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What is a crystal?

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Quick answer

A crystal is a solid whose atoms are arranged in a precise, repeating three-dimensional pattern. This orderly structure gives crystals their flat faces and regular shapes — from salt and diamonds to snowflakes and quartz. Its atoms are arranged in a repeating, orderly lattice.

Key things to understand

  1. Its atoms are arranged in a repeating, orderly lattice.
  2. That internal order produces flat faces and geometric shapes.
  3. Examples include salt, quartz, diamonds, and snowflakes.
  4. The same substance can form different crystal shapes.
  5. Crystals form as a liquid cools or a solution dries.

People also ask

What makes something a crystal?
Its atoms are locked in a regular, repeating 3D pattern (a lattice), which gives the solid its orderly faces and shape.
How do crystals form?
As a melted or dissolved substance slowly cools or dries, its atoms settle into an orderly repeating arrangement.
Why do crystals have flat faces?
The flat faces reflect the regular internal arrangement of atoms, which builds up along consistent planes.