Chemistry: Solid State: Classification of Crystalline Solids: Different Types of Attractive Forces (For CBSE, ICSE, IAS, NET, NRA 2022)

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Classification of Crystalline Solids

In crystalline solids the constituent particles are arranged in an order and are held together by different types of attractive forces.
These forces could be coulombic or electrostatic, covalent, metallic bonding or weak intermolecular in nature.
The differences in the observed properties of the solids are due to the differences in the type of forces between the constituting particles.
The types of forces binding the constituent particles can be used as a basis for classification of crystalline solids.
On this basis, the crystalline solids can be classified into four different types- ionic, molecular, covalent and metallic solids.
The sodium chloride is an example of an ionic solid because; the sodium and chloride ions are attracted to each other by electrostatic interactions.
Iodine is an example of a molecular solid because in this the molecules are held together by weak van der Waals forces.
Diamond, with strong covalent bonds between the constituent carbon atoms is an example of covalent solids.
Metals are a large number of positive cores of the atoms which are held together by electrons.
The characteristics and the properties of different types of solids are given in the following table: