Nacre

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nacre

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the material composition?Primarily aragonite platelets (CaCO3) and an organic matrix (conchiolin)
2. What is the key structural feature?Hierarchical brick-and-mortar arrangement of mineral platelets and organic layers
3. What is nacre and why does it shine?Nacre, also called mother‑of‑pearl, is a shiny material inside shells. It is made of tiny crystal plates and proteins that reflect light, giving it a glittery look.
4. How do shells make nacre?The mollusk’s mantle cells grow small aragonite crystals and glue them together with proteins. The crystals are arranged like bricks and the proteins act like mortar, making a strong, shiny layer.

Biomineralization: The process by which living organisms produce minerals, often for structural or functional purposes.
Aragonite: A polymorph of calcium carbonate, forming the crystalline platelets in nacre.
Conchiolin: A proteinaceous organic matrix that binds aragonite platelets in nacre.
Biomimetics: The study and imitation of nature's designs and processes to create new technologies.