Photo Discussion
Category: Friendly Praise Archive

To discuss a photo, sign up as a BetterPhoto member or log in.

Hard Wood


	Hard Wood, Petrified Forest-AZ Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Over 200 million years ago, the logs washed into an ancient river system and were buried quick enough and deep enough by massive amounts of sediment and debris also carried in the water, that oxygen was cut off and decay slowed to a process that would now take centuries. Petrified wood is almost solid quartz, weighing in at 168 pounds per cubic foot. It's so hard, you can only cut it with a diamond tipped saw! More info and photos in comments Have a Great Day Denny E. Barnes
	Quartz Wood, Petrified Forest-AZ Petrified trees today lie strewn across clay hills and within cliff faces; each log broken into large segments. The quartz within the petrified wood is hard and brittle, fracturing easily when subjected to stress. Denny E. Barnes
	Petrified Wood, Petrified Forest-AZ During the gradual uplifting of the Colorado Plateau, starting about 60 million years ago, the still buried petrified trees were under so much stress they broke like glass rods. The crystal nature of the quartz created clean fractures, evenly spaced along the tree trunk, giving the appearance today of logs cut with a chainsaw. Denny E. Barnes
	Petrified Wood, Petrified Forest-AZ Most of the petrified trees have been given the name Araucarioxylon arizonicum. Woodworthia and Schilderia are two other species occuring in small quantities in the park. Though only seven species of tree have been identified through petrified wood, over 200 species of plants have currently been identified from other Triassic fossils, such as leaves, pollen, and spores. Denny E. Barnes

debarnesphotography.com - Denny E. Barnes

BetterPhoto Member

BetterPhoto Member

Contact Denny E. Barnes
Denny E. Barnes's Gallery

Petrified wood found in the park and the surrounding region is made up of almost solid quartz. Each piece is like a giant crystal, often sparkling in the sunlight as if covered by glitter. The rainbow of colors is produced by impurities in the quartz, such as iron, carbon, and manganese.
Minerals, including silica dissolved from volcanic ash, absorbed into the porous wood over hundreds and thousands of years crystallized within the cellular structure, replacing the organic material as it broke down over time. Sometimes crushing or decay left cracks in the logs. Here large jewel-like crystals of clear quartz, purple amethyst, yellow citrine, and smoky quartz formed.

To love this question, log in above
September 16, 2009

Tiia Vissak

cool tones, textures & information!

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

Robert R. Goodman

Hi Denny,Absolutely beautiful my friend.It's a awesome place,and no one should ever take any wood from the forest there is a curse on it!!!!!!!

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

countryimpressions.net - Tammy M. Anderson

BetterPhoto Member

BetterPhoto Member

Contact Tammy M. Anderson
Tammy M. Anderson's Gallery

WOW!!!! Denny, this is gorgeous. Love the tones and textures. I guess I would have to restrain myself from taking a piece, LOL. Bobby saids I will be cursed.

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

Mike Clime

Really pretty capture and great information!

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

debarnesphotography.com - Denny E. Barnes

BetterPhoto Member

BetterPhoto Member

Contact Denny E. Barnes
Denny E. Barnes's Gallery

Thank you very much Tiia, Bobby, Tammy and Mike!
Yes, Tammy you would have Petrified Jack's curse on you forever..LOL..
I can remember the first time I saw the Petrified Forest. There was about 2 to 3 inches of petrified wood chips on the ground everywhere you went but now it's all gone. It's hard to imagine how many pockets full were needed to remove that amount...

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

Monnie Ryan

Wow -- very interesting information, Denny -- and of course the photos are wonderful. The colors in the striations are quite beautiful!

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

Carrie M. Groseclose

Wow, Denny, I'm adding this to the list of places I must visit. Such a wonderful capture, and as always, a delight to read your narrative.

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

Ron McEwan

Denny you have some grand images here and information galore. Well done my friend.

I crammed hard for the test and got a good score LOL. No the machine is still in good shape LOL

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

Jack Ryan

A very interesting series of photos...and interesting background info as well. Excellent photo (the 1st one)...well composed with outstanding detail and color....and any of the other images would also have been worthy of being the main post. Nicely done!!!

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

- Stefania Barbier

BetterPhoto Member

BetterPhoto Member

Contact Stefania Barbier
Stefania Barbier's Gallery

wonderful find and capture Denny!

To love this comment, log in above
September 16, 2009

Ray Thoms

Excellent images and info Denny....thanks for your work!!!

To love this comment, log in above
September 17, 2009

Marty Straub

All of these are truly remarkable, Denny, especially the first one with all of your creative senses. A ver interesting composition.

To love this comment, log in above
September 17, 2009

debarnesphotography.com - Denny E. Barnes

BetterPhoto Member

BetterPhoto Member

Contact Denny E. Barnes
Denny E. Barnes's Gallery

Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments! They are really appreciated!

To love this comment, log in above
September 17, 2009

John Connolly

What a great collection of graphic images, Denny! Nature has produced some incredible products here!

To love this comment, log in above
September 19, 2009

- Laura E. Swan

BetterPhoto Member

BetterPhoto Member

Contact Laura E. Swan
Laura E. Swan's Gallery

What a wonderful thread Denny!!! WOW! These are so awesome!!!

-Laura :)

To love this comment, log in above
September 20, 2009

Steve M. Harrington

Really interesting and informative, Denny!
Steve

To love this comment, log in above
September 21, 2009

debarnesphotography.com - Denny E. Barnes

BetterPhoto Member

BetterPhoto Member

Contact Denny E. Barnes
Denny E. Barnes's Gallery

Thank you ever so much John, Laure and Steve!

To love this comment, log in above
September 21, 2009

Log in or sign up to respond or interact.