Is it because it is the most sensitive or is it more uniform in it's rate of vibration etc?????? Whith somany types of rock and gem stones on this planet it seems strange tat the lowly quarts crystal would be so widely used. Even in ancient times it apears to have been used as a load stone material in various piezo electric designs like inthe great pyramids etc.....
Why is quarts the most often used crystal in scien
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Honestly, I think it's because pure quartz crystals are so easily synthesized in labs.
Quote:
quarts
A mistake only a BITOG'r would make....8)
quarts
A mistake only a BITOG'r would make....8)
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I'm sure it's up there with my "why is it that all the easy/cheap stuff ends up being bad" question.
Some may never know .....
Some may never know .....
quartz crystals have a unique property. When squeezed, they will produce an electric discharge. If you place a thin slice between electrodes, it will resonate at a single frequency.
Much more info here
Much more info here
Quartz is also very common, in fact it's the most common mineral in the crust of the planet.
These days, a large percentage of quartz crystals used in industry are grown in labs.
These days, a large percentage of quartz crystals used in industry are grown in labs.
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Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
quartz crystals have a unique property. When squeezed, they will produce an electric discharge. If you place a thin slice between electrodes, it will resonate at a single frequency.
Let's begin by squeezing your crystals.
quartz crystals have a unique property. When squeezed, they will produce an electric discharge. If you place a thin slice between electrodes, it will resonate at a single frequency.
Let's begin by squeezing your crystals.
it vibrates at 3600 hz, its very cheap. You can buy watches whose most expensive part is the battery
The crystal in a watch is typically tuned for something over 32 kHz.
Crystals can be ground for a wide range of frequencies.
Crystals can be ground for a wide range of frequencies.
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Yes, they normally use low frequency crystals to minimize battery drain.
My point was that they operate at about 9 times the frequecy stated earlier.
Are you sure about lower power for lower frequency? Higher frequency crystals have less mass so could take less current to excite. Whether that is offset by other things, I don't know.
Are you sure about lower power for lower frequency? Higher frequency crystals have less mass so could take less current to excite. Whether that is offset by other things, I don't know.
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Originally Posted By: MarkC
Quartz is also very common, in fact it's the most common mineral in the crust of the planet.
These days, a large percentage of quartz crystals used in industry are grown in labs.
Okay, you've stated the benefits. Cheap, abundant, useful.
Now how long before the other shoe drops?
It's gotta be tearing a hole in subspace or altering the fabric of time:space ..or creating some quantum singularity... something...
I'm just not buying that it's totally benign and innocuous.
Quartz is also very common, in fact it's the most common mineral in the crust of the planet.
These days, a large percentage of quartz crystals used in industry are grown in labs.
Okay, you've stated the benefits. Cheap, abundant, useful.
Now how long before the other shoe drops?
I'm just not buying that it's totally benign and innocuous.
Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
I'm just not buying that it's totally benign and innocuous.
So, you're saying it's another government conspiracy?
What I'd like to know is how they managed to fit those quarts in my tiny wrist watch...
I'm just not buying that it's totally benign and innocuous.
So, you're saying it's another government conspiracy?
What I'd like to know is how they managed to fit those quarts in my tiny wrist watch...
It's just sand...
"To see a world in a grain of sand..."
"To see a world in a grain of sand..."
Originally Posted By: MarkC
It's just sand...
OK, but how many quarts of sand did they have to squeeze in there to make it work?
Sorry, I just couldn't help myself...
It's just sand...
OK, but how many quarts of sand did they have to squeeze in there to make it work?
Sorry, I just couldn't help myself...
The watch crystal freq would be 32,768 Hz.
Maybe the elevated silicon in my last UOA was because the oil came bottled in quartz.
Maybe the elevated silicon in my last UOA was because the oil came bottled in quartz.
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Originally Posted By: XS650
My point was that they operate at about 9 times the frequecy stated earlier.
Are you sure about lower power for lower frequency? Higher frequency crystals have less mass so could take less current to excite. Whether that is offset by other things, I don't know.
I gave andyd the benefit of the doubt when I figured he had forgotten the k of khz...
Power consumption is linked to the size of the tuning fork resonator quartz. Quartz size is linked to frequency (Due to manufacturing limits? I don't know). Modern quartz watched contain very small crystals, about 4 mm long. I have an early 1970's LED quartz watch, and even if I don't use it (don't light up the display), it drains a set of button cells in 2 months. The quartz resonator in that puppy is over 1 cm long, over 4 mm high, and 3 mm wide! Compared to that, a typical quarts resonator in a modern quartz watch is less that 1/5th the size.
My point was that they operate at about 9 times the frequecy stated earlier.
Are you sure about lower power for lower frequency? Higher frequency crystals have less mass so could take less current to excite. Whether that is offset by other things, I don't know.
I gave andyd the benefit of the doubt when I figured he had forgotten the k of khz...
Power consumption is linked to the size of the tuning fork resonator quartz. Quartz size is linked to frequency (Due to manufacturing limits? I don't know). Modern quartz watched contain very small crystals, about 4 mm long. I have an early 1970's LED quartz watch, and even if I don't use it (don't light up the display), it drains a set of button cells in 2 months. The quartz resonator in that puppy is over 1 cm long, over 4 mm high, and 3 mm wide! Compared to that, a typical quarts resonator in a modern quartz watch is less that 1/5th the size.
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Here, the huge 11.60 mm quartz resonator in my ca 35 year old LED quartz watch. The resonator in modern watches is cylindrical and only about 4 mm long. As I said, that puppy sucks batteries down like there's no tomorrow.
The calipers are not perpendicular to the resonator because propping up the watch and the calipers for the picture was enough of a PITA.
The calipers are not perpendicular to the resonator because propping up the watch and the calipers for the picture was enough of a PITA.
Originally Posted By: moribundman
Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
quartz crystals have a unique property. When squeezed, they will produce an electric discharge. If you place a thin slice between electrodes, it will resonate at a single frequency.
Let's begin by squeezing your crystals.
If squeezing his crystals is your thing, the by all means squeeze away.
Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
quartz crystals have a unique property. When squeezed, they will produce an electric discharge. If you place a thin slice between electrodes, it will resonate at a single frequency.
Let's begin by squeezing your crystals.
If squeezing his crystals is your thing, the by all means squeeze away.
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