crystal
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.25|Crystals of amethyst [[quartz]] thumb|upright=1.25|Microscopically, a single crystal has atoms in a near-perfect periodic arrangement; a polycrystal is composed of many microscopic crystals (called "[[crystallites" or "grains"); and an amorphous solid (such as glass) has no periodic arrangement even microscopically.]]
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A crystal is a solid material in which atoms are arranged in a highly ordered, repeating pattern throughout the structure. Crystals matter because their atomic organization gives them distinctive properties—such as specific shapes, hardness, and optical qualities—that make them useful in everything from jewelry to electronics and scientific research.
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17 sectionsContents
- Crystal structure (microscopic)
- Crystal faces, shapes and crystallographic forms
- Occurrence in nature
- Rocks
- Ice
- Organigenic crystals
- Polymorphism and allotropy
- Crystallization
- Defects, impurities, and twinning
- Chemical bonds
- Quasicrystals
- Special properties from anisotropy
- Crystallography
- Image gallery
- See also
- References
- Further reading
thumb|upright=1.25|Crystals of amethyst [[quartz]] thumb|upright=1.25|Microscopically, a single crystal has atoms in a near-perfect periodic arrangement; a polycrystal is composed of many microscopic crystals (called "[[crystallites" or "grains"); and an amorphous solid (such as glass) has no periodic arrangement even microscopically.]]
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macroscopic single crystals are usually identifiable by their geometrical shape, consisting of flat faces with specific, characteristic orientations. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography. The process of crystal formation via mechanisms of crystal growth is called crystallization or solidification.