What is obsidian

It is simply an unconditional piece of volcanic glass. Obsidian solidification on earth in most instances was subaerial.

Underwater volcanic glass has alternative names such as tachyllite and hyaloclastic. The volcanic glass and obsidian are therefore not synonymous, although you can often freely use both terms. Volcano glass is an igneous rock made up of a magmatic content mainly uncrypted. Most of it is not crystallized because the crystals had two difficult problems which restricted their growth.

Large crystals have to develop for a long moment. I gave a subtle indication of what might be the second issue. So obsidian forms from viscous magma only? Often yes, but not always. The structure of most obsidians is rhyolitic. The thickest lava has the largest concentration of silica.

Why does this matter? Since silica polymerizes magma. There are many bridges chemical connections between silica oxygen anions SiO2 , which is why it is so difficult to relocate this magma. If the water has many electrons cations , it is less viscous, because the frame system of silica is broken by these cations. The chemicals hodium silica content produce a elevated viscosity that shapes a natural glass from lava when rapidly drying.

The chemical composition is often discovered on the edges of rhyolitic lava flows recognized as obsidian flows.

The absence of crystal growth is explained by the inhibition of atomic diffusion by this high-viscous lava. Its polished surface resembled a mirror for looking into the future with crystal-clear clarity, and its volcanic roots speak to a well of raw energy that when harnessed can be soul-shaking.

The dark sheen Obsidian has many faces and for those who want to look a little closer at the deeply protective and grounding stone, keep reading. There are many different types of Obsidian stone and all come dressed in their own shades.

Here are the different kinds of Obsidian to help you select the stone you love the best. The poster child stone for the title of Obsidian, Black Obsidian is as dark as night and is a powerful tool for those seeking protection, grounding, deep-set healing and tearing the fabric of falsity to find the truth. With its luminous colors dancing beneath the surface, Rainbow Obsidian is a dreamy poetic stone. Like swirling colors in oil, this stone is also used for grounding and centering the wearer.

It is also used to keep the root chakra in check. A flurry of wonder comes with the Snowflake Obsidian Stone , where dancing patterns of white float beneath the dark surface. This is a stone known for its ability to help you shift patterns and comes with all kinds of soothing vibes to temper frayed nerves. The rich color scheme that ripples through Mahogany Obsidian is known for its fiercely protective powers.

For anyone having a vulnerable moment, Mahogany Obsidian makes sure that all attacks are warded off. The glimmer of the Golden Obsidian Stone is striking. This stone is all about stimulating growth, keeping you protected, and connecting with that root chakra — AKA the very essence of how we feel safe in this world.

As a highly protective stone, Obsidian is ever ready to keep your whole body ready for action and this means helping every inch stay detoxed. For a start, Obsidian is excellent when it comes to keeping your circulation in full and healthy flow.

Obsidian can also be extremely useful to those who suffer from digestive issues and is amazing for those who have problems with the gall bladder. In fact, the Obsidian Stone simply wants you to thrive to your fullest health. It is a crystal that keeps your heart beating full and loud and healthy, and a crystal that calls into being deep tissue healing so your body can rejuvenate and be fresh, youthful, and full of fire.

Protective and perfectly poised to help you heal deeply, the Obsidian Stone is best known for keeping you in the clear when it comes to negative emotions and negative energy.

It is a companion stone that truly helps you to feel safe. Without the night there is no day, without the darkness there is no light. This is where Obsidian swoops in to serve you. It is a truth-seeker stone and rather than encourage you to walk in falsehood, it is more about finding ways to face up to all the different angles of yourself so that you are full and ready and invulnerable when it is finally time to step into that light.

In short, Obsidian gives you all the courage you need to explore the unknown, embrace who you truly are, and to dissolve old traumas and stop holding onto all that which is no longer serving you. When you follow through with the art of letting go and facing up to your deeper self, there is so much room for growth and before you know it- those branches that you may have inadvertently been clipping are ready to reach for the sky. We are glad to have you as a Wonder Friend! Oh hi, Chloe!

