Crystallography: A Very Short IntroductionCrystals have fascinated us for centuries with their beauty and symmetry, and have often been invested with magical powers. The use of X-ray diffraction, first pioneered in 1912 by father and son William and Lawrence Bragg, enabled us to probe the structure of molecules, and heralded the scientific study of crystals, leading to an understanding of their atomic arrangements at a fundamental level. The new discipline, called X-ray crystallography, has subsequently evolved into a formidable science that underpins many other scientific areas. Starting from the determination of the structures of very simple crystals, such as that of common salt, today it has become almost routine to determine the positions of tens of thousands of atoms in a crystal. In this Very Short Introduction Mike Glazer shows how the discoveries in crystallography have been applied to the creation of new and important materials, to drugs and pharmaceuticals and to our understanding of genetics, cell biology, proteins, and viruses. Tracing the history of crystallography, he analyses astonishing developments in new sources of X-rays, as well as of neutrons, and in electron microscopy, and considers the impact they have on the study of crystals today. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
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amino acids amplitudes angles arrangement axes axis Bragg Bragg’s Law called carbon atoms centre centrosymmetric Chemistry convolution crystal structure cubic Czochralski David detector Diamond Light Source diffraction pattern diffractometer diffuse scattering electron density Ewald Sphere example Figure film Fourier Transform free-electron laser Haüy hexagonal important incommensurate intensity International John known Laboratory lattice point Laue lens magnetic material mathematical method Michael modulation molecules neutron Nobel Prize obtained orientation Oxford packing of spheres particles particular Patterson map Paul periodic perpendicular Peter phase piezoelectric plane powder diffraction properties protein structure quartz crystals quasicrystal reciprocal lattice reflections Rietveld ring rotation shape shows so-called space group spots Stephen structure determination structure factors Synchrotron Radiation technique temperature tetragonal translational symmetry Union of Crystallography unit cell vector virus wavelength waves William William Henry Bragg X-ray beam X-ray crystallography X-ray diffraction