Powder patterns

Powder patterns refer to the distinctive arrangements of diffraction spots produced when X-rays are shined through powdered crystalline materials. Since the crystals are randomly oriented, the pattern provides a fingerprint of the material's atomic structure. This technique, called powder X-ray diffraction, helps identify and analyze the composition, phase, and structure of substances, such as minerals or pharmaceuticals. The pattern’s spots and their positions relate directly to the spacing of atomic planes, revealing information about the material's internal arrangement without needing a single crystal sample.