Dont silicates have 4 oxygen atoms for each silicon atom?I suck at this kind of stuff...
Because of some properties of quartz it is used for many things. One of those properties is that quartz is a very hard substance - harder than a steel file. Also most quartz doesn't split easily. Glass can't transmit ultraviolet light, but quartz can. Quartz is piezoelectric meaning that when an electrical current passes through it will vibrate a little bit. And when put under pressure quartz can generate a small electric charge by itself. Quartz is used for: 1. special lenses and prisms and quartz-glass tubes for unlamps 2. laboratory tubes and crucibles 3. glass that is useful for making precise laboratory experiments 4. ordinary types of glass 5. construction work and foundry molds 6. as a filter for some liquids 7. sandpapers, whetstones, and scouring powders and in sandblasting 8. radio, television, and radar 9. digital watches Quartz makes up almost all of two very important building stones. Sandstone is a rock made up of quartz sand held together by a natural cement. Quartzite is a harder rock than sandstone. It is made up of quartz sand held together by a cement as strong as the quartz itself. Lastly the most important building stone, Granite, is about 30% quartz.
