Chapter 10, Problem 4RQ

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

                 Differences between crystalline solid and amorphous solid, ionic solid and molecular solid, molecular solid and network solid, metallic solid and network solid have to be explained.

Concept introduction:

• Solids constitute the major part of the matter in the universe. Beneath the earth and above the sky in our Universe, as well as in our everyday life, solids can be found. Solids do have such a profound significance since the beginning of the Universe and human evolution.

• A solid is anything that is firm and stable in shape. Physics and Chemistry do provide clear cut explanation for the structure of solids. The firm and dense nature of solids is due to the strong intermolecular forces between their components which are nothing but molecules or ions.

• On the basis of the arrangement of the components of a solid, there are two distinct types of solids viz., crystalline solids and amorphous solids. These two types differ in the arrangement of their respective components and so in their properties.

• Crystalline solids have their own sub-classification. The types of solids can be summarized as follows –

• Crystalline solids have well-defined regular, compact, orderly arrangements of their components in a very long range order. They are termed as true solids. Amorphous solids lack such well defined arrangement of its components thus disordered or random arrangement does exist in them. They are termed as pseudo solids or super cooled liquids.

• Ionic solids, molecular solids, covalent solids and metallic solids are the types of crystalline solids.  The components that are found to be arranged in regular, compact, three dimensional patterns are ions, then it is an ionic solid.

• If molecules are arranged in such a fashion, then it is molecular solid whereas metal atoms are arranged in such a manner, it is metallic solid. In Covalent solids the components are atoms bonded by covalent bond repetitively and thus forms huge network form of solid.