Problem #2b: Chromium crystallizes with a body-centered cubic unit cell.

The radius of a
chromium atom is 128 pm . Calculate the density of solid crystalline chromium in grams per
cubic centimeter.

Solution:

1) Convert pm to cm:

(125 pm) (1 cm / 1010 pm) = 1.25 x 10¯8 cm

2) Use the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the unit cell edge length:

d2 + (d2)2 = (4r)2

3d2 = (4r)2

3d2 = 16r2

3d2 = (16) (1.25 x 10¯8 cm)2

d3 = (4) (1.25 x 10¯8 cm)

d = [(4) (1.25 x 10¯8 cm)] / 3

d = 2.8868 x 10¯8 cm

3) Calculate volume of the unit cell

(2.8868 x 10¯8 cm)3 = 2.4056 x 10¯23 cm3

4) Determine mass of two atoms in body-centered unit cell:

51.996 g/mol / 6.022 x 1023 atoms/mol = 8.63434 x 10¯23 g/atom

8.63434 x 10¯23 g/atom times 2 = 1.726868 x 10¯22 g

5) Determine the density:

1.726868 x 10¯22 g / 2.4056 x 10¯23 cm3 = 7.18 g/cm3 (to three sig figs)

Book value is 7.15.

Problem #3: Barium has a radius of 224 pm and crystallizes in a body-centered cubic structure.
What is the edge length of the unit cell? (This is the reverse of problem #4.)
Solution:

1) Calculate the value for 4r (refer to the above diagram):

radius for barium = 224 pm

4r = 896 pm

2) Apply the Pythagorean Theorem:

d2 + (d2)2 = (896)2

3d2 = 802816

d2 = 267605.3333. . .

d = 517 pm

Problem #4: Metallic potassium has a body-centered cubic structure. If the edge length of unit
cell is 533 pm, calculate the radius of potassium atom. (This is the reverse of problem #3.)

Solution:

1) Solve the Pythagorean Theorem for r (with d = the edge length):

d2 + (d2)2 = (4r)2

d2 + 2d2 = 16r2

3d2 = 16r2

r2 = 3d2 / 16

r = (d3) / 4

2) Solve the problem:

r = (5333) / 4

r = 231 pm
Problem #5: Sodium has a density of 0.971 g/cm3 and crystallizes with a body-centered cubic
unit cell. (a) What is the radius of a sodium atom? (b) What is the edge length of the cell? Give
answers in picometers.

Solution:

1) Determine mass of two atoms in a bcc cell:

22.99 g/mol divided by 6.022 x 1023 mol-1 = 3.81767 x 10-23 g (this is the average mass of one
atom of Na)

3.81767 x 10-23 g times 2 = 7.63534 x 10-23 g

2) Determine the volume of the unit cell:

7.63534 x 10-23 g divided by 0.971 g/cm3 = 7.863378 x 10-23 cm3

3) Determine the edge length, which is the answer to (b):

7.863378 x 10-23 cm33 = 4.2842 x 10-8 cm

4) Use the Pythagorean Theorem (refer to above diagram):

d2 + (d2)2 = (4r)2

3d2 = 16r2

r2 = 3(4.2842 x 10-8)2 / 16

r = 1.855 x 10-8 cm

5) The radius of the sodium atom is 185.5 pm. The edge length is 428.4 pm. The manner of these
conversions are left to the reader.

Problem # 6 :

Rhodium has an atomic radius of 0.1345 nm and a density of 12.41 g/cm3. Determine whether it
has an FCC or BCC crystal structure.

Solution :

In order to determine whether Rh has an FCC or a BCC crystal structure, we need to compute
its density for each of the crystal structures. For FCC, n = 4, and a = 2 R 2 (Equation 3.1). Also,
from Figure 2.6, its atomic weight is 102.91 g/mol. Thus, for FCC (employing Equation 3.5)
 𝑛𝐴𝑅ℎ 𝑛𝐴𝑅ℎ
𝜌= 3
= 3
𝑎 𝑁𝐴 (2𝑅√2) 𝑁𝐴

𝑔𝑟
(4 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑠⁄𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙 )(102.91 ⁄𝑚𝑜𝑙 )
= 3
{[(2)(1.345 × 10−8 cm)(√2)] /(𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙)} (6.022 × 1023 ) 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑠 ⁄𝑚𝑜𝑙

= 12.41 g/cm3

which is the value provided in the problem statement. Therefore, Rh has the FCC crystal
structure.
Notes :

Problem#7 :
Determine the Miller indices for the planes shown in the following unit cell:
Solution :

For plane A we will leave the origin at the unit cell as shown; this is a (403) plane, as
summarized below

x y z
Intercepts a/2 b 2c/3
Intercepts in terms of a, b, and c 1/2  2/3
Reciprocals of intercepts 2 0 3/2
Reduction 4 0 3
Enclosure (403)

For plane B we will move the origin of the unit cell one unit cell distance to the right along the y
axis, and one unit cell distance parallel to the x axis; thus, this is (1 1 2) a plane, as
summarized below
 x y z
Intercepts -a -b c/2
Intercepts in terms of a, b, and c -1 -1 1/2
Reciprocals of intercepts -1 -1 2
Reduction (not necessary)
Enclosure (1 1 2)

Problem #8 :

Problem #9 :
Problem # 10