What is the Difference Between Amorphous and Crystalline Solid?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between amorphous and crystalline solids lies in the arrangement of their constituent atoms. Here are the key differences between the two:
- Arrangement of atoms: Crystalline solids have a regular and ordered arrangement of atoms, while amorphous solids have an irregular and disordered arrangement of atoms.
- Anisotropy/Isotropy: Crystalline solids are anisotropic, meaning their properties are different in different directions, while amorphous solids are isotropic, meaning their properties are the same in all directions.
- Melting point: Crystalline solids have sharp melting points, while amorphous solids do not have a specific melting point and instead soften gradually over a temperature range.
- Shape: Crystalline solids have well-defined edges and faces, while amorphous solids have irregular or curved surfaces.
- X-ray diffraction: Crystalline solids diffract x-rays, producing well-resolved diffraction patterns, while amorphous solids do not give well-resolved x-ray diffraction patterns.
Examples of crystalline solids include diamonds and potassium nitrate, while examples of amorphous solids include glass, cellophane, and polyvinyl chloride.
Comparative Table: Amorphous vs Crystalline Solid
The main difference between amorphous and crystalline solids lies in the arrangement of their atoms or molecules. Here is a comparison table highlighting the key differences between the two types of solids:
Property | Crystalline Solids | Amorphous Solids |
---|---|---|
Atomic Arrangement | Regular 3D arrangement | Irregular arrangement |
Melting Point | Sharp melting point | No specific melting point |
Anisotropy/Isotropy | Anisotropic | Isotropic |
Symmetry | Symmetrical | Unsymmetrical |
Rigidity | More rigid | Less rigid |
Long/Short-range Order | Long-range order | Short-range order |
Examples | Potassium nitrate, copper | Cellophane, polyvinyl chloride |
Crystalline solids have a regular, repeating three-dimensional array of atoms or molecules, which results in sharp melting points and well-defined edges and faces. In contrast, amorphous solids have an irregular arrangement of atoms or molecules, no specific melting point, and are isotropic in nature.
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- Crystalline vs Polycrystalline
- Nanocrystalline vs Polycrystalline
- Polycrystalline vs Monocrystalline
- Liquid vs Solid
- Liquid Crystal Solid vs Liquid
- Grain Size vs Crystallite Size
- Crystallization vs Recrystallization
- Atomic Structure vs Crystal Structure
- Lattice vs Crystal
- Ionic vs Molecular Solids
- Evaporation vs Crystallization
- Glass vs Crystal
- Heat of Fusion vs Crystallization
- Minerals vs Crystals
- Crystals vs Quasicrystals
- Crystal vs Diamond
- Crystallization vs Precipitation