When we talk about the properties of a solid, we’re talking about different types of chemical bonds. These bonds may not form crystalline structures. Liquid water, smoke, and hydrogen gas, for example, are not solids. Depending on the chemical bond type, a solid may be a gas, a liquid, or both. Ionic bonds produce crystalline structures and dissociate into ions in water. Covalent bonds, on the other hand, involve the sharing of valence electrons. Metals exhibit metallic bonding, which makes the electrons in water seem to flow. And organic compounds often contain covalent bonds and van der Waals forces, which makes them ionic solids.
Metals
Metals are a type of solid made of an ionic lattice and a sea of electrons. The ionic lattice of a metal holds together the positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons. The electrons are highly mobile within the lattice and, when heated, they will move more rapidly. Because of this, a metal’s conductivity will increase as the number of electrons increases.
Diamonds
The elastic constants of diamond are very high, and this material is the hardest known material. Other stones are softer than diamond. The lowest observable mode of sapphire, for example, is 1.2 MHz. The lowest observable mode for a diamond of this weight is the same as that of the sapphire, but the shape of the stone dictates which mode is lowest. This information is helpful to understand diamond’s properties.
Silicon
It is an element that plays a vital role in the metabolism of plants, but not animals. The crystalline form of silicon is harmless for human consumption and injection, but not for inhalation. Although silica is an element, it is most commonly used in the production of asbestos. The article explains how humans come into contact with silica. Inhaling silica can cause serious health effects and even lead to cancer. In addition, it can lead to severe lung diseases.
Ionic solids
Ionic solids are solids with high melting and boiling points. Their chemical properties are governed by strong ionic bonds between positively and negatively charged ions. Because ionic solids are brittle, they tend to be electrically insulating and hard. They are also very brittle and prone to fracture, owing to strong electrostatic forces and repulsions. Let’s learn about some of the properties of ionic solids.
Network solids
A network solid is a type of chemical compound, consisting of atoms that are bonded to one another by covalent bonds in a continuous network. There are no individual molecules in a network solid, making it a macromolecule. If you have a large sample of such a compound, you may wish to study it in more detail. Here are some tips for learning about network solids. You may want to watch a video about these compounds.