Petrified Wood Formation: When wood is petrified it becomes a type of fossil. Petrified wood is formed when mineralstypically in the silicate form replace the dead tissues of the plant. In order for a plant composed of woody materials to become petrified it must first be covered with sediment. The process of petrifaction takes place underground where water containing the right minerals can reach the plants cells. When the lignin and cellulose in the plant’s cells decomposes, the minerals fill in the empty space resulting in a solid stone fossil referred to as petrified wood.
Petrified Wood Coloring: Petrified wood is often found in a wide spectrum of colors. One petrified wood fossil can be found with as many colors as the rainbow due to the wide variety of minerals flowing into the decaying cells of the plant. More on petrified wood coloring...
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| Large petrified wood stump. |
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Petrified wood |
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This natural bridge is composed of
petrified wood |
Photos: courtesy of the USGS Petrified Forest National Park
Descriptions of Petrified Wood Forests:
· Yellowstone National Park Petrified Forest
· The Arizonia Petrified Forest
· More Petrified Wood Localities
More Petrified Wood Information:
Petrified Wood Localities
Number and Location
1. ....................Patagonia, Argentina (Jose Ormachea Petrified Forest )
2. ....................Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
3 .....................Lesbos, Greece (Petrified forest of Lesvos)
Sources for petrified wood articles |
