Calcite crystals

Credit: MARTIN LAND/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Calcite crystals. These crystals are formed from calcium carbonate (CaCO3), the main constituent of limestone and marble. Calcite crystals (or calcspar) are typically hexagonal-rhombohedral, a structure that can create birefringence (double refraction), an optical property where objects viewed through a crystal have a two images. These crystals also glow under ultraviolet light.

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Keywords: birefringence, caco3, calcite, calcium carbonate, calcspar, chemical, chemistry, crystal, crystalline, crystals, double refraction, earth science, geographical, geography, geological, geology, hexagonal, mineral, rhombohedral, rock

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