Q for Quartz

This is the 17th in the series of 26 posts this month, one post a day, barring four Sundays, each on a theme corresponding to a letter of the English alphabet. My theme this year is "Chemicals in our life", spurred by my interest in chemistry.

Quartz is another chemical which has wide applications in our daily life, but we are not quite aware of it. It's there in our smartphones, laptops, watches, clocks and radios.

Quartz is a mineral that is mainly composed of silicon and oxygen. It is the most abundant mineral in Earth's crust and is resistant to both chemical and physical impacts. 

When rocks weather away, the residual material usually contains quartz. This is why the sand at most of the world's beaches is quartz.

IN WATCHES, CLOCKS

An important property of quartz is piezo-electricity, which means it can generate an electric voltage when subjected to mechanical stress or vice versa. 

This makes it ideal for creating oscillators, which are devices that produce a steady and precise frequency of electric signals. This is the reason it's used to keep time in watches and clocks.

IN RADIOS

Quartz crystals can act as filters or resonators, which can select or amplify a specific frequency from a range of signals. 

For example, in a radio receiver, a quartz crystal can filter out unwanted frequencies and allow only the desired frequency to pass through. 

IN COMPUTERS

In a computer processor, a quartz crystal can provide a clock signal that synchronizes the operations of different components.

IN JEWELLERY, GLASS

Quartz has a vitreous (glassy) lustre that reflects light well. This makes it attractive for decorative items, such as crystals, beads, ornaments, jewellery, gemstones etc. 

Sand that has a substantial amount of quartz is called quartz sand or silica sand. Quartz sand is melted at high temperatures and then cooled to form glass. Glass can be shaped into various forms, such as bottles, windows, mirrors, lenses, screens, and fibres.

Quartz sand also serves as a raw material for making bricks, tiles, ceramics, and glass fibres. Quartz sand can also be mixed with cement to create artificial stone or quartzite.

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Image of clock from Pixabay.

The information provided in this post has been obtained from multiple, authentic resources. However, it is presented in an abridged format and might not have all the details. Therefore, before acting on any information, readers are requested to exercise caution and do further research.

This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z 2023. I am also on A2Z April Challenge.