Final answer:
The statement is false; minerals have characteristic crystalline structures, but external crystal shapes can vary due to environmental conditions and polymorphism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that naturally occurring inorganic solids, which are also known as minerals, always have the same crystal shape is false. While it is true that minerals have a characteristic crystalline structure due to their atoms being lined up in an orderly fashion, not all specimens of a given mineral will exhibit the exact same crystal shape externally. Variations can occur due to different environmental conditions during formation, such as space availability, temperature, and the presence of other chemicals, which can affect the final shape of the crystal. Additionally, some substances may exist in different forms called polymorphs, which have the same chemical composition but different structures.For example, the mineral quartz (SiO2) can form various crystal shapes and sizes, although its internal arrangement of silicon and oxygen atoms is consistent.