Crystals
While doing research on my project I found out a lot of things about crystals. I found out that crystals are solids that form by a regular repeated pattern of molecules connecting together. The salt in the kitchen, the snow, and the diamond in a ring are all crystals. The word crystal comes from a Greek word”krysos” which means “ice cold”. It was believed that crystals were a type of ice that was so cold it never melts. Crystals can form in a lot of different shapes. The shapes range from cubes, hexagons, double pyramids to name a few. My crystal shaped into a sphere but usually they are symmetrical from one side to other, but many types of crystals are not. The shape of the crystal is determined by the chemical components inside the crystal and the chemical bonds between the atoms and molecules. The atoms in smallest building block of a crystal are called a “Unit Cell” The atoms in each unit cell are held together by electrical forces or bonds. When a lot of unit cells are near each other they arrange themselves in different patterns. They attract one another in some directions more than others. This pattern gives the crystal their shape with symmetrical surfaces called facets.
Crystals also comes in many different colors, from clear diamonds, to red rubies, to blue sapphires and more they get there color from the materials that make up the crystals. The colors come from the color of the spectrum that the crystal does not absorb.
They are used for a lot of different things. They have a natural ability to generate electrical equipment which is used for radio and electrical equipment. An electrical current is sent through quartz crystals which are used in watches and other electronics. Silicon crystals are used in making the chips that power our computers and photovoltaic cells used in solar technology. Crystals form when a liquid rock called magma slowly cools which is actually cool because while I was doing my project I had to use very hot water and let it cool before putting in the crystal rock. Diamonds, rubies and emeralds are formed this way. Another way crystal forms are when water evaporates from a mixture which is how I did my project, Salt crystals is made from this method. Natural crystals are formed when earth’s temperature and pressures are just right. Crystals can also be made in laboratories also. I enjoyed doing my project about crystals I learned a lot of things I did not know.