Licaros, Mary Rose S.

BSCE-2A

CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
 The branch of science that deals with the study of structure, geometry and properties of
crystals.
 The process of crystal forming is called crystallization. Crystals often form in nature
when liquids cool and start to harden. Certain molecules in the liquid gather together as
they attempt to become stable. They do this in a uniform and repeating pattern that forms
the crystal.
ELEMENTS OF SYMMETRY
 Centre of Symmetry - which a crystal possesses when all its faces occur in parallel pairs
on opposite sides of the crystal.

 Axis of Symmetry - which is a line through a crystal such that a complete rotation of
360° about it produces more than one identical view.

Types of Axis Symmetry

 Tetrad Axis (4 times every 90 degrees)
  Triad Axis (3 times every 120 degrees)

 Diad Axis (2 times every 180 degrees)

 Hexad Axis (6 times every 60 degrees)

 Plane of Symmetry - which divides the crystal into halves, each of which is a mirror
image of the other without rotation.

7 CRYSAL SYTEMS
- There are seven crystal systems. All minerals form crystals in one of these seven
systems.
- Each system is defined by a combination of three factors:
How many axes it has.
The lengths of the axes.
The angles at which the axes meet.
 Isometric System - All three axes are equal in length, and all are perpendicular to one
another.

 Tetragonal System - Two of the three axes are equal in length, and all three axes are
perpendicular to one another.

 Orthorhombic System - All three axes are unequal in length, and all are perpendicular
to one another.

 Monoclinic System - All three axes are unequal in length, and two axes are
perpendicular to each other.

 Triclinic System - All three axes are unequal in length, and none is perpendicular to
another.
 Trigonal System - All three axes are of equal length, and none of the axes is
perpendicular to another.

 Hexagonal System - Of four axes, three are of equal length, a separated by equal angles,
and lie in the same plane. The fourth axis is perpendicular to the plane of the other three
axes.

TWINNING
 Two crystals that are conjoined in some way that is either along an axis or a plane that
increases the symmetry of the crystal.
 Types of Twinning: Contact twins and Penetration Twins

 Twinning in crystals occurs where one part of a crystal has grown or has been deformed
such that its atomic structure is rotated or reversed compared with the other part.