Final answer:
Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica, widely used for jewelry, decorative items, and technological applications due to its distinct properties. Amorphous silica, on the other hand, is primarily used in the glass industry.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most common form of crystalline silica is quartz. Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is a natural mineral abundant in the Earth's crust.
It is a hard, brittle, clear, and colorless solid that has a wide range of uses due to its physical properties. Quartz is not only utilized for decorative architectural elements and semiprecious gemstones like amethyst,
but also plays a crucial role in the technological industry for frequency control in radio transmitters and the production of items like tubing and lenses from amorphous silica.
The figure 3.3.3 illustrates the periodic crystalline lattice structure of quartz in comparison to the random network structure of glassy silica.
Amorphous silica, another form of silicon dioxide, is not arranged in a crystal lattice and is the most common component in the glass, including for artistic purposes like stained-glass windows.
The silica used in glass has unique characteristics like being highly transparent to visible and ultraviolet light and having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, making it invaluable for various industrial applications.