The property by which a crystalline solid shows different values of a physical property such as refractive index in different directions is called

  • A. isomorphism
  • B. anisotropy
  • C. polymorphism
  • D. allotropy

Explanation

Because the arrangement of particles differs along different axes of a crystal, properties measured along those axes differ too, and this direction dependence is anisotropy. Amorphous solids and liquids are isotropic, giving the same value in every direction. Polymorphism is the existence of one compound in more than one crystalline form, and allotropy is the same idea applied to an element.

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