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Colors of gemstones
The most common cause of color in the gemstones is its presence of a
very small amount of a transition metal ion. These transition metal ions
normally have an incomplete set of 3d electrons. Changes in the energy
of these electrons correspond to the energy of its visible light. When
white light passes through the colored gemstone and is reflected by it,
some of the energy of the visible light is also absorbed, causing 3d electrons
in the transition metal ion to undergo its energy change. The light that
is transmitted and reflected appears colored because those colors are
corresponding to 3d-electron energy transitions have also been absorbed.
The table lists several common gemstones, which has chemical compositions,
colors, and the origins of these colors.
A ruby is a crystal form of alumina, aluminum oxide, containing a trace
of chromium (III) ions replacing some of these aluminum ions. In ruby,
each Al3+ ion and Cr3+ ion is surrounded by five oxide ions in an octahedral
arrangement. This arrangement splits the five 3d orbitals of Cr3+ into
two sets, the orbitals and the dx2-y2 and dz2 orbitals. These two sets
normally have different energies. The energy difference between these
sets corresponds to its energy of visible light. When white light strikes
the ruby, the gem absorbs the light of energy corresponding to the transition
of an electron from the lower-energy set of 3d orbital’s to the
higher-energy set.
Gem |
Formula |
Color |
Origin of color |
| Ruby |
Al2O3 |
Red |
Cr3+ replacing
Al3+ in its octahedral sites |
| Emerald |
Be3Al2(SiO3)6 |
Green |
Cr3+ replacing
Al3+ in its octahedral site |
| Alexandrite |
Al2BeO4 |
Red/Green |
Cr3+ replacing
Al3+ in its octahedral site |
| Garnet |
Mg3Al2(SiO4)3 |
Red |
Fe2+ replacing
Mg2+ in its 8-coordinate site |
| Peridot |
Mg2SiO4 |
Yellow-green |
Fe2+ replacing
Mg2+ in its 7-coordinate site |
| Tourmaline |
Na3Li3Al6(BO3)3(SiO3)6F4 |
Pink |
Mn2+ replacing
Li+ and Al3+ in its octahedral site |
| Turquoise |
Al6(PO4)4(OH)8
• 4H2O |
Blue-green |
Cu2+ coordinated
to 4 OH¯ and 2 H2O |
| Sapphire |
Al2O3 |
Blue |
Intervalence
transition between Fe2+ and Ti4+ replacing Al3+ its adjacent octahedral
sites |
| Aquamarine |
Be3Al2(SiO3)6 |
Blue |
Intervalence
transition between Fe2+ and Fe3+ replacing Al3+ in adjacent octahedral
sites |
| Diamond |
C |
Colorless |
Color centers
from nitrogen atoms trapped in crystal |
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