Which term describes the regular, repeating arrangement of atoms in a solid?

Which term describes the regular, repeating arrangement of atoms in a solid?

• A. Lattice
• B. Strain
• C. Pores
• D. Shrinkage cavity

Answer: (A)

Regular, repeating arrangement of atoms in a solid is described by a lattice. In crystalline solids, atoms occupy positions that repeat in three dimensions, forming a crystal lattice that can be described by a unit cell and lattice parameters. This translational symmetry is what gives crystals their predictable structure and properties, such as characteristic diffraction patterns. The other terms refer to different ideas: strain is deformation under stress, pores are voids in the material, and shrinkage cavities are defects formed during solidification, not the orderly, periodic framework of atoms.

Regular, repeating arrangement of atoms in a solid is described by a lattice. In crystalline solids, atoms occupy positions that repeat in three dimensions, forming a crystal lattice that can be described by a unit cell and lattice parameters. This translational symmetry is what gives crystals their predictable structure and properties, such as characteristic diffraction patterns. The other terms refer to different ideas: strain is deformation under stress, pores are voids in the material, and shrinkage cavities are defects formed during solidification, not the orderly, periodic framework of atoms.