The Solid State

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• Summary

Depending upon the nature of bonds, crystalline solids are of four types.

1. Molecular Solids
2. Ionic Solids
3. Covalent Solids
4. Metallic Solids

Property of covalent solids

Constituent particles	Major binding force	Properties	Example
Atoms	Covalent bonds	Very hard, high melting point, high heat of fusion, insulator	Quartz, diamond etc. Exception is graphite

Property of ionic solids

Constituent particles	Major binding force	Properties	Example
Positive and negative ions	Electrostatic forces of attraction	Brittle, high melting point, very higt heat of fusion	NaCl, MgO, ZnS, LiF, etc

Property of Metallic solids

Constituent particles	Major binding force	Properties	Example
Positive ions and mobile electrons	Metallic bonds	Very soft to very hard, ductile and malleable, conductors	All metals and alloys

Property of molecular solids

Constituent particles	Major binding force	Properties	Example
Small molecules	Vander Waal's forces	Soft, low Melting Point, volatile, Insulators.	Solid CO2, wax, Iodine, etc