Properties of Crystalline and Non crystalline Solids

Geometrical Shape

Crystalline Solids: Crystalline solids have a well-defined geometrical shape due to the regular arrangement of unit cells.

Noncrystalline Solids: Non-crystalline solids do not have well-defined geometrical shape.

Range Order

Crystalline Solids: Crystalline solids have a long range order.

Noncrystalline Solids: Non-crystalline solids have a short range order.

Melting Point

Crystalline Solids: Crystalline solids have a definite melting point.

Noncrystalline Solids: Non-crystalline solids melt over a range.

Heat of Fusion

Crystalline Solids: Crystalline solids have a high fixed value for the heat of fusion.

Noncrystalline Solids: Non-crystalline solids do not have a fixed value for the heat of fusion.

Properties of Solids

Crystalline Solids: Crystalline solids are true solids. They show all the properties of solids.

Noncrystalline Solids: Non-crystalline solids do not show all the properties of solids. Therefore, they are called “pseudo solids”.

Energy

Crystalline Solids: Energy in crystalline solids is lower than that of non-crystalline solids.

Noncrystalline Solids: Nature favours crystalline solids due to the low energy arrangement.