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Why do crystalline solids shatter into regularly- shaped fragments when broken?

2 Answers

6 votes

Answer:

They have distinct geometric shapes reflecting their internal structure.

Step-by-step explanation:

*regardless of particle size

3 votes
Crystalline solids shatter into regularly shaped fragments because they are made from atoms linked by ionic bonding that allow for geometric structures such as: hexagonal, cubic, and tetrahedral. Ionic crystals, covalent network crystals and metallic crystals are all similar in that they all have high melting points.
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