CRYSTALLOGRAPHY

Crystal: It is a solid polyhedral form of a substance bounded by smooth geometrical surfaces called faces. Crystallography: It is that branch of science which deals with all the aspects of crystals: their formation from the melts, their internal structure and their external shape. Eements of crystal:.
These include crystal faces, the angle between the crystal faces, the relationship of these faces with reference to certain assumed lines passing through the crystal and also the arrangement of these faces. All these characters form elements of crystal

CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
Symmetry: Exists if two halves of an image or figure are identical.
It can be studied with reference to there different characters, commonly called elements of symmetry. (1) Plane of symmetry (2) Axis of symmetry (3) Centre of symmetry
Yes Symmetry

Yes Symmetry

Yes Symmetry

Yes Symmetry

No Symmetry

PLANE OF SYMMETRY
Any imaginary plane passing through the centre of a crystal in such a way that it divides the crystal in two similar parts, is called a plane of symmetry. For example: Cubic crystal can divide by 9 planes Orthorhombic by 3

AXIS OF SYMMETRY
It is imaginary straight line pass through the center of crystal, when the crystal rotate around this axes similar face, edge or solid angle is appear at least twice.
It is a process of several appearances of similar faces or edges or solid angles when the crystal is rotate 360 degrees . There are the following types of axes of symmetry:
1- Daid axis of symmetry. 2- Triad axis of symmetry. 3- Tetrad axis of symmetry. 4- Hexad axis of symmetry. , Repetition take place every 180 degrees , Repetition take place every 120 degrees , Repetition take place every 90 degrees , Repetition take place every 60 degrees

AXIS OF SYMMETRY

As can be seen in the above images, there are 3 axes of symmetry in the orthorhombic system and each axis produces the same image twice during a 360 spin around that axis.

CENTRE OF SYMMETRY
If on passing an imaginary line from some definite face, edge, or corner on one side of the crystal through its centre another exactly similar face or edge or corner is found on the other side at an equal distance from the centre.

No center

Yes center

No center

No center

Yes center

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
With reference to the crystallographic axes crystals can be classified into six major crystal system.

These systems are:

(1) Cubic system (Isometric system) (2) Tetragonal system (3) Orthorhombic system (4) Hexagonal system (5) Monoclinic system (6) Triclinic system

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
(1) Cubic system: Three crystallographic axes, all are equal in length and intersect at right angles (90 degree) to each other.
a=b=c = = = 90

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
(2) Tetragonal system: Three axes, All at right angles, two of which are equal in length (a and b) and one (c) which is different in length (shorter or longer)
a=bc = = = 90 Note: If c was equal in length to a or b then it would be in the cubic system.

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
(3) Orthorhombic system: Three axes, all at right angles and all three of different lengths.
abc = = = 90 Note: If any axis was of equal length to any other, then it would be tetragonal system.

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
(4) Hexagonal system: Four axes are there, three of the axes fall in the same plane and intersect at the axial cross at 120 degrees between the positive ends. Fourth axes may be longer or shorter than the axes set and it also passes through the intersection of the axes set at right angles the plane formed by the set.
a=bc = = 90 = 120

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
(5) Monoclinic system: Three axes, all unequal in length two of which (a and c) intersect at an oblique angle (not 90 degrees) the third axes (b) is perpendicular to the other two axes.
abc = = 90

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
(6) Triclinic system: Three axes. All unequal in length and intersect at three different angles.
abc

CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM
Cubic: Three perpendicular axes of equal length. Tetragonal: Three mutually perpendicular axes, two are equal, the third (vertical) is shorter or longer. Orthorhombic: Three mutually perpendicular axes of different lengths. Hexagonal: Three equal horizontal axes (a1, a2, a3) and a 4th perpendicular (vertical) of different length. Monoclinic: Three unequal axes, two are inclined to one another, the third is perpendicular. Triclinic: Three unequal axes with oblique angles.