Quartz crystal is one of several minerals which are piezoelectric, meaning that when pressure is applied to quartz, a positive electrical charge is created at one end of the crystal and a negative electrical charge is created at the other. These properties make quartz valuable in electronics applications.
Is quartz negatively charged?
Piezoelectric materials can turn mechanical stress into electricity, and electricity into mechanical vibrations. Quartz is an example of a naturally occurring piezoelectric crystal. In quartz, the silicon atoms have a positive charge and oxygen atoms have a negative charge.
Is quartz electrically charged?
Quartz can produce an electrical reaction. Minerals with this ability are called piezoelectric. The electrical reaction can be created by applying a charge, physical stress, or heat.