allomeric

allomeric

A scientist compares two allomeric crystals under a light.

Definition
  1. Adjective:
    • Characterized by allomerism: "allomeric" describes a chemical substance that has a different composition but crystallizes in the same form as another substance. This term is used in crystallography and chemistry to indicate a variation in chemical makeup while maintaining an identical crystal structure.
Usage Examples
  • (They have the same crystal shape but different elements.)
  • (Scientists examine these substances to see how form persists despite chemical changes.)
Advanced Usage
  • "allomeric substitution": the replacement of one element or ion in a crystal lattice by another of different type, resulting in an allomeric compound.
    • Allomeric substitution in the mineral led to a change in color without altering its geometry. (The substitution changed the appearance but not the crystal shape.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Allomerism (noun): the property of having a different chemical composition but the same crystalline form.

    • Allomerism is a key concept in mineralogy for identifying isomorphic series. (The property helps classify minerals with similar shapes.)
  • Allomerous (adjective): another form of "allomeric", meaning the same.

    • The allomerous nature of the sample was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. (Its identical crystal structure was verified.)
Synonyms
  • Isomorphic: having the same form or shape, but often used more broadly in mathematics and biology; in chemistry, it specifically refers to substances that crystallize in the same form (though sometimes with the same composition, unlike allomeric).
  • Homotypic: relating to the same type or form, used in biology and chemistry.
Related Idioms
  • No common idioms include "allomeric" due to its technical nature.