Crystallite (Noun)
Meaning
Any of numerous minute rudimentary crystalline bodies of unknown composition found in glassy igneous rock.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made).
Examples
- Obsidian is characterized by the presence of numerous tiny crystallites of feldspar that reflect light.
- The geologist carefully studied the crystallites found in the glassy rock sample to understand its origin.
- X-ray diffraction revealed that the obsidian sample contained crystallites of cristobalite, a high-temperature form of silica.
- The crystallites embedded in the volcanic glass were thought to be fragments of pyroxene or olivine.
- Crystallites in the pumice sample were composed of anorthite, which hinted at its explosive origin.