You're a princess now? Well, even so, that doesn't change your Super Wonder Friend status. Your rock collection sounds solid! What's one of your favs? Thanks, Mailee! We think you are super cool, too! Hi, zach! Are you referring to Minecraft? That's very popular here at Wonderopolis! Thanks for joining the discussion and sharing your opinion, Trent! Hello, jake! You're right that obsidian is a hard material. However, it is not very tough, so it does break. Check back soon! We bet blue obsidian is really pretty, Gage!

What tools do you think you'd need to mine obsidian? How would you transport the obsidian that you found back home? Hi, Mckenzie! Obsidian forms from magma. We hope you'll embark on a Wonder Journey of your own to discover more about obsidian's history! And be sure to come back to Wonderopolis and share with us what you learn! We have Wonders of the Day about other rocks too, John! It's one of the sharpest materials around, Brooke! That's why it's important to be careful when handling pieces!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Maya! It would be great if you researched obsidian to find any associated myths or legends and shared with us what you discover! Hi, TJ! Hmmm, we're not exactly sure why obsidian gets its glassy look. We suspect it has to do with how quickly it cools from magma and its lack of mineral crystals.

We bet your obsidian snow flake is pretty cool looking, Paige! Thanks for sharing what you learned from this Wonder of the Day! Thanks for commenting, Sarah! It's true that what obsidian comes from, molten magma, is dangerous. And if obsidian is broken, it can be sharp enough to slice skin. However, overall, we think it's a pretty safe material. We're really glad you enjoyed today's Wonder of the Day, Stefan! Thanks for hanging out with us here in Wonderopolis!

Hello there, Blogging Hawks! We hope you'll keep the learning going by embarking on a Wonder Journey to discover more about obsidian! And please, come back and share what you've learned so that we learn some new things too!

Thanks for asking such a great question, Amelia! Since there are volcanoes in Alaska and Hawaii, obsidian can be found in those areas! Originally the Wonder text referred to the contiguous United States those with touching borders but we updated it to clear things up! We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature.

Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. What is obsidian? How is obsidian formed? Obsidian can be used to produce a cutting edge that is thinner and sharper than the best surgical steel. Today, thin blades of obsidian are placed in surgical scalpels used for some of the most precise surgery.

In controlled studies, the performance of obsidian blades was equal to or superior to the performance of surgical steel. Obsidian jewelry: Mahogany obsidian and snowflake obsidian cabochons set in sterling silver pendants. Obsidian for opal triplets: A thin piece of obsidian is often used as a "backing" material for opal doublets and triplets. The black obsidian adds stability to the opal and provides a dark background color that contrasts with the opal's fire.

Obsidian is a popular gemstone. It is often cut into beads and cabochons or used to manufacture tumbled stones. Obsidian is sometimes faceted and polished into highly reflective beads.

Some transparent specimens are faceted to produce interesting gems. The use of obsidian in jewelry can be limited by its durability. It has a hardness of about 5.

It also lacks toughness and is easily broken or chipped upon impact. These durability concerns make obsidian an inappropriate stone for rings and bracelets.

It is best suited for use in low-impact pieces such as earrings, brooches, and pendants. Obsidian is also used in making opal doublets and opal triplets. Thin slices or chips of opal are glued to a thin slice of obsidian to make a composite stone. The black obsidian provides an inexpensive and color-contrasting background that makes opal's colorful fire much more obvious. It also adds mass and stability to the opal that facilitates cutting it into a gem.

Freshly broken pieces of obsidian have a very high luster. Ancient people noticed that they could see a reflection in obsidian and used it as a mirror. Later, pieces of obsidian were ground flat and highly polished to improve their reflective abilities. Obsidian's hardness of 5.

Artists have used obsidian to make masks, small sculptures, and figurines for thousands of years. Article by: Hobart M. Find Other Topics on Geology. Maps Volcanoes World Maps.