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amethyst crystals
diamond
graphite
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diamond and graphite are made of pure carbon. Why are they so different.
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Diamond is one of the hardest minerals in the world.
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graphite is soft and brittle. You might be holding a piece in your hand right now.
it's all about how the atoms are arranged
or the "Atomic Structure."
our fluorescent mineral collection
What is a Fluorescent Mineral?
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All minerals have the ability to reflect light. That is what makes them visible to the human eye. Some minerals have an interesting physical property known as "fluorescence." These minerals have the ability to temporarily absorb a small amount of light and an instant later release a small amount of light of a different wavelength. This change in wavelength causes a temporary color change of the mineral in the eye of a human observer.
The colour change of fluorescent minerals is most spectacular when they are illuminated in darkness by ultraviolet light (which is not visible to humans) and they release visible light.
we have 10 specimens. Enjoy
our class specimens look a little different
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