SO WHAT?
Crystals can have atoms arranged in a very ordered structure, like the balls that were originally resting at the bottom of the bowl. This is called a crystalline structure. Or the arrangement can be disordered due to defects in the pattern or different types of atoms. This is called an amorphous structure. Defects in crystals aren’t necessarily a bad thing—they actually determine how different materials act or behave in our daily lives. For example, a baseball bat made with an amorphous metal is stronger and transfers more energy back to the ball because of how the atoms are arranged, but it is more costly than a standard bat. And stainless steel, which is made of disordered crystals, is a poor conductor of electricity while pure copper and pure silver, made of more ordered crystals, are much better conductors of electricity.
Scientists observe the atomic crystal structure of materials to determine how the materials will behave in the world. They can look at materials up close—even at the atomic level—using a high-resolution electron microscope. However, using this technology is very expensive and takes a long time compared to using other techniques. This technology can also be dangerous; it uses a very high voltage and emits X-rays, so they are built with many safeguards in place.