the miracle of crystals ULTRASOUND At the hospital a soon-to-be mother is having an ultrasound The technician moves an electronic probe over her belly It sends sound waves to a computer On the screen black-and-white images appear The excited father takes pictures of the process with his phone
What do computers cell phones and ultrasounds have in common None would be possible without crystals These fascinating materials are all around us
what are crystals SALT CRYSTALS IN THE DEAD SEA DIAMONDS Diamonds are a type of crystal They are the hardest natural material on Earth Crystals are solid materials whose atoms are arranged in repeating patterns They are found in every part of the world Crystals include rare gemstones like rubies and emeralds They also include common materials like salt and sugar Minerals in rocks are crystals Snowflakes are crystals of ice Table salt is made of thousands of crystals Even aged cheeses contain crystals
CRYSTAL PROFILE NAME QUARTZ CRYSTAL HARDNESS 7 on Mohs scale 1 soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 hard TYPE six-sided FOUND all over the world MADE OF the elements silicon and oxygen USES construction materials watches glass
