origin has not been preserved, but there are several legends that describe this event. The first documented date for the celebration of the Olympic Games is 776 BC. e. Despite the fact that the games were held before, it is generally accepted that they were founded by Hercules. In 394 AD, with the advent of Christianity as the official religion, the Olympic Games were banned by Emperor Theodosius I, as they began to be viewed as a kind of pagan phenomenon. And yet, despite the ban on games, they have not disappeared completely. In Europe, competitions were held locally that were somewhat reminiscent of the Olympic Games. After some time, the games were resumed thanks to Panagiotis Soutsos, who proposed this idea, and thanks to public figure Evangelis Zappas, who brought it to life.

The first modern Olympic Games took place in 1896 in the country where they originated - Greece, Athens. To organize the Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was created, whose first president was Demetrius Vikelas. Despite the fact that only 241 athletes from 14 countries took part in the first Games of our time, they were a huge success, becoming a significant sporting event Greece. Initially, it was intended that the Games would always be held in their homeland, but the Olympic Committee introduced a decision that the location would change every 4 years.

The II Olympic Games of 1900, held in France, in Paris, and III Olympic The 1904 games, held in the USA, in St. Louis (Missouri), were less successful, as a result of which the Olympic movement as a whole experienced its first crisis after significant success. Since the Games were combined with World Exhibitions, they did not generate much interest among spectators, and sports competitions lasted for months.

In 1906, the so-called “intermediate” Olympic Games were held again in Athens (Greece). At first, the IOC supported the holding of these Games, but now they are not recognized as Olympic Games. There is an opinion among some sports historians that the 1906 Games were a kind of salvation of the Olympic idea, which did not allow the Games to lose their meaning and become “unnecessary.”

All rules, principles and regulations are determined by the Charter of the Olympic Games, approved in Paris in 1894 by the International Sports Congress. The Olympiads have been counted since the first Games (I Olympiad - 1896-99). Even if the games are not held, the Olympics receives its own serial number, for example the VI Games in 1916-19, the XII Games in 1940-43 and the XIII in 1944-47. The Olympic Games are symbolized by five rings of different colors fastened together ( olympic rings), denoting the union of five parts of the world - top row: blue - Europe, black - Africa, red - America, and bottom row: yellow - Asia, green - Australia. The selection of venues for the Olympics is carried out by the IOC. All organizational issues related to the Games are decided not by the selected country, but by the city. The duration of the Games is approximately 16-18 days.

The Olympic Games, like any strictly organized event, have their own specific traditions and rituals

Here are some of them:

Before the opening and closing of the games, theatrical performances are held that present to the audience the appearance and culture of the country and city in which they are held;

The ceremonial passage through the central stadium of athletes and members of delegations. Athletes from every country go separate groups in alphabetical order of country names in the language of the country in which the Games are held or in the official language of the IOC (English or French). Each group is preceded by a representative of the host country, who carries a sign with the name of the corresponding country. The standard bearer follows him, flag bearer of your country. This highly honorable mission is usually granted to the most respected and titled athletes;

Without fail, the President of the International Olympic Committee makes welcoming speeches. Also, the speech is made by the head of state in which the Games are being held;

The flag of Greece is raised as the country in which the Olympic Games originated. Her national anthem is played;

The flag of the country in which the Games are being held is raised and its national anthem is also performed; - one of the outstanding athletes of the host country of the Games takes an oath on behalf of all participants about fair fight and competitions that will comply with all the principles and rules of the sport;

The opening ceremony ends with the lighting and relay of the Olympic torch. The initial part of the relay passes through the cities of Greece, the final part - through the cities of the country in which the games are being held. The torch with fire is delivered to the city that organizes the Games on the opening day. The fire burns until the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games;

The closing ceremony is also accompanied by theatrical performances, a speech by the IOC President, the passage of participants, etc. The IOC President announces the closing of the Olympics, followed by the playing of the national anthem, the Olympic anthem, and the lowering of the flags. At the end of the ceremony the Olympic flame goes out.

Each country taking part in the Olympic Games develops its own official emblem and mascot of the Games, which become part of the souvenirs.

