Chapter 12, Problem 13QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The similarity and difference between nematic, smectic, and cholesteric liquid crystalsare to be described.

Concept introduction:

Liquid crystals act like both conventional liquids and solid crystals.

Liquid crystals have the ability to flow and take the shape of the container like liquid, and alsohave a regular arrangement of particles in the lattice like solid.

Some substances exhibit liquid crystal behavior when they are melted from solids.

As the temperature increases, the solid liquifies but retains some order in one or two dimension.

Liquid crystals have three types of orders, namely, nematic, smectic, and cholesteric.