Have you ever seen a gemstone that looks like it has a rainbow trapped inside? Opals are amazing gemstones that can flash with blues, greens, reds, and oranges when light hits them. But how do they form, and what makes their colors appear?
Spark Your Learning!
1. Set up your science mini spark recording page: #45: The Amazing World of Opals.
2. Watch the video to discover how geology, chemistry, and light work together to create these incredible stones! Make a mini dictionary page for this video. Include 8-10 words with definitions.
3. Opals begin forming when water carries tiny particles of a substance called silica through rocks. As the water evaporates, the silica gradually forms a solid gemstone.
Explain how water and silica work together to form an opal.
Name two places or materials in which opals can form, according to the video.
Why can an opal appear to change colors when you look at it from different angles?
4. Imagine you have discovered a new opal deep underground. You need to explain to other scientists why your discovery is special.
Write a short science discovery report that includes:
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A creative name for your opal.
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A description of its colors and patterns.
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An explanation of how it formed.
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An explanation of the science behind its colors.
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One question you would like to investigate about your opal.
Optional: Include a labeled drawing of your discovery!
5. Turn in your completed Science Mini Spark to your teacher or EY Coordinator.
Learn more about this topic by completing the gemologist badge at the EY website.
