Which materials can be used to produce piezoelectric crystals?

Which materials can be used to produce piezoelectric crystals?

• A. Quartz, Lithium Sulfate and Barium Titanate
• B. Glass, Plastic, and Wood
• C. Copper, Aluminum, and Steel
• D. Mercury, Lead, and Tin

Answer: (A)

Piezoelectric behavior happens in materials whose crystal structure lacks a center of symmetry, so when you apply mechanical stress, the internal charges shift and create an electric charge. Quartz is a classic example of a piezoelectric crystal and is widely used in timing devices and sensors. Lithium sulfate is another crystal that exhibits the piezoelectric effect, and barium titanate is a piezoelectric ceramic with a strong response due to its ferroelectric perovskite structure. The other materials don’t show this effect in their usual forms. Glass is amorphous, not organized into a crystal lattice, so it doesn’t develop a consistent polarization under stress. Many plastics and woods aren’t piezoelectric unless specially processed, and metals like copper, aluminum, and steel are centrosymmetric and do not generate piezoelectric charge when stressed. Mercury, lead, and tin are metals as well and aren’t piezoelectric. Therefore, the materials that can produce piezoelectric crystals here are quartz, lithium sulfate, and barium titanate.

Piezoelectric behavior happens in materials whose crystal structure lacks a center of symmetry, so when you apply mechanical stress, the internal charges shift and create an electric charge. Quartz is a classic example of a piezoelectric crystal and is widely used in timing devices and sensors. Lithium sulfate is another crystal that exhibits the piezoelectric effect, and barium titanate is a piezoelectric ceramic with a strong response due to its ferroelectric perovskite structure.

The other materials don’t show this effect in their usual forms. Glass is amorphous, not organized into a crystal lattice, so it doesn’t develop a consistent polarization under stress. Many plastics and woods aren’t piezoelectric unless specially processed, and metals like copper, aluminum, and steel are centrosymmetric and do not generate piezoelectric charge when stressed. Mercury, lead, and tin are metals as well and aren’t piezoelectric. Therefore, the materials that can produce piezoelectric crystals here are quartz, lithium sulfate, and barium titanate.