What Is Amber？
Are you looking for an easy way to teach your child about organic gemstones? We’ve put together a set of free materials that parents and teachers can use right away. In this lesson, your child will dive into the fascinating world of amber.
We’ll explore the formation process and characteristics of amber. Explore science in a more engaging way with captivating 3D videos and interactive quizzes. Download our app to get started!
Table of Contents
What you will learn from this lesson
- Amber is an organic gemstone from tree resin.
- Amber forms from resin over millions of years.
- Amber is a relatively soft gemstone.
What Are the Types of Amber?
Amber is an organic gemstone composed of tree resin. Tree resin is a sticky liquid secreted from the inside of tree bark. The secretion of this resin is the first step in the formation of amber.
Amber comes in many types. These types include blue amber, green amber, and blood amber. Sometimes, amber can contain preserved insects, which is a very rare find.
How is Amber Formed?
The formation of amber is a multi-step process that takes millions of years. It begins when sticky tree resin is secreted from a tree. This resin can sometimes trap tiny organisms like ants, covering them completely.
The next step is for the resin to get buried under layers of leaves and dirt deep underground. The resin continues to harden under intense heat and pressure. Only after millions of years is the hard gemstone, amber, finally formed.
Is Amber a Hard Gemstone?
While the resin hardens over time, amber is only relatively soft. This softness means that it’s prone to damage during its long formation process.
This susceptibility to damage is what contributes to amber being a rare find. Because the original material, tree resin, has to be buried underground for millions of years before it fully turns into amber, finding perfectly preserved pieces is uncommon.
Fun Fact
- The sticky tree resin that forms amber sometimes traps and preserves insects.
- Amber comes in various shades, from clear to yellow, and even rare colors like blue and green, depending on its chemical composition.
- Amber is a rare gemstone because its relative softness makes it prone to damage during its formation.
Vocabulary
- Organic Gemstone: A gemstone composed of material that was produced by an organism, such as plants or animals.
- Amber: It is an organic gemstone composed of tree resin.
- Tree Resin: A sticky liquid substance secreted from inside a tree’s bark. This material is the foundation of amber.