Apatite Definition

ăpə-tīt
noun
Any of a group of natural, variously colored calcium phosphate minerals containing fluorine, chlorine, or hydroxyl. These compounds form hexagonal crystals and are components of bones and teeth, are a source of phosphorus for plants, and are used in the manufacture of fertilizers.
American Heritage
Any of a group of variously colored, hard, hexagonal calcium minerals, Ca5(PO4,CO3)3 (F,OH,Cl), found mainly in sedimentary rocks, esp. phosphate rock, and in teeth and bones.
Webster's New World

(mineralogy) A calcium fluoride phosphate of variable composition, sometimes used in the manufacture of fertilizer.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Apatite

Noun

Singular:
apatite
Plural:
apatites

Origin of Apatite

  • From Greek apatē deceit (from its often being mistaken for other minerals)

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Apatite Sentence Examples

  • The ultimate source of these mineral phosphates may be referred in most cases to the apatite widely distributed in crystalline rocks.

  • Deciphering continental breakup in eastern Australia by combining apatite (U-Th)/He and fission track thermochronometers.

  • It is the principal inorganic constituent of bones, and hence of the "bone-ash" of commerce (see Phosphorus); it occurs with fluorides in the mineral apatite (q.v.); and the concretions known as coprolites largely consist of this salt.

  • Other minerals present include diopside, pargasite, spinel, phlogopite, apatite, graphite, pyrrhotite and zircon (Davidson 1943 ).

  • The artificial preparation of minerals, especially of apatite and isomorphous minerals and of crystalline oxides, was another subject in which he made many experiments.

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Words Starting With

AAPAPA

Words Ending With

ETEITE

Unscrambles

apatite

Words Starting With A and Ending With E

Starts With A & Ends With EStarts With AP & Ends With EStarts With A & Ends With TE

Word Length

7 Letter Words7 Letter Words Starting With A7 Letter Words Ending With E