When most of you think about rocks and minerals you might not consider your own backyard as a great place to start looking. But it is! Illinois has some fascinating rocks and minerals! We have some great minerals like mica, quartz and fluorite! Here is a list of the common ones found in this state.
Did you know that some minerals change color or even "glow" under ultraviolet light? This is due to specific "activators" within the makeup of the mineral. When the wavelengths strike the minerals, the light is then reflected back in a longer wavelength by excited electrons. Only about 15% of minerals have the ability to glow, or fluoresce. Here are some great pictures and more background on the way it works.
 |
| http://geology.com/articles/fluorescent-minerals/ |
No comments:
Post a Comment