What is a Amber?

06/07/2017

  Amber - a mineral of organic origin, dull, transparent and translucent rocks, formed from ancient petrified resin of coniferous trees that grew 30-120 million years ago.

     The chemical composition of the amber - macromolecular organic acids, which are dominated succinic acid HOOC (CH <2) 2SOON also carbon, hydrogen, oxygen. In addition, small amounts of sulfur 0.1 - 0.4%. The degree of transparency and color depends on the number and location of gas bubbles in amber. Transparent amber contains gas bubbles. Opaque amber contains about 25,000 gas bubbles per square millimeter. Opaque white amber even gas bubbles to 900,000 per square millimeter. Amber is a poor conductor of electricity, so it is also used as a detention center. Amber melting point of 290 degrees Celsius. Mohs hardness between 2 and 3 on the scale of hardness. All amber burns easily. He lit the previous century, along with incense to enjoy the aroma (pitch-pine, on the whole, a pleasant smell). 

     At all times, amber had a spectacular effect on people. On the one hand, because of the many colors and color curiosity of forms, and secondly, because the transparent amber may contain prehistoric animals and parts of plants, drops of water, air - the so-called inclusions. Up to 400 different colors and shades can be found in amber: a typical cognac color, white, yellow, red, brown, blue, green and others.

     Often found in amber, ants, spiders, mosquitoes, flies, centipedes, wasps, feathers, beetles, butterflies. What prylypnuvshy to sticky resin were covered with new flows of resin. Yet some managed to escape from captivity, is evident from the fact that sometimes there are few legs, wings in amber.