silikaatvõrkude

Silikaatvõrkude, often translated as silicate networks, refers to the fundamental structural arrangement of silicon and oxygen atoms in silicate minerals. These minerals, which constitute the vast majority of the Earth's crust, are characterized by the presence of the silica tetrahedron, a basic unit composed of one silicon atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. The way these silica tetrahedra link together through shared oxygen atoms determines the diverse structures and properties of silicate minerals.

There are several primary types of silicate networks. In nesosilicates, such as olivine, the silica tetrahedra exist as isolated units, with each tetrahedron bonded to other cations. Sorosilicates, like epidote, feature linked pairs of tetrahedra. Inosilicates, such as pyroxenes and amphiboles, exhibit single or double chains of tetrahedra, respectively. Phyllosilicates, found in micas and clays, form two-dimensional sheets where each tetrahedron shares three oxygen atoms with adjacent tetrahedra. Finally, tectosilicates, exemplified by quartz and feldspar, possess three-dimensional frameworks where all four oxygen atoms of each tetrahedron are shared, creating a very stable structure. The specific arrangement of these networks influences a mineral's hardness, cleavage, density, and melting point, playing a crucial role in geology and materials science.