Shadows

Another view of the petrified wood house taken in Columbus, TX... more

by TN Fairey

Title

Shadows

Artist

TN Fairey

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

Another view of the petrified wood house taken in Columbus, TX

Petrified wood (from the Greek root petro meaning "rock" or "stone"; literally "wood turned into stone") is the name given to a special type of fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation . It is the result of a tree or tree-like plants having completely transitioned to stone by the process of per mineralization. All the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (mostly a silicate, such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the stem tissue. Unlike other types of fossils which are typically impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a three-dimensional representation of the original organic material. The petrifaction process occurs underground, when wood becomes buried under sediment and is initially preserved due to a lack of oxygen which inhibits aerobic decomposition. Mineral-laden water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals in the plant's cells; as the plant's lignin and cellulose decay, a stone mould forms in its place.
In general, stem tissue takes less than 100 years to petrify . The organic matter needs to become petrified before it decomposes completely. A forest where such material has petrified becomes known as a petrified forest
Elements such as manganese, iron and copper in the water/mud during the petrifaction process give petrified wood a variety of color ranges. Pure quartz crystals are colorless, but when contaminants are added to the process the crystals take on a yellow, red, or other tint.
Following is a list of contaminating elements and related color hues:
� Carbon - black
� Cobalt - green/blue
� Chromium - green/blue
� Copper - green/blue
� Iron oxides - red, brown, and yellow
� Manganese - pink/orange
� Manganese oxides - blackish/yellow
Petrified wood can preserve the original structure of the stem in all its detail, down to the microscopic level. Structures such as tree rings and the various tissues are often observed features.
Petrified Wood is a fossil in which the organic remains have been replaced by minerals in the slow process of being replaced with stone. This petrifaction process generally results in a Quartz Chalcedony mineralization. Special rare conditions must be met in order for the fallen stem to be transformed into Fossil Wood or Petrified Wood. In general, the fallen plants get buried in an environment free of oxygen (anaerobic environment), which preserves the original plant structure and general appearance. The other conditions include a regular access to mineral rich water flowing through the tissues, replacing the organic plant structure with inorganic stone. The end result is Petrified Wood, a plant, with its original basic structure in place, replaced by stone. This process could occur in less than one thousand years. Exotic minerals allow the rare red and green hues that can be seen in more rare specimens

Uploaded

April 21st, 2013