crystallography
- Noun:
- The scientific study of crystal formation and structure: Crystallography is the branch of science concerned with the geometric properties, internal arrangement, and physical properties of crystalline solids.
- Noun:
- X-ray crystallography is a primary technique for determining molecular structures.
- Her research in crystallography revealed a new type of crystal lattice.
- The Nobel Prize was awarded for advances in protein crystallography.
"Single-crystal crystallography": A technique where X-ray diffraction data is collected from a single, pure crystal to determine its atomic structure.
- Single-crystal crystallography provided a detailed map of the mineral's atomic arrangement.
"Powder crystallography": A technique used to analyze materials that are only available as a fine powder, where the diffraction pattern comes from many tiny, randomly oriented crystals.
- Powder crystallography was employed to identify the phases present in the ceramic sample.
Crystallographer (n): A scientist who specializes in crystallography.
- The crystallographer analyzed the diffraction patterns.
Crystallographic (adj): Relating to crystallography.
- The crystallographic data confirmed the theoretical model.
- Crystal science: (A less common, descriptive synonym)
- Crystal structure analysis: (Refers to a core activity within the field)
"X-ray crystallography": A specific and major sub-discipline using X-rays to determine atomic and molecular structures.
- The discovery of the DNA double helix relied on X-ray crystallography data.
"Electron crystallography": A technique using electron beams instead of X-rays, often for very thin crystals or materials that are difficult to crystallize for X-ray analysis.
- Electron crystallography can be used to study membrane proteins.
- the branch of science that studies the formation and structure of crystals