CRYSTALS

Crystals

Crystals are solids with fixed, regular patterns. Snowflakes, diamonds and table salt are some examples of large crystals.  Different types of crystals have different  geometrical shape because their atoms are arranged differently. Although we cannot see the atoms present inside a crystal but by looking at the shape of the crystal we get to the arrangement of atoms in it. For instance crystal of sodium chloride is cubic because the ions of sodium and chlorine are arranged in cubes. X-rays can be used to find the atomic structure of different crystals.

There are seven different crystal systems according to their atomic structure. They are below:

• Cubic System
• Trigonal System
• Tetragonal System
• Hexagonal System
• Rhombic System
• Monoclinic System
• Triclinic System

Applications of crystallisation help in producing silicon wafers for making microchips and solar cells, and in producing refined sugar.