This is my wife, Nancy, happily digging quartz crystals in Arkansas. We brought home about 800 pounds of crystals. Now for the question. Why do they put quartz in quartz watches.
Quartz is piezoelectric. When you apply pressure in the right direction, a quartz crystal will develop an electric charge at either end. The charge can be strong enough to produce a spark. If you have one of the long lighters that you click to ignite the flame, you have used piezoelectric sparks.
Piezoelectric materials also work in reverse. If you apply the right amount of electricity to the right places, a piece of quartz will vibrate very quickly. For a quartz watch, a sliver of quartz is shaped so that it will vibrate at 32,768 cycles per second.
In a traditional clock, each second is divided into two parts. Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock. A quartz watch counts the vibrations of the quartz crystal, dividing each second up into 32,768 cycles per second. The more divisions, the more accurate the clock. Atomic clocks count the oscillations in cesium atoms, which divides a second into 9 billion parts, making them incredibly accurate.
DEAR MR. KRAMPF, HOW DID YOUR
DEAR MR. KRAMPF,
HOW DID YOUR WIFE KNOW WHERE TO DIG FOR THE CRYSTALS? DOES SHE HAVE A DEVICE TO DETECT THEM, OR JUST PURE LUCK? IF I WANTED TO DIG FOR A CRYSTAL WHERE SHOULD I LOOK, I LIVE IN NEW YORK. DO YOU DIG IN A MUDDY PLACE WHERE YOUR WIFE WAS DIGGING? I HAVE SOOO MANY QUESTIONS!!
JANNA, HOMESCHOOLED 6TH GRADER!!!
P.S WHAT DID YOU DO WITH ALL THE CRYSTALS?
Nancy, my wife, spent a LOT
Nancy, my wife, spent a LOT of time digging, and found quite a few nice specimens. I just happened to be lucky enough to be video taping her when she found the really big crystal. There are quite a few places in New York to look for crystals. Check with your local library (or do a Google search) to see if there is a rock and mineral club in your town. If there is, they are usually very glad to help you find locations, and will usually welcome you along on their field trips.
We brought all the crystals home, and have them all over the house, in the yard, etc. We have also given many away to friends, family, and teachers.
Crystals
I have just been studying about crystals and learned about quartz.
'The reason it is used in watches is because when a current of electricity is passed through a quartz crystal, it vibrates some 32,768 times a second. That is called the Piezoelectric effect. The vibrations can be used to measure time in clocks and watches. Usually, the crystals are shaped into prongs and the current of the watches battery makes them vibrate.' Usborne Science Encyclopedia
Farrkid, Noelle
Quartz
Quartz vibrates at a certain speed (I think) so it can be used to make precision time pieces. The chip counts how many times Quartz vibrates and translates it into seconds. The the seconds are counted then turn into minutes, then the minutes are counted and are turned into hours.
Response from Mrs. Webber's class
Dear Mr. Krampf,
Our guess is that the quartz is used as a protective cover for the watch, or as a battery.
How many crystals have you collected? How big is the largest crystal you've ever found?
We "dig" this photo.
Your shining fans,
Mrs. Webber's 4th grade class
RE: Response from Mrs. Webber's class
Wow, I have collected thousands of crystals. The biggest was one that Nancy found, just after this photo was taken. It is a single quartz crystal, and is a little bigger than a football.
Quartz Crystals
I didn't know so I looked this up. When compressed or bent it generates a charge or voltage on its surface.
Elizabeth From Mrs.Webber'class
Dear Mr. Krampf
I think that they call it quartz because the crystals are big
what where you doing in Arazonia?
Where do you live?
thank you Mr.Krampf
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth
We were in Arkansas to dig for the quartz crystals. We live in Florida.
Quartz
Maybe Quartz is a Mineral that sucks energy to make the watch work.
Rachel, age 10
Quartz
Maybe the quartz makes electricity and starts the watch.
Emily, Age 7
Quartz crystals in Watches
I think there are quartz crystals in watches becaused they vibrate when electrical signals go through it creating the seconds on the watch, making them almost exact. It also makes them very compact.
Morgan from Ms.Webber's Class
Hello Mr. Krampf,
They might put quartz in watches because they are a hard sturdy rock.
Your Admirer,
Morgan
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