noun
- Plural of cristobalite; a high-temperature form of silicon dioxide (SiO₂) that crystallizes in the cubic system, found in volcanic rocks and used in ceramics and refractories.
Usage: technical; mineralogy; materials science
Examples
- Cristobalites form when silica-rich volcanic rocks cool rapidly at high temperatures.
- The ceramic industry uses cristobalites in the production of heat-resistant materials.
- Cristobalites can be distinguished from other silica polymorphs by their cubic crystal structure.
- Geologists identified cristobalites in the ash deposits from the ancient eruption.