Amorphous Definition in Physics and Chemistry

In physics and chemistry, amorphous is a  term used to describe a solid which does not exhibit crystalline structure. While there may be local ordering of the atoms or molecules in an amorphous solid, no long-term ordering is present. In older texts, the words glass and glassy were synonymous with amorphous. However, now glass is considered to be one type of amorphous solid. Examples Examples of amorphous solids include  window glass, polystyrene, and carbon black. Many polymers, gels, and thin films exhibit amorphous structure. Ice can take a crystal form as a snowflake or can form an amorphous solid. Sources MavraÄ ić, Juraj; Mocanu, Felix C.; Deringer, Volker L.; Csà ¡nyi, Gà ¡bor; Elliott, Stephen R. (2018). Similarity Between Amorphous and Crystalline Phases: The Case of TiOâ‚‚. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 9 (11): 2985–2990. doi:10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b01067Zallen, R. (1969). The Physics of Amorphous Solids. Wiley Interscience.