Question

When we say that a material is "crystalline" we mean that internally:

a. atoms are arranged strictly in microscopic cubes
b. the material occurs only in crystals with nicely formed crystal faces
c. atoms are distributed in an orderly arrangement
d. atoms and/or clusters of atoms are arranged randomly

Answer 1

A crystalline material means that atoms are arranged in an orderly, repeating 3D pattern forming a lattice.

Step-by-step explanation:

When we say that a material is crystalline, we mean that the atoms or molecules are arranged in an orderly arrangement. This refers to a regular, extended, three-dimensional pattern known as a lattice. In crystalline materials, this orderly arrangement is evident at both the atomic and macroscopic levels. It leads to distinct physical properties, like sharp melting points, due to the uniformity of particle interactions. These characteristics differ from those of amorphous solids (like glass), where particles are arranged randomly and do not have a specific order. The crystalline lattice can be studied using techniques such as X-ray diffraction, providing insights into the material's structure and properties.