Sapphire

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

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/sapphire

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 chemical formula?α-Al2O3 (Aluminum Oxide)
2. What is the mohs hardness?9.0
3. Why is a sapphire usually blue?The blue color comes from tiny amounts of iron and titanium inside the crystal. These elements give the light a blue tint.
4. Where do sapphires grow in the Earth?Sapphires form under high heat and pressure in rocks like gneiss and schist, or they can be found in river deposits where older rocks have worn away.

Metamorphic Rocks: Rocks that have been changed from their original form by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.
Crystal Lattice: The unique, repeating three-dimensional arrangement of atoms or molecules in a crystal.
Substrate: A base layer upon which electronic components or thin films are deposited or grown.