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A crystal's crystallographic forms are sets of possible faces of the crystal that are related by one of the symmetries of the crystal. For example, crystals of galena often take the shape of cubes, and the six faces of the cube belong to a crystallographic form that displays one of the symmetries of the isometric crystal system. Galena also ...
In crystallography, crystal structure is a description of ordered arrangement of atoms, ... describe the geometric arrangement of the lattice points, [4] ...
Crystallization is the process by which solids form, where the atoms or molecules are highly organized into a structure known as a crystal.Some ways by which crystals form are precipitating from a solution, freezing, or more rarely deposition directly from a gas.
A crystal family is determined by lattices and point groups. It is formed by combining crystal systems that have space groups assigned to a common lattice system. In three dimensions, the hexagonal and trigonal crystal systems are combined into one hexagonal crystal family. Hexagonal hanksite crystal, with threefold c-axis symmetry
Single crystals have unique physical properties due to being a single grain with molecules in a strict order and no grain boundaries. [2] This includes optical properties, and single crystals of silicon is also used as optical windows because of its transparency at specific infrared (IR) wavelengths, making it very useful for some instruments. [4]
Recognizing the habit can aid in mineral identification and description, as the crystal habit is an external representation of the internal ordered atomic arrangement. [1] Most natural crystals, however, do not display ideal habits and are commonly malformed. Hence, it is also important to describe the quality of the shape of a mineral specimen:
McMillan's model, proposed by William McMillan, [70] is an extension of the Maier–Saupe mean field theory used to describe the phase transition of a liquid crystal from a nematic to a smectic A phase. It predicts that the phase transition can be either continuous or discontinuous depending on the strength of the short-range interaction ...
Crystal growth is a major stage of a crystallization process, and consists of the addition of new atoms, ions, or polymer strings into the characteristic arrangement of the crystalline lattice. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The growth typically follows an initial stage of either homogeneous or heterogeneous (surface catalyzed) nucleation , unless a "seed ...