How Crystal Is Put To Use: Crystal Oscillator

When you go to buy a watch, you don’t usually stop to think about how it’s made, or how it gets to look so brilliant. Those facts are often over looked. Or, if you purchase a radio, you definitely do not take the time to think about how the waves of frequency are made. You only worry about if both of these items are going to do their job. But, little do you know that the most common mineral, quartz (or crystal) is being used as a crystal oscillator to create these everyday things. The purest mineral form, crystals are usually found high up in the mountains, such as the Himalayan Mountains or the Alps. They contain a hardness of 7 on the Mohr scale and carry a density of about 2.75 grams per centimeter. When they are extracted, no explosive material is allowed, as to preserve the purity of the mineral. Crystal salts are used for consumption for nutritional purposes, as they help to maintain the body’s equilibrium, and thus reduce blood pressure, stave off dehydration and help to alleviate physical ailments such as muscles cramps or soreness.

History of Crystals

A crystal oscillator is one of the latest forms of crystals since it has been discovered. In its first discovery, crystal has been believed to be “permanent” ice because of its residency in the Alps, and was used to cool the hands. It has also been used in Aborigine mythology as a source of magic for wise men to gain from. It was only recently that crystal has ceased in being mined, and instead is now extracted and manufactured in devices such as the crystal oscillator, so that is can be used in everyday items.

How An Oscillator Works

It takes some science comprehension to understand how a crystal oscillator can work, but you may just want the basics. Crystals are made up of positive and negative ions. When the ions are combined and the crystal is cut to a certain angle, a polarization is created, which in turn creates an electronic frequency or piezoelectricity. When the electronic field is removed from the crystal, then voltage is created. Resulting from this, the crystal acts as an inductor, capacitor and resistor, which are the component of generating and maintaining frequency. This is why a crystal oscillator is used in clock watches, radios and other objects that require frequency for use.