The following sports are included in the Olympic Games program:

A: Crossbow sport

B: Badminton, Basketball, Running, Skating, Bobsleigh, Biathlon, Billiards, Boxing, Freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling

IN: Cycling, Water polo, Volleyball

G: Handball, Sports gymnastics, Rhythmic gymnastics, Alpine skiing, Rowing, Kayaking and canoeing

D: Judo

TO: Curling, Equestrianism

L: Athletics,Ski racing, Skiing

N: Table tennis

P: Sailing,Swimming, Diving, ,Ski jumping

WITH: Luge,

If yes, you might be very interested to know impressive details of the origins of the Olympic races. The history of the Olympic Games is fascinating and full of surprises. So, let's dive into the uncharted waters of the world Olympiads?

How it all began

The famous Olympic Games in honor of Olympian Zeus originated in Ancient Greece and were held from 776 BC. e. every 4 years in the city of Olympia. Sports competitions were such a great success and of great importance for society that for a while OlimpiyskOuchthe races stopped the wars and ekehiriya - a sacred truce - was established.

People flocked to Olympia from everywhere to watch the competition: some traveled on foot, some on horseback, and some even sailed by ship to distant lands just to get a glimpse of the majestic Greek athletes. Entire tent settlements grew up around the city. To watch the athletes, spectators completely filled the hillsides around the Alpheus River valley.

After the solemn victory and the award ceremony (presentation of a wreath of sacred olives and a palm branch), the Olympian lived happily ever after. Holidays were held in his honor, hymns were sung, statues were made, and in Athens the winner was exempted from taxes and burdensome public duties. And the winner was always given the best seat in the theater. In some places, even the children of an Olympian enjoyed special privileges.

Interesting, that women were not allowed to participate in Olympic competitions under penalty of death.

The brave Hellenes competed in running, fist fighting (which Pythagoras once won), jumping, javelin throwing, and so on. However, the most dangerous were the chariot races. You won’t believe it, but the winner of equestrian competitions was considered the owner of the horses, and not the poor cab driver who risked his life to win.

There are many legends associated with the Olympic Games. One of them says that the first competitions were allegedly organized by Zeus himself in honor of the victory over his father. Whether this is true or not, it was Homer who first mentioned the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece in literature in the poem “The Iliad.”

Archaeological excavations indicate that in Olympia, 5 rectangular or horseshoe-shaped stadiums with stands for fans were built specifically for the competition.

Unfortunately, nothing is currently known about the time of the champions. It was enough to be the first to reach the finish line to gain the right to light the sacred fire. But legends tell us about Olympians who ran faster than hares, and just look at the talent of the Spartan Ladas, who left no traces on the sand while running.

Modern Olympic Games

Modern international sports competitions, known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every four years since 1896. The initiator was the French baron Pierre de Coubertin. He believed that it was insufficient physical training that prevented French soldiers from winning the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Young people should measure their strength on sports grounds, not on battlefields, the activist argued.

The first Olympic Games were held in Athens. To organize the competition we created International Olympic Committee, whose first president was Demetrius Vikelas from Greece.

Since then, the holding of the World Olympiad has become a good tradition. With the backdrop of impressive excavations and archaeological finds, the idea of ​​Olympism spread throughout Europe. Increasingly, European states organized their own sports competitions, which were watched by the whole world.

What about winter sports?

To fill the gap in winter sports competitions, which were technically impossible to hold in the summer, The Winter Olympic Games have been held since January 25, 1924. The first were organized in a French city Chamonix. Except figure skating and hockey, athletes competed in speed skating, ski jumping, etc.

293 athletes, including 13 women, from 16 countries of the world expressed a desire to compete for championship in the competition. The first Olympic champion of the Winter Games was C. Jutrow from the USA (speed skating), but in the end the leaders of the competition were the teams of Finland and Norway. The race lasted 11 days and ended on February 4.

Attributes of the Olympic Games

Now the symbol and emblem The Olympic Games have five intertwined rings that symbolize the unification of the five continents.

Olympic motto, proposed by the Catholic monk Henri Dido: “Faster, higher, stronger.”

At the opening ceremony of each Olympics they raise flag- white cloth with the emblem (Olympic rings). Lights up throughout the Olympics Olympic fire, which is brought to the venue every time from Olympia.

Since 1968, each Olympiad has its own.

The 2016 Olympic Games are planned to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the Ukrainian team will present their champions to the world. By the way, the first Olympic champion Figure skater became independent Ukraine Oksana Baiul.

The opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games are always a vibrant spectacle, which once again emphasizes the prestige and planetary importance of these global competitions.