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triclinic system
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Diagram showing the seven primitive crystal systems with labeled 3D shapes: isometric (cubic), tetragonal, orthorhombic, hexagonal, triclinic, monoclinic, and rhombohedral (trigonal), each with axis orientation and a brief description of their geometric properties.
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crystal systems
crystal systems The seven primitive crystal systems.

triclinic system

crystallography
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triclinic system, one of the structural categories to which crystalline solids can be assigned. Crystals in this system are referred to three axes of unequal lengths that are inclined at nonorthogonal (nonperpendicular) angles relative to each other.

If the atoms or atom groups in the solid are represented by points and the points are connected, the resulting lattice will consist of an orderly stacking of blocks, or unit cells. The triclinic unit cell has the least-symmetrical shape of all unit cells. Turquoise and other minerals such as microcline crystallize in the triclinic system.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.