How Do You Spell SPHERULITIC?

Pronunciation: [sfˌɛɹuːlˈɪtɪk] (IPA)

Spherulitic is a term commonly used in geology to describe spherical or globular clusters of mineral crystals. The word breaks down into three parts: spher- meaning "sphere," -ul- meaning "small," and -itic indicating "of or pertaining to." The phonetic transcription of Spherulitic is /sfɛˌruˈlɪtɪk/. The emphasized syllable is "ru," pronounced with a long "u." The word is commonly used to describe volcanic rocks, where spherulites are often found as a result of the cooling process.

SPHERULITIC Meaning and Definition

1. Spherulitic is an adjective that relates to or describes the formation or characteristics of spherulites. A spherulite is a spherical, typically microscopic mineral aggregate composed of radiating needle-like crystals or fibers. The term is often used in the field of geology and mineralogy.

   A spherulitic structure is formed when minerals solidify and nucleate in a radial pattern outward from a central point, such as a nucleus or a crystal embryo. As the minerals grow, they create concentric layers or radiating arms, resulting in a spherical or globular shape. Spherulites can occur in various minerals, including volcanic glasses, igneous rocks, and some metamorphic rocks.

   The spherulitic texture is commonly associated with slow cooling rates, allowing enough time for the minerals to develop their characteristic form. The size and shape of spherulites can vary greatly, ranging from a few micrometers to centimeters in diameter.

   The term "spherulitic" can also refer to materials or substances that exhibit a similar spherical or globular structure, even if they are not minerals. Examples include the spherulitic texture found in certain polymers, which form when the material solidifies from a supercooled melt.

   Overall, the term "spherulitic" describes the characteristic spherical or globular shape and structure of mineral aggregates or other materials formed through radial crystal growth.

Common Misspellings for SPHERULITIC

• spherulit
• apherulitic
• zpherulitic
• xpherulitic
• dpherulitic
• epherulitic
• wpherulitic
• soherulitic
• slherulitic
• s-herulitic
• s0herulitic
• spgerulitic
• spberulitic
• spnerulitic
• spjerulitic
• spuerulitic
• spyerulitic
• sphwrulitic
• sphsrulitic
• sphdrulitic

Etymology of SPHERULITIC

The word "spherulitic" comes from the combination of two roots:

1. "Sphere": The word "sphere" is derived from the Latin word "sphaera", which means "a globe or ball". This Latin term was borrowed from the Greek word "sphaira", which also means "a sphere or ball".

2. "-litic": The suffix "-litic" is derived from the Greek word "lithos", which means "stone". This suffix is commonly used in scientific terminology to indicate the nature of a rock or mineral. For example, "granitic" refers to something related to granite, "basaltic" refers to something related to basalt, and so on.

By combining these two roots, "spherulitic" is formed, indicating something that is related to or characteristic of a spherule or sphere-like structure in minerals or rocks.