crystals

n. transparent mineral (especially a type of quartz); type of clear glass

CRYSTAL is a quantum chemistry ab initio program, designed primarily for calculations on crystals (3 dimensions), slabs (2 dimensions) and polymers (1 dimension) using translational symmetry, but it can be used for single molecules. It is written by V.R. Saunders, R. Dovesi, C. Roetti, R. Orlando, C.M. Zicovich-Wilson, N.M. Harrison, K. Doll, B. Civalleri, I.J. Bush, Ph. D’Arco, and M. Llunell from Theoretical Chemistry Group at the University of Torino and the Computational Materials Science Group at the Daresbury Laboratory near Warrington in Cheshire, England. The current version is CRYSTAL06. Earlier versions were CRYSTAL92, CRYSTAL95, CRYSTAL98 and CRYSTAL03.
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In chemistry and mineralogy, a crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are packed in a regularly ordered, repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions.The word crystal originates from the Greek word "Krystallos" meaning clear ice, as it was thought to be an especially solid form of water. The word once referred particularly to quartz, or "rock crystal". Most metals encountered in everyday life are  polycrystals. Crystals are often symmetrically intergrown to form crystal twins.'''
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Crystal /crys·tal/ a homogeneous angular solid of definite form, with systematically arranged elemental units. [more]Crystals - Community and Resources

Noun
1. a solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure
(hypernym) solid
(hyponym) snowflake, flake
(derivation) crystallize, crystallise, crystalize, crystalise
2. a crystalline element used as a component in various electronic devices
(hypernym) component, constituent, element
(hyponym) piezoelectric crystal
(part-holonym) crystal counter
3. a rock formed by the solidification of a substance; has regularly repeating internal structure; external plane faces
(synonym) crystallization
(hypernym) rock, stone
(hyponym) crystallite
(derivation) crystallize, crystallise, crystalize, crystalise
4. colorless glass made of almost pure silica
(synonym) quartz glass, quartz, vitreous silica, lechatelierite
(hypernym) natural glass
(derivation) crystallize, crystallise, crystalize, crystalise
5. glassware made of quartz
(hypernym) glassware, glasswork
6. a protective cover that protects the face of a watch
(synonym) watch crystal, watch glass
(hypernym) protective covering, protective cover, protection
(part-holonym) watch, ticker

Crystals, Crystallization The formation of crystals shows the working of intelligent life forces in the mineral world. The shapes of crystals show, in their harmony and proportion, the mathematical and geometrical principles permeant throughout the universe. A solution of salt, when evaporated, first crystallizes in triangular shapes and ultimately builds up cubes, both of which are symbolical figures of fundamental importance; and salt is a well-known alchemical symbol of the element of earth, also denoted by the cubical shape. Every salt has a particular form in which it crystallizes, or has perhaps two different forms; but different salts may have the same crystalline form. Snow crystals show the hexagonal patterns which display the septenate -- a center from which six radii proceed. Cubic, tetragonal, hexagonal, and octagonal shapes occur; but the fivefold forms of the regular dodecahedron and icosahedron are not found. Clairvoyant sensitives see light emanating from crystals, and luminous phenomena are often seen at the formation or disruption of crystals. Blavatsky alludes to the idea that the process of crystallization might be a step in the evolution of the minerals to the next higher kingdom.