Question

The sharp melting point of crystalline solids is due to
A. a regular arrangement of constituent particles observed over a short distance in crystal lattice.
B. a regular arrangement of constituent particles observed over a long distance in crystal lattice.
C. Same arrangement of constituent particles in different directions.
D. different arrangement of constituent particles in different directions.

Answer 1

Hint: A crystal which also known as crystalline solid is a lattice which is made up of atoms, molecules or it can be ions and are arranged in an ordered/uniform microscopic arrangement which forms a crystal lattice and the arrangement is same in all the directions.

Complete step by step solution:
Crystals or crystalline solids has a property to have relatively sharp, well-melting points because all the components of a crystalline solid that is atoms, molecules, or ions are at the same distance to each other and same type of atoms and same number of atoms are attached uniformly that is, the regularity of the crystalline lattice creates local environments that are the same throughout a long distance in a crystal Lattice,
So, option B is the correct answer.
Additional Information: When we learn about the macroscopic single crystals those are usually identified with the help of its geometrical shape, consisting of flat faces with uniform and specific orientations. The study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography. And the process of crystal formation through mechanisms of crystal growth is called crystallization or solidification. Examples of large crystals include diamonds, table salt etc. Most of the inorganic solids are not an example of crystals but are an example of poly-crystals which refers to many microscopic crystals combined together into a single solid. Examples of polycrystals are: rocks, ceramics and ice etc. There is one more category of solids known as amorphous solids, where the atoms have no regular arrangement, Examples of amorphous solids include glass, wax etc.

Note: A student may confuse that option C also looks as a right answer as it has the same arrangement of particles in different directions, but Option C doesn’t specify a regular arrangement of atoms or constituent particles over a long distance, in a crystal lattice.