ᴇʟᴇᴄᴛʀɪᴄ ᴄʀʏꜱᴛᴀʟꜱ ✧
piezoelectricity is defined as the electric polarization in a substance (especially certain crystals) resulting from the application of mechanical stress.
in other words, electricity generated within crystals or other solid objects from stress, pressure, friction, or vibration!
[ now skip to the end for the cool part ]
piezoelectricity can be applied to many different things, including sonar, car parts, medical devices, smart phones, lighters, inkjet printers, and wristwatches, to name a few...
quartz is probably the most common piezoelectric crystal. quartz crystals are composed of silicon and oxygen - these are polar, chemically bonded atoms with a partial positive charge on silicon and a partial negative charge on oxygen, creating a separation of these charges (dipole). at rest, these dipoles cancel each other out, but when placed under mechanical stress, the dipoles become asymmetrical, causing a net positive charge on one side and a net negative charge on the other. this is repeated throughout the entire crystal; opposite charges are collected on opposite sides or faces of the crystal and this is what creates the voltage necessary to generate piezoelectricity.
but wait! there's more!
some other piezoelectric crystals include:
topaz
tourmaline
natrolite
schorl
wulfenite
langasite
other piezoelectric materials:
lithium
rochelle salts
ceramics
lead zirconate titanate
bone
enamel
dna
collagen
sucrose
the magic of it all:
quartz can be useful for just about any magical endeavor and is often seen as the "universal" crystal because it has so many uses
cleansing, charging, catalyzing, healing, channeling energy, amplifying energy, protection, warding, and divination to name a few.
one of the primary applications for electric crystals [namely quartz] in my practice is charging. i have an affinity for clear quartz and use it often so you can find it all over my altar, passively keeping things charged for later use and actively powering spells when i cast them. as natural batteries, quartz crystals also make for a wonderful centerpiece in a crystal grid.
i think the coolest thing about this phenomena is that quartz being described as a universal charging stone is actually evidence based - quartz crystals are proven to be capable of generating electricity, thus making them literal batteries for spellwork.
if you were skeptical, here's a video of me demonstrating the piezoelectric properties of raw quartz. :)
this will grind down and ruin your crystals, all while generating heat and breaking off bits in the process, so keep that in mind if you decide to try this at home - wear protective eye gear and heat safe gloves!
sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . notes: do NOT save or use my video elsewhere without asking me first, thanks!
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