ADRIAN WHITWOOD
From dazzling diamonds to seasoning salt, solids are quite literally what we build our lives on. We exploit their hardness for etching, and harness their electrical properties in semiconductors and wires. But where do these properties come from? The answer lies in the structures of solids. This is the first of two Revision Notes that will explore the amazing assembly of solid materials we encounter every day.
Atoms all want one thing: a full outer shell of electrons. However, the atoms of most elements (except the noble gases) don’t have this and in order to achieve a full shell they must work together to form bonds.
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