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Beta-alaniini kristallid polariseeritud valguses
2023-02-03
- Classification
- Photograph
- Museum
- Wikimedia Commons
- Rights
- CC BY 4.0, as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Teens profiles and older: its museum says too little about what it shows to place it for younger viewers. How works are placed
About this work
This striking image was captured using a polarized light microscope with a 10x objective lens, revealing beta-alanine crystals in extraordinary detail. The spectacular colors - vivid blues, reds, oranges, and purples - are not the amino acid's natural colors but rather emerge through an optical phenomenon called birefringence. The process begins by placing the specimen between two polarizing filters, where the first filter polarizes light in one direction and the second filter (analyzer) is positioned at a 90-degree angle to the first. As polarized light passes through the crystal, it splits into two rays traveling at different speeds through the crystal. These rays interact differently with the crystal structure depending on its molecular organization. When these rays recombine in the second polarizer, they create these magnificent interference colors. The feather-like and fan-shaped patterns visible in the image reflect how beta-alanine molecules crystallized. The intensity and variations in color provide information about the crystal's thickness and orientation in different regions. This technique is invaluable in scientific research, enabling the study of crystal structure,…
