Do you know how are crystals formed? Find why some of them become precious gems while the others remain normal below.
What Are Crystals?
Any solid substance with a regular surface pattern in relation to internal symmetry crystallized by liquid is scientifically described as a crystal. Solid crystals can either be long-range or short-range. Long-range is a combination of several atoms while short-range is the opposite. There are only four types of crystals namely, covalent, ionic, metallic, and molecular.
How Are Crystals Formed?
From salt and sugar to pretty stones adorned on crowns, crystals can be found on anything on earth. Crystals can be formed out of three ways; vapor, solution, and melt. Most minerals occur in crystalline form before they harden and grow opaque.
Which Is the Hardest Crystal?
- A. Zircon
- B. Diamond
- C. Red Trinitite
- D. Amethyst
Crystals out in the wild are essentially vapor trapped inside rock fissures. The vapor needs a lot of time to achieve the necessary hardness, texture, color, and transparency. Impurities like iron, titanium, and chromium decide the color. The quantity of these contaminants also influences the size of the crystals.
How Are Crystals Made?
Do you know that you can make crystals at home on your countertop? They do not limit themselves to hi-tech labs and deep fissures on the earth. All you need to make the perfect crystal is vapor or solution, or any molten mineral, overpack your base with the right compound or mineral. Then, fast forward your crystal’s growth with the help of a pressure cooker by baking them at a heat between room temperature to molten lava.
Where Do Crystals Come From?
Crystals can grow anywhere with the presence of appropriate ingredients and temperature. Their size solely depends on the availability of space. Any atom with a three-dimensional connection, molt, or fumes are enough to make crystals. These atoms are mostly found in underground cavities.
Cramped crystals of different nature will give rise to conglomerate crystal stones like granite. Most crystals form nearby water sources due to the high concentrations of vapor.
How Do Crystals Grow?
Crystalline ice grows in a crystal lattice to expand in size when too much water gets trapped inside the atmosphere at a particular temperature. Atoms usually attach themselves to tiny crystals to grow and expand.
The oldest crystals on earth are 4.4 billion years old called zircons and are found near the earth’s crust. It is one of the indestructible minerals as well. A 20 sided red trinitite crystal is the newest crystal found so far.
Why Are Few Crystals Expensive?
The scarcity of the item decides the price in most cases. While sugar and salt can be found in abundance, amethyst gemstones require a combination of quartz and silicon. The rare occurrence of these combinations decides the price of the crystals.
While diamonds on the other hand were formed 30 million years ago. The diamond crystals hardened over time making them one of the hardest solids to cut and shape.