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Difference between revisions of "Crystal system"

From Online Dictionary of Crystallography

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<font color="blue">Système cristallin </font>(''Fr'').  <Font color="black"> Sistema cristallino </Font>(''It'')
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== Definition ==
 
== Definition ==
  
The name of the the system of [[geometric crystal classes]] to which the space group of a crystal belongs. The crystal systems are:
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A crystal-class system, or '''crystal system''' for short, contains complete [[geometric crystal class]]es of space groups. All those geometric crystal classes belong to the the same crystal system which intersect exactly the same set of [[Bravais flock]]s.
  
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== Crystal systems in two and three dimensions ==
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In the two-dimensional space there exist four crystal systems:
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* monoclinic
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* orthorhombic
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* tetragonal
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* hexagonal
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In the three-dimensional space there exist seven crystal families:
 
* triclinic
 
* triclinic
 
* monoclinic
 
* monoclinic
* orthorhombic  
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* orthorhombic
 
* tetragonal
 
* tetragonal
 
* trigonal
 
* trigonal
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* cubic
 
* cubic
  
Note that rhombohedral crystals belong to the trigonal system.
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Note that the adjective ''rhombohedral'' refers to a [[lattice system]], not to a crystal system. Rhombohedral crystals belong to the trigonal system, but trigonal crystals may belong to the rhombohedral or to the hexagonal [[lattice system]].
[[category: fundamental crystallography]]
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== See also ==
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Section 8.2.8 in of ''International Tables of Crystallography, Volume A''
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[[category: Fundamental crystallography]]

Revision as of 15:29, 23 February 2007

Système cristallin (Fr). Sistema cristallino (It)

Definition

A crystal-class system, or crystal system for short, contains complete geometric crystal classes of space groups. All those geometric crystal classes belong to the the same crystal system which intersect exactly the same set of Bravais flocks.

Crystal systems in two and three dimensions

In the two-dimensional space there exist four crystal systems:

  • monoclinic
  • orthorhombic
  • tetragonal
  • hexagonal

In the three-dimensional space there exist seven crystal families:

  • triclinic
  • monoclinic
  • orthorhombic
  • tetragonal
  • trigonal
  • hexagonal
  • cubic

Note that the adjective rhombohedral refers to a lattice system, not to a crystal system. Rhombohedral crystals belong to the trigonal system, but trigonal crystals may belong to the rhombohedral or to the hexagonal lattice system.

See also

Section 8.2.8 in of International Tables of Crystallography, Volume A