Rock cycle index

The Rock cycle

Rock formation

Erosion and weathering

Identification of rocks

Grain

Cementation

Crystal structures of rocks

Sedimentary

Metamorphic

Gems

Ores

 

Birefringence

Some materials are birefringent, it means that they have 2 refractive indexes. A light beam that enters such material is refracted at two different angles!

This characteristic is very useful in the characterisation of gemstones.

Calcite, shown below, is a birefringent crystal.

calcite birefringence

Furthermore, if we look along the length of the crystal , the effect is stronger, because light travels a larger distance inside the crystal: