Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Conditions on Early Earth

Conditions on Early Earth

Around 4 billion years ago, oceans began to condense on earth while volcanic eruptions released nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen into the primordial atmosphere. However, organisms with the characteristics of life were not initially present on earth. Scientists have used experimentation to determine how organisms evolved that could grow, reproduce, and maintain an internal environment.

The Soil Ecosystem

The Soil Ecosystem

Plants obtain inorganic minerals and water from the soil, which acts as a natural medium for land plants. The composition and quality of soil depend not only on the chemical constituents but also on the presence of living organisms. In general, soils contain three major components:

Conditions on Early Earth

Conditions on Early Earth

Around 4 billion years ago, oceans began to condense on earth while volcanic eruptions released nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen into the primordial atmosphere. However, organisms with the characteristics of life were not initially present on earth. Scientists have used experimentation to determine how organisms evolved that could grow, reproduce, and maintain an internal environment.

Types of Building Stone

Types of Building Stone

Building stones, essential materials for construction, are extracted from natural rock deposits and processed into specific forms and dimensions suitable for various building applications. These stones are broadly classified into three types based on their geological formation: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
Igneous rocks are formed from the solidification of magma or lava. An example is granite, known for its durability and resistance to weathering, making it ideal for parts of...

Quarrying of Stone

Quarrying of Stone

Quarrying is the process of extracting stone from a quarry, where specialized techniques are employed to remove large blocks of stone safely and efficiently. This process can involve controlled explosions or more precision-oriented methods such as cutting and drilling.
One common method involves using a diamond belt saw to cut large blocks from the quarry face. These blocks can be about 50 feet long and 12 feet high. After the initial vertical cut, drilling is performed at the base of the block.

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The global carbon cycle: a test of our knowledge of earth as a system.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2000

Same author

Redox stabilization of the atmosphere and oceans and marine productivity

Science (New York, N.Y.)·1997

Same author

Pathogenesis-related PR-1 proteins are antifungal. Isolation and characterization of three 14-kilodalton proteins of tomato and of a basic PR-1 of tobacco with inhibitory activity against Phytophthora infestans.

Plant physiology·1995

Same author

Aluminum in seawater: control by biological activity.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·1978

Same author

Sedimentary rock types: relative proportions as a function of geological time.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·1969

Same author

Silica in sea water: control by silica minerals.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·1967

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory

Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory

Published on: November 16, 2013

Quartz: synthesis at Earth-surface conditions.

F T Mackenzie, R Gees

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|August 6, 1971

Summary

Researchers synthesized quartz directly from seawater at room temperature, a novel achievement. This finding supports theories of quartz precipitation during natural geological processes like weathering.

Area of Science:

Geochemistry
Mineralogy
Materials Science

Background:

Quartz is a common mineral, but its direct synthesis from aqueous solutions at ambient conditions is challenging.
Previous synthesis methods often required amorphous silica precursors and aging steps.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize crystalline quartz directly from seawater at room temperature.
To determine the solubility of silica in equilibrium with quartz under earth-surface conditions.

Main Methods:

Crystallization of quartz directly from natural seawater.
Measurement of dissolved silica concentration at equilibrium.

Main Results:

Identifiable quartz was successfully synthesized from seawater at 20°C and 1 atm.

More Related Videos

Metal-silicate Partitioning at High Pressure and Temperature: Experimental Methods and a Protocol to Suppress Highly Siderophile Element Inclusions

Metal-silicate Partitioning at High Pressure and Temperature: Experimental Methods and a Protocol to Suppress Highly Siderophile Element Inclusions

Published on: June 13, 2015

Preparation of Authigenic Pyrite from Methane-bearing Sediments for In Situ Sulfur Isotope Analysis Using SIMS

Preparation of Authigenic Pyrite from Methane-bearing Sediments for In Situ Sulfur Isotope Analysis Using SIMS

Published on: August 31, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory

Simulation of the Planetary Interior Differentiation Processes in the Laboratory

Published on: November 16, 2013

Metal-silicate Partitioning at High Pressure and Temperature: Experimental Methods and a Protocol to Suppress Highly Siderophile Element Inclusions

Metal-silicate Partitioning at High Pressure and Temperature: Experimental Methods and a Protocol to Suppress Highly Siderophile Element Inclusions

Published on: June 13, 2015

Preparation of Authigenic Pyrite from Methane-bearing Sediments for In Situ Sulfur Isotope Analysis Using SIMS

Preparation of Authigenic Pyrite from Methane-bearing Sediments for In Situ Sulfur Isotope Analysis Using SIMS

Published on: August 31, 2017

The equilibrium concentration of dissolved silica was determined to be 4.4±0.3 ppm.

This value aligns with theoretical predictions based on higher temperature data.

Conclusions:

Direct quartz crystallization from aqueous solutions at earth-surface conditions is feasible.
This process occurs without the need for amorphous silica intermediates.
The findings support the geological hypothesis of direct quartz precipitation during chemical weathering and diagenesis.