cristobalite

[ kri-stoh-buh-lahyt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Mineralogy.

a polymorph of quartz occurring in volcanic rock in the form of colorless, translucent crystals.

cristobalite

/ krɪsˈtəʊbəˌlaɪt /

a white microcrystalline mineral consisting of silica and occurring in volcanic rocks. Formula: SiO 2

1885–90; named after San Cristóbal, a hill near Pachuca de Soto, Mexico; -ite ¹

C19: from German, named after Cerro San Cristóbal, Mexico, where it was discovered

The crystals, called cristobalite and tridymite, swim in clouds around stars just before they begin to form planets.

April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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