what do you guys know about quartz?

[SmallTownGuy]

You do seem to be very interested in the piezo-electric effect. That's good, anyway. Rather than getting your information from quacks, I suggest you go to some real sources:

The short version of it is that quartz (and many other crystals) will vibrate along one axis when you provide an electric field. There is no magic source of energy involved - it gets the energy for the vibrations from the electric source you provide. The thickness of the quartz crystal determines the frequency. The width of the crystal determines diffraction effects.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectricity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectric_sensor
http://www.aurelienr.com/electronique/piezo/piezo.pdf

(My own experience with quartz and the piezo-electric effect is with the ultrasonic quartz transducers I've designed (and had made by a commercial firm) and used in my ultrasonic studies of other materials.)

[Tocahontas]

THeSLuSH

That's really cool. I'd be interested in doing stuff like that, I'm sure it's a lot of fun. 4laugh

[BlackShadow03]

If emotions could change the frequency of quartz, then all watches based on a quartz movement would be too unreliable to tell time with. Someone has been lying to you and you've been eating out of their palm.

[SmallTownGuy]

BlackShadow03

If emotions could change the frequency of quartz, then all watches based on a quartz movement would be too unreliable to tell time with. Someone has been lying to you and you've been eating out of their palm.

I think it's more than that. I think an entire cult has been growing centered around this idea that quartz and other crystals (but only the pretty crystals. No mention of crystalline iron nor sodium nor dull metals.) can do magic. People seem to want to do magic just like in Tolkien or Harry Potter or Marion Zimmer Bradley, and will create their own religion around it.

(Bradley's crystals did magic. But did Tolkien or Potter even mention crystals?)

I don't understand why they're not very interested in some of the wondrous things those crystals really can do, though. Nor why they look at leaded glass and say "crystal" - even though it's not a crystal - and ignore the wondrous things glasses can do.

[Totient]

Aren't quartz broken off of atoms in particle accelerators or something like that?

[Vannak]

l-_K1RA_-l

Aren't quartz broken off of atoms in particle accelerators or something like that?

You're thinking of Quarks, which are the things that make up protons and neutrons in the nucleus of atoms. Quartz is a mineral, SiO4, which often forms large and rather beautiful crystal.

[Ratttking]

Tocahontas

SmallTownGuy

I found the article! http://gemsandcrafts.com/200403_01.htm

Quote:

Our human body consists of 70-80% Silicon and Water.

This alone should have convinced you that it is not a reputable source. The human body contains ~ 1 gram of silicon, 0.002% of total mass.

[Tocahontas]

Ratttking

I never said it was a reputable source, I'm here trying to find out if there's any truth in it.

[Tocahontas]

BlackShadow03

I never said I believe any of what that article says, I'm here trying to find out if there's any truth in it. So no, I'm not eating out of the palm of their hand.

[Ratttking]

Tocahontas

Ratttking

I never said it was a reputable source, I'm here trying to find out if there's any truth in it.

The statement I quoted was false regarding Si, true regarding water. As you are, ahem, "researching" quartz, a sources that gives false statements regarding one of the basic elements of which quartz is composed should not be trusted at all.

[Tocahontas]

Ratttking

Just because it clearly can't be trusted doesn't mean all of what their saying is a lie.

[Ratttking]

Tocahontas

Ratttking

Just because it clearly can't be trusted doesn't mean all of what their saying is a lie.

Why would you value any source that contains blatant untruths?

[Tocahontas]

Ratttking

Mostly because I've read many books and articles discussing the supposed abilities that quartz possesses, and in my opinion the article provided a reasonable scientific explanation for some of these claims.

[Ratttking]

Tocahontas

Ratttking

Mostly because I've read many books and articles discussing the supposed abilities that quartz possesses, and in my opinion the article provided a reasonable scientific explanation for some of these claims.

No scientific evidence was offered.