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Quiz about Crazy Crystal Structures
Quiz about Crazy Crystal Structures

Crazy Crystal Structures Trivia Quiz


This is a short quiz on crystals and crystallography in general. It includes questions on defects and structure. Hope you enjoy.

A multiple-choice quiz by inigohowe. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
inigohowe
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
367,395
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
305
Last 3 plays: Guest 112 (6/10), gogetem (7/10), linkan (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. How many different space lattices are there? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In the tetragonal crystal structure such as that seen in the neodymium-iron-boron magnet, all angles are 90 degrees. But what are the sides like? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In a crystal structure only 4 types of symmetry can be found. these are? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Which one of these is NOT a crystal defect? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Which of these relaxes stress in a crystal? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Although crystals are rarely perfect some come pretty close and others not. Which of these structures would be the least crystalline? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. In a nuclear reactor the overheating of the graphite rods is caused by the coming together of two defects. These are? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Which one of these is not one of the 7 crystal types? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What is unique about a triclinic crystal structure? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. What are the movements in crystals that are the main carriers of heat called? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 12 2024 : Guest 112: 6/10
Feb 09 2024 : gogetem: 7/10
Feb 02 2024 : linkan: 5/10
Feb 02 2024 : comark2000: 10/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. How many different space lattices are there?

Answer: 14

Yes there are 14 different space lattices (organized in seven systems) that could be formed. A space lattice is a small primitive cell that can be repeated potentially an infinite amount of times to form the macro crystal structure.
In a space lattice there are three dimensions and four angles to be considered. Each space lattice will have three corners. See if you can guess all the possible combinations.
2. In the tetragonal crystal structure such as that seen in the neodymium-iron-boron magnet, all angles are 90 degrees. But what are the sides like?

Answer: Two axes are the same, one different.

The tetragonal crystal structure is one that looks like a 3D rectangle with all angles at 90 and two pairs of different lengths. It makes up 2 of 14 space lattices. These are the simple tetragonal and the body centered tetragonal.
3. In a crystal structure only 4 types of symmetry can be found. these are?

Answer: 2 fold,3 fold, 4 fold, 6 fold.

Only 2, 4, 3, and 6 fold crystal symmetries are possible. If you pause for a second and try and fit regular pentagons together ( 5 fold ) you will soon notice gaps emerging. Do the same with and symmetry over 6 fold and you will find overlaps. It is important to note that mathematicians have found ways to fit in 12 fold symmetry by using a series of kites and darts, however this doesn't occur in nature.
4. Which one of these is NOT a crystal defect?

Answer: Polarization

Polarization is the distortion of electron clouds by cations and although it disrupts the maths in which the atoms are assumed to be spherical is is by no means a defect. A vacancy can be imagined as a place where an atom should be but isn't. Interstitials are atoms which have been dislocated by some means and now reside as an impurity between the lattices. Dislocation is when a lattice has been moved so it sort of wedges itself between the other lattices.
5. Which of these relaxes stress in a crystal?

Answer: The movement of lattices

In fact the other three would increase the level of stress in the crystal. It is the movement of lattices that relaxes stress as this requires energy so the stored energy due to the stress applied is dissipated.
6. Although crystals are rarely perfect some come pretty close and others not. Which of these structures would be the least crystalline?

Answer: Glass

Although it may at first seem strange, glasses are the least crystalline structures that can exist, i.e. they have the highest entropy. This is because a glass is made by super cooling a liquid. As it cools the atoms lose the energy that they require to move so they stay where they are. This gives you a solid structure with the entropy of a liquid.
7. In a nuclear reactor the overheating of the graphite rods is caused by the coming together of two defects. These are?

Answer: Vacancies and Interstitials

In a nuclear reactor, large fission fragments are crashing into the graphite rods all the time. They have such high energy that they break the crystal structure and cause atoms to be pushed into the crystal structure forming vacancies and interstitials, These interstitials have an amount of stress stored.

When one of them comes into contact with a vacancy it will move giving out that stored energy as heat. This can cause the rods to overheat.
8. Which one of these is not one of the 7 crystal types?

Answer: Quadrahedral

The 7 crystal types are as follows:
- Cubic
- Hexagonal
- Tertagonal
- Trigonal
- Orthorhombic
- Monoclinic
- Triclinic
9. What is unique about a triclinic crystal structure?

Answer: The three angles and lengths are different from each other

In a triclinic crystal structure, all angles and lengths are different. If all angles were the same and all the sides different, this would be an orthorhombic crystal structure. Stating that they cannot have defects is incorrect as all crystals can have defects!. Also, although some radioactive elements may have this crystal structure not all do. Uranium, for example, is orthorhombic.
10. What are the movements in crystals that are the main carriers of heat called?

Answer: Phonons

Phonons are the vibrations that carry heat in a lattice. they are made up of waves that move around the crystal structure. Although ions could potentially move in vacancies and conduct heat that way it would be an insignificant amount. Otherwise the ions could not be free unless the crystal was dissolved. In metal crystals free electrons do conduct heat but they are not the main conductor. On the subject of diffusion as I said with the free ion, heat could travel this way but it would be in insignificant amount.
Source: Author inigohowe

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor WesleyCrusher before going online.
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