Dry Amorphous vs. Crystaline Structure

[IceBergSLiM]

I am trying to categorize something based on these two criteria. What do these criteria mean?

 

[coxmaster]

Is this related to chemistry/chemical structure?

If so, Crystalline structure is something like diamond: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_structure
And an Amorphous solid is similar to Jello.

Yes, im a Chemistry noob. But those are REALLY easy to remember


If this isnt about chemistry, or im totally wrong. Pretend i wasnt here

 

[destrekor]

Ice?

 

[Ika]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorphous_solid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystalline

? need a few more details, I think.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

referring to sugar content in a food product.

 

[Ika]

referring to sugar content in a food product.

all sugars in solid form are crystalline, AFAIK.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

all sugars in solid form are crystalline, AFAIK.

I.E. Sugar in a chocolate bar?

 

[DrPizza]

chocolate bar: amorphous.
Next?

Tell you what. Let's make it easy. Food, right?
Crystalline:

Pretty much everything else: amorphous. (at least, I can't think of any other foods that have a crystalline structure, unless you're talking about ice crystals on something in the freezer, or ice crystals that form if your milk gets too cold.)

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Great thank you.

 

[Brainonska511]

Is this related to chemistry/chemical structure?

If so, Crystalline structure is something like diamond: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_structure
And an Amorphous solid is similar to Jello.

Yes, im a Chemistry noob. But those are REALLY easy to remember


If this isnt about chemistry, or im totally wrong. Pretend i wasnt here

I'd probably just go with:

Crystalline structure: repeating pattern of identical units in 3 dimensional space (like a salt crystal, ice, ....)

Amorphous solid: no repeating pattern, but still solid, like a glass (windows, etc...)

 

[TuxDave]

chocolate bar: amorphous.
Next?

Tell you what. Let's make it easy. Food, right?
Crystalline:

Pretty much everything else: amorphous. (at least, I can't think of any other foods that have a crystalline structure, unless you're talking about ice crystals on something in the freezer, or ice crystals that form if your milk gets too cold.)

What about foods with both!

 

[Gibsons]

mmmmmm

 

[gorcorps]

I came in here all excited because it's one of the few technical things asked here on ATOT that I know (materials engineer)... then found it already answered.

Ah well

 

[Ika]

I.E. Sugar in a chocolate bar?

see if you had put that in the OP we'd have answered the question in two posts

 

[DrPizza]

What about foods with both!

Oh nooooooo!

OP! I forgot about cookies with sugar crystals on top, and the salt on pretzels.

Salt: if you see it, it's crystalline. If it's been mixed into (dissolved) anything moist in food, it's going to be amorphous.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Is this related to chemistry/chemical structure?
And an Amorphous solid is similar to Jello.

In materials science terms, an amorphous material is one that lacks a crystalline structure (long range ordering of atoms). The most common amorphous solid is glass (moten SiO2. Depending on how they are processed, many ceramics, metals, and cermets are also capable of having either an amorphous or crystalline structure.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

chocolate bar: amorphous.
Pretty much everything else: amorphous. (at least, I can't think of any other foods that have a crystalline structure, unless you're talking about ice crystals on something in the freezer, or ice crystals that form if your milk gets too cold.)

Lets not forget salt.

EDIT: Sigh. I should read the whole thread. My bad.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Oh nooooooo!
Salt: if you see it, it's crystalline. If it's been mixed into (dissolved) anything moist in food, it's going to be amorphous.

Can you appropriately classify a dissolved solid as "amorphous?" My understanding is that the crystalline/amorphous descriptors only apply to solids.

 

[Brainonska511]

Can you appropriately classify a dissolved solid as "amorphous?" My understanding is that the crystalline/amorphous descriptors only apply to solids.

Yeah. I wouldn't classify something dissolved as amorphous; particularly salt would split into its constituent elements when dissolved. And it's really not solid anymore either if it is dissolved.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Yeah. I wouldn't classify something dissolved as amorphous; particularly salt would split into its constituent elements when dissolved. And it's really not solid anymore either if it is dissolved.

What if I put salt in my Jello?

 

[Brainonska511]

What if I put salt in my Jello?

Depending on the amount of time it takes for the jello to solidify, it could force the salt out of solution back into crystalline form. Or you'd have an amorphous solid (no defined order in the molecules); gelatin is a colloidal gel (evenly dispersed particles to make the solid, so I guess the salt could get trapped and be evenly dispersed as well. Though, materials chemistry isn't really my area of expertise.