piezoelectric effect

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the generation of an electric charge in certain crystalline materials, including quartz, Rochelle salt, barium titanate, and lead zirconate titanate, in response to applied mechanical stress, and conversely the generation of mechanical deformation in the same materials when an electric field is applied; the direct piezoelectric effect is exploited in sensors, microphones, and energy-harvesting devices that convert mechanical vibration or pressure into electrical signals; the converse piezoelectric effect drives actuators, ultrasonic transducers, inkjet printer heads, and the oscillating crystals used as frequency standards in watches and electronic devices