Why Minerals Fluoresce
On Sunday the students began the lesson by synthesizing potassium sodium tartrate tetrahydrate to begin the growth of piezoelectric Rochelle crystals, which we will explore in about 4 weeks. For those who missed the class, we have also begun the growth of their crystals as well. After we reviewed what we have learned so far, including the Schrodinger equation for free particles and particle in a box, as well as the 6 Postulates of Quantum Mechanics. The students then analyzed fluorescing minerals and successfully deduced, based on their own previous knowledge, the reasoning for why the minerals were fluorescing, as well as the properties of certain atoms that made them specially able to fluoresce. I was highly impressed by their ability to take their previous knowledge, and extend it to this phenomenon. As an additional note, after 24 hours the crystals have already begun to grow beautifully.
