The diffraction of light is an optical phenomena that is frequently observed in nature. This chapter explores diffraction, first as it occurs with light in nature, then as it occurs with x-rays in mineral crystals. X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction are used in mineral identification and are used to determine the atomic structure of mineral crystals. The instrumentation involved in X-ray and electron diffraction is examined and the interpretation of the data is explained. Finally, this chapter examines the mathematics of diffraction.
Topics covered in Chapter 15 include:
Light Diffraction
Reciprocal Lattices and d-spacings
"Reflection" of X-rays
Diffraction Theory
Generation of X-rays
Diffraction by Lattices
Systematic Absences
Instrumentation for Single-Crystal Diffraction
Diffraction by Example Structures
Identification by Powder Diffraction
Integration of Powder and Single-Crystal Diffraction
