crystal system
Noun
Meaning
crystal system (plural crystal systems)
(crystallography) Any of the seven distinct symmetry classifications of crystals: cubic, tetragonal, hexagonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, triclinic and trigonal.
Examples
It is a colorless to white mineral crystallizing in the monoclinic crystal system typically occurring as prismatic to acicular crystals or granular masses.
Prehnite crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system, and most oftens forms as stalactitic or botryoidal aggregates, with only just the crests of small crystals showing any faces, which are almost always curved or composite.
Physical properties Crystal structure Tri-color elbaite crystals on quartz, Himalaya Mine, San Diego Co., California, US Tourmaline is a six-member ring cyclosilicate having a trigonal crystal system.
Its crystal system is proven to be triclinic via X-ray diffraction testing.
Some directions and planes are defined by symmetry of the crystal system.
The fourteen three-dimensional lattices, classified by crystal system, are shown above.