Asked in ETEA MDCAT 2014 2014Moderate

Select the true statement about the amorphous solids:

Correct answer: B. Amorphous substances do not have a fixed melting point

  • A. Amorphous substances have a sharp melting point
  • B. Amorphous substances do not have a fixed melting point
  • C. Amorphous substances have proper geometrical shapes
  • D. The particles in amorphous substances are arranged in an orderly manner

Explanation

Amorphous solids, unlike crystalline solids, do not have a fixed melting point. This is because they lack the ordered structure that characterizes crystalline materials. Instead, they soften gradually over a range of temperatures. For example, glass softens before melting completely. Amorphous solids have a disordered atomic or molecular structure, which results in their unique properties such as isotropic behavior and lack of sharp melting points. Option B correctly identifies this characteristic, whereas the other options incorrectly attribute properties of crystalline solids to amorphous ones.

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About Crystalline and Amorphous Solids

Crystalline solids have a regular, repeating lattice and a sharp melting point, while amorphous solids lack long-range order and soften over a temperature range. The topic covers unit cells, anisotropy, cleavage, symmetry and examples such as salts, metals, glass and plastics. Crystalline order must not be confused with mere hardness.

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