Question

Distinguish between crystalline solid and amorphous solid

Answer 1

	Crystalline solid		Amorphous solid
(i)	They have a definite geometrical shape	(i)	They have an irregular shape
(ii)	They have a sharp melting point	(ii)	They melt over a range of temperature
(iii)	They are anisotropic	(iii)	They are isotropic
(iv)	They are pure solid	(iv)	They are supercooled liquid.
(v)	They have long-range order of regular pattern of arrangement of constituent particles.	(v)	They have short-range order of regular pattern of arrangement of constituent particles.
(vi)	They have definite heat of fusion.	(vi)	They do not have a definite heat of fusion.

Answer 2

	Crystalline solids	Amorphous solids
1.	The constituent particles are arranged in a regular and periodic manner.	The constituent particles are arranged randomly
2.	They have sharp and characteristic melting points.	They do not have sharp melting point. They gradually soften over a range of temperature.
3.	They are anisotropic, i.e., have different physical properties in a different directions.	They are isotropic, i.e., have same physical properties in all directions.
4.	They have long-range order.	They have only short range order.
5.	e.g. Ice, NaCl	e.g. Glass, rubber, plastics, etc.