Allophane
Definition
An amorphous or poorly crystalline hydrated aluminum silicate mineral, often associated with the weathering of volcanic rocks and ash deposits in humid environments. This structural compound exhibits a variable chemical composition and a gelatinous or vitreous texture, holding significant importance in soil science due to its high cation exchange capacity and phosphate-fixing ability in andosols.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Allophane
- Allophanite
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Neuter noun, regular structural plural variations with inanimate object suffixes. |
| Formation | Linguistic loan from French 'allophane', derived from the Greek roots 'allos' (other) and 'phainesthai' (to appear), reflecting its unstable appearance under heat. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [a.lo.ˈfan] |
| Source | Handbook of Mineralogy and Volcanic Soil Classification |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: Analiza prin difracție cu raze X a confirmat prezența de alofan în eșantioanele de sol recoltate de pe versantul vulcanului.
EN: X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of allophane in the soil samples collected from the volcano's slope.
RO: Deoarece este un mineral amorf, acest alofan nu prezintă o rețea cristalină bine definită în condiții standard de laborator.
EN: Because it is an amorphous mineral, this allophane does not exhibit a well-defined crystalline lattice under standard laboratory conditions.
RO: Proprietățile mecanice ale andosolului sunt puternic influențate de cantitatea de alofan acumulată în straturile argiloase.
EN: The mechanical properties of the andosol are strongly influenced by the amount of allophane accumulated in the clay layers.
Idioms & Phrases
Alofan de argilă / Clay allophane
RO: Fracțiune coloidală extrem de fină prezentă în argilele rezultate din descompunerea sticlei vulcanice.
EN: An extremely fine colloidal fraction present in clays resulting from the decomposition of volcanic glass.
Depozit de alofan / Allophane deposit
RO: Formațiune geologică secundară bogată în silicați hidratați, localizată în zonele cu activitate geotermală veche.
EN: A secondary geological formation rich in hydrated silicates, located in areas with ancient geothermal activity.
Structură de alofan / Allophane structure
RO: Aranjament atomic neregulat sub formă de sfere microscopice goale pe interior, specific acestui material.
EN: An irregular atomic arrangement in the form of hollow microscopic spheres, specific to this material.
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