LC6.

Describe the difference in structure of a crystalline and amorphous solids

EQ: How do you describe solids?

TYPES AND PROPERTIES OF SOLIDS

CLASSIFICATION OF SOLIDS:
1. Crystalline - have a highly regular arrangement of particles
2. Amorphous – have considerable disorder in their structure.
AMORPHOUS SOLIDS

Amorphous solids such as glass are formed rapidly such that they do not have time to align or
organize into a more crystalline lattice.

Examples:

Polycarbonate
Polymethylmethacrylate tough to be used as armor polymers
(KEVLAR)

Silicon - solar cells and thin film transistors

Qurtz - may also exist as crystalline solids

CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS

- It has awell define crystal lattice

Lattice- is a three-dimensional system of points designating the position of the
components( atoms, ion or molecule) that make up a crystal.
A unit cell- is the smallest repeating unit of a lattice.

TYPES OF CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS:

1. Ionic Solids – Ions in the different points of lattices are heldtogether by a strong columbic forces. Ex.
is Sodium Chloride ( NaCl)
- Ionic crystals when dissolve in water conducts electricity.
- Sodium Chloride dissociate in water as Na + & Cl—in a polar solvent such as water. Ions can
move freely allowing it to conduct electricity.
2. Molecular Solids- it has a discreet covalently bonded molecule at each of its lattice points. Ex. sugar
crystals, ice crystals (H-bonding).
- Does not conduct electricity when dissolve in water.
- Sugar may be dissolve in water but constituted by neutral molecules hence it does not
conduct electricity.
 WHAT HAPPEN WHEN SODIUM CHLORIDE IS DISSOLVED IN WATER?

OTHER TYPES OF SOLIDS ARE:

Metallic Solids - composed of metallic atoms bonded by metallic bonds.

Ex. Gold, Copper and Bronze

Network of Solids – covalently bonded atoms that forms a continuous network. Ex. Graphite, Silicon
Dioxide, Diamond
Group 8 Solids- consist of atoms of noble gases held together by London Dispersion Forces. Ex. Krypton,
Argon