Assisted by extreme pressure and temperatures, the silica that was lodged in the wood was transformed into quartz. Molecules of these inorganic materials replaced molecules of organic tissues.ĭuring the next millions of years, wood gradually became stone in the process of silicification. The minerals filled the spaces between cells in the tree trunks and branches. Volcanic ash in the floodwater consisted of inorganic compounds such as magnesium carbonate and iron sulphide, and the trees also absorbed silicon dioxide (silica) that had dissolved in groundwater. Under normal circumstances, trees soaking in deep, muddy water would decay, but silt rapidly and completely covered these trees, preventing exposure to oxygen and inhibiting aerobic decomposition. Volcanic eruptions triggered tremors, lightning, and heavy rains, which washed trees from higher elevations down to swampy valleys.Īs they were pushed downhill, the trees were stripped of their bark, branches, and roots from the force of the water’s impact and broke into pieces. Petrified wood is actually the stone remnant of a prehistoric tree.ĭuring the Triassic period, gymnosperms-seed-producing trees without flowers, such as gingkos and conifers-grew over much of the earth’s landmass. The Latin word petros, meaning rock, is the source for the scientific term petrification. Petrified wood is studied by scientists interested in prehistoric plants and their environments. Petrified wood is formed by the fossilized remains of ancient trees that were saturated with mineral-filled water which, over time, converted the woody tissues into stone.
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