Glowing Crystal Low-poly 3D model

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This passage provides a comprehensive overview of crystals, their properties, and their behaviors. Here are the key points covered: 1. **Crystal Faces**: Crystals have faces, which can be considered as planes within the three-dimensional lattice of atoms that make up the crystal. These faces have specific orientations relative to the underlying atomic arrangement. 2. **Habit**: The external shape or appearance of a crystal is called its habit, which is determined by several factors including the crystal structure, the bonding between atoms (crystal chemistry), and how it was formed. 3. **Polymorphism**: A substance can form more than one crystalline solid at the same time, referred to as polymorphs or phases. Each phase has different properties. 4. **Allotropy**: Polymorphism in elements is called allotropy. Carbon is an example where it can exist in three forms: diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon with different physical properties. 5. **Polyamorphism**: This is a phenomenon where the same atoms can be part of more than one non-crystalline (glassy) form. 6. **Chemical Bonding Types**: Solids can be bonded in various ways such as through metallic bonds, ionic bonds, covalent bonds, van der Waals forces, and other methods. The article highlights the unique properties associated with crystalline solids including: - **Polycrystals**: Usually metals; however, exceptions like amorphous metal and synthetic single-crystal metal exist. - **Ions Bonded Materials**: Typically crystal-line or polycrystalline - **Covalently Bonded Solids**: Crystals can have extensive crystalline regions like diamond or form entirely as crystals like quartz. - **Polymers**: Generally, they will form some level of crystallization, but not complete. Crystals display various anisotropic properties such as the piezoelectric effect, birefringence (where two images appear), differences in electrical conductivity depending on direction, and variations in Young's modulus.