Question

Why is crystal anisotropic?

Answer 1

Crystalline solids

• Crystalline solids are solids with highly ordered arrangements of their particles in microscopic structures.
• Ionic solids, molecular solids, network covalent solids, and metallic solids are the four types of crystalline solids.

Crystalline solids are anisotropic

• Due to their differing refractive indices, anisotropic crystals exhibit birefringence, optical activity, dichroism, and dispersion.
• Crystalline solids have anisotropy as one of their properties.
• The symmetry of the unit cell in the crystal determines the anisotropic property of the crystal.
• All three planes of the crystal have different arrangements of these atoms.
• The characteristics of anisotropic materials, such as wood and composites, change with the direction of the substance.
• Diamond is crystalline and anisotropic, which means it has directional properties.
• Anisotropy does not exist in all crystals.