Chemistry · States of Matter - Gases, Liquids and Solids
Work through this past-paper style MCQ, then read the full explanation. Practice more chemistry questions on mMCQ with adaptive practice and topic analytics.
When an element occurs in different physical forms it is called ______.
- A
Anisotropy
- B
Isomorphism
- C
Polymorphism
- D
Allotropy
Allotropy refers to the ability of an element to exist in different physical forms, often with different crystal structures or molecular arrangements. This can result in different properties, such as density, hardness, or color. Examples of allotropes include:
- Carbon: diamond, graphite, and fullerenes
- Sulfur: orthorhombic, monoclinic, and rhombic forms
- Phosphorus: white, black, and red forms
Anisotropy refers to the dependence of a material's properties on direction.
Isomorphism refers to the ability of two or more compounds to have the same crystal structure.
Polymorphism refers to the ability of a compound to exist in different crystal forms, but it's typically used to describe molecules, not elements.
Allotropy refers to the ability of an element to exist in different physical forms, often with different crystal structures or molecular arrangements. This can result in different properties, such as density, hardness, or color. Examples of allotropes include:
- Carbon: diamond, graphite, and fullerenes
- Sulfur: orthorhombic, monoclinic, and rhombic forms
- Phosphorus: white, black, and red forms
Tagged under Chemistry · States of Matter - Gases, Liquids and Solids · 2023