how is amber formed?

Answer 1

Amber is fossilied resin - for example tree sap.

Answer 2

Amber begins as resin exuded from trees millions of years ago. All known deposits of amber come from various tree species which are now extinct. Baltic amber was produced by a tree called Pinites succinifer, a tree sharing many characteristics of the currently living species Pseudolarix. In appearance it would have looked something similar to a pine or spruce tree.

The resin may have originally been used as a defensive mechanism against insect infestation or fungal attack. Once released from the tree the resin would begin to go through a number of stages in order to become amber.

The first stage involved the slow evaporation of volatile oils. The oils, called turpenes, could take anything from a 100 to a 1000 years to fully dissipate. Once completed the resin would become harder and could then be called copal.

Columbia in South America has extensive deposits of copal which is frequently sold as amber, but tests undertaken by G. Poinar have shown that in some cases it is less than 250 years old. Madagascar and Kenya also have highly fossiliferous copal mines. Their age is likely to be roughly the same as the Colombian deposits, if not younger.

Following the dispersal of the oils the next stage is the cross chain linking of the molecular structure within the copal. Almost a kind of polymerisation. This makes the copal harder and less brittle. This second stage may take millions of years before the process turns the copal into something approaching the structure of amber.

It is speculated that either one or both of these stages in the formation of amber must take place in an anaerobic environment, or it may have to sustain a period of immersion in sea water. Amber which is exposed to air for several years undergoes oxidation which causes a distinct darkening and crusting of the gems surface. If sustained over millions of years the amber can fragment and breakdown into small tiny splinters and shards. The Isle Of Wight (UK) amber is amongst the oldest found in the world, an estimated 120 Million years. Not surprisingly the pieces found are small and tiny weighing only a few grams. Lebanese deposits dating back 125 million years are similarly found in minuscule sizes and quantities. Baltic amber (a mere 40 millions years old) can be found in quite large blockss, in some cases weighing several kilos

Answer 3

Amber is essentially "petrified tree sap".

Some types of sap will harden and become rock-like. Thats Amber.

Answer 4

Amber is formed by millions yrs of fossilisation of tree sap.

Answer 5

amber is hardened tree sap.when it is fresh a mozzi or another small insect can become trapped inside it like the one on richard attenbouroughs walking stick in jurasic park.The Norfolk coast is a good place to find it,at the high tide mark ,because it floats.Its also worth a few quid.

Answer 6

erm think it's tree sap that's gone hard over 1000's of years.

Answer 7

watch Jurassic Park it gets explained in it and there are pictures