Classification of solids: crystalline vs amorphous
Solid State · Chemistry
Molecule viewer
Interactive 3DBall-and-stick models with true bond angles — switch molecule to compare shapes.
Controls
Drag the sliders or type a value — the simulation updates live.
Study notes
Glass is called a 'supercooled liquid'. Justify using crystalline vs amorphous properties. Step 1: Glass has no ordered lattice — X-ray shows diffuse halos, not sharp spots. Step 2: It has no sharp melting point — softens gradually over a range. Step 3: It is isotropic — properties same in all directions. Step 4: Like a liquid frozen mid-disorder: particles locked but unordered. Old windows are thicker at the bottom — glass flows imperceptibly over centuries.