Ionic solids are materials that can break easily. They have a strong, rigid structure that holds positive and negative ions in place. This strong bond is called electrostatic forces.

When you put stress on these solids, like pushing or pulling them, the similar charges can line up. This can make them push against each other, which leads to cracks.

On the other hand, metallic solids are different. They are more flexible, or malleable. This is because the electrons in metals can move around freely. This allows layers of metal atoms to slide past each other without breaking apart.

Here are some challenges we face with these materials:

Difficulties:

• Ionic solids can break easily when stressed.
• Metals can change shape easily, but things mixed into them (called impurities) can make them less flexible.

Possible Solutions:

• Mixing different metals to create alloys can help make them more flexible.
• Changing the way ionic solids are made can make them tougher and less likely to break.