Hobbies And Interests
Commercial Uses
Some of the most frequent commercial applications of quartz are in gemstone jewelry and ornamental designs. Crystalline quartz is distinguished by its large glass-like composition that comes in an array of colors. More familiar forms of crystalline quartz used for gemstones include amethyst, smoky quartz, citrine and praseolite. Cryptocrystalline quartz generally does not have visible crystals and tends to be more rock-like in structure. Examples of gemstone-quality cryptocrystalline quartz include agate, jasper, carnelian and onyx.
These and many other varieties of crystalline and cryptocrystalline quartz, such as cat's eye, chalcedony, heliotrope, rock crystal and rose quartz, are also used in artwork, decorative items and architectural designs
Piezoelectricity
The piezoelectric effect is a phenomenon that occurs when an electrical charge is produced by applying mechanical pressure to certain non-conducting / neutral substances. This effect was exhibited in certain crystals, such as quartz, when piezoelectricity was discovered in 1883 by Pierre Curie. Quartz's durability and piezoelectric properties have lent it to diverse industrial and scientific applications.
Industry
When coupled with transistors, quartz's ability to maintain an electrical current can been translated into stabilizing radio signals. This was demonstrated through the design of the quartz radio, which was heavily utilized during World War II.
Quartz is also used to make watches and clocks. All types of time pieces require an oscillator, which is a device that generates a pattern of electronic signals. Via piezoelectricity, quartz functions as an oscillator in both analog and digital timepieces, by creating a repetitive, vibrating signal needed for accurate time-keeping.
Microphones, phonograph cartridges, strain gauges and ultrasonic medical equipment are just a few items that rely on transducers to operate. Transducers are devices that transform one type of energy into other forms of energy -- such as converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. Piezoelectric materials such as quartz are used in transducers.
Science
After World War II, scientists began "growing" quartz in laboratories, in order to help meet the demand for it. This was accomplished by taking a small specimen of natural crystal quartz as a seed, and applying other solutions, minerals, pressure and heat to create more crystals. Through this process, scientists discovered how to create fused quartz, which is natural quartz melted and reconfigured. These laboratory versions of quartz exhibited additional properties -- such as abilities to withstand and conduct more extreme temperatures -- that natural quartz didn't possess. In turn, laboratory quartz varieties are used to make chemical containers, microscope lenses, test tubes and telescope lenses.