S O L I D S TAT E

PART IV
8 JULY 2021
 RECAP
Space lattice is a regular repeating arrangement of constituent particles of a
crystal in a 3D
Unit cell is the smallest three dimensional portion of a complete space
lattice which when repeated over and again in different directions produces
the complete space lattice.
Types unit cells
a) Primitive- having particles only at the corners
b) Non primitive
I) FCC- having particles at the corners as well as on face centre.
II) BCC- having particles at the corners and one at the body centre.
III) End -centred--- having particles at the corners and any two opposite faces
Number of atoms per unit cell :
Simple cube = 1
FCC = 4
BCC = 2
TYPES OF UNIT CELLS OR CRYSTAL
SYSTEMS
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  In case of compounds, the number of atoms per unit cell are
in the same ratio as the stoichiometry of the compound.
The ratio of number of particles A and B present per unit cell gives the
formula of the compound formed between A and B.

Problem 1: A compound formed by elements X and Y has a structure in

which X atoms are at the corners of the cube and Y atoms are at the face
centres . Derive the formula of the compound.
Solution
As atoms X are present at the corner of the cube therefore its contribution is 8 X
1/8 =1
Atoms Y are present at the face center so its contribution is 6 X ½ = 3

Therefore ratio of atoms X:Y= 1:3

Hence formula of the compound is XY3

 Problem 2: A cubic solid is made up of two elements X and Y. Atoms Y
are present at the corners of the cube and atoms X at the body centre .
What is the formula of the compound .

Solution :
As atoms Y are present at the corner of the cube therefore its contribution
= 8 X 1/8 =1
X are present at the body centre , therefore , number of atoms of X in
the unit cell = 1.
So the ratio of atoms X:Y = 1:1
and formula of the compound is XY
Problem 3 : Calculate the approximate number of unit cells present in
1g of gold.
Given that Gold crystallizes in fcc.(Atomic mass of gold = 197 u).

Solution

First calculate no. of atoms in 1g of gold using Mole cocept

So 1 mol of gold = 197g = 6.02 X 1023 atoms

Therefore no. of atoms present in 1 g of Gold = 6.02 X 1023 / 197

In FCC no. of atoms per unit cell = 4.

Therefore no. of unit cells present=6.02 X 1023 / 197 X 4

= 7.64 X 1020
Problem 4 :Calculate the no. of atoms in a cubic based unit cell having one
atom on each corner and two atoms on each body diagonal. B
C
Solution : There are four body diagonals. According to the
question there are 2 atoms on each body diagonal .So A
D
there will be 4X 2 = 8 atoms
G
Contribution by 8 atoms present on the corner= 8 X 1/8
H
=1
F
Hence total no. of atoms = 8 + 1 = 9
E
Problem 5 :A compound is made up of two elements A and B. Atom A occupies
all the corners of a cube while B occupies the alternate face centre of the cube.
What is the formula of the compound?

Solution : Contribution of A will be 8 X 1/8 =1

B occupies alternate face so only two faces will be occupied ,therefore ,

Contribution of B will be 2X ½ = 1 Hence formula is A B.

Close Packing In Crystals
 Close Packing In Crystals
In order to understand the packing of the constituent
particles in a crystal, it is assumed that these particles are
hard spheres of identical size (e.g., those of a metal).

The packing spheres of representing spheres in such a

way that they occupy the maximum available space and
there is minimum empty space and hence the crystal has
maximum density. This type of packing is called close
packing.
 CLOSE PACKING IN 1D
There is only one way of arranging the sphere i.e., spheres are arranged in a
row , touching each other . Each sphere is in contact with two other spheres . So
its coordination number is 2.

Coordination number is the number of spheres which are touching a

particular sphere.

In general, the coordination number of any constituent particle in a

crystal is the no. of its nearest neighbours.
 Close Packing In 2D
When the rows are stacked over each other a two
dimensional close packed structure [called crystal plane]
is formed.
This stacking can be done in two different ways

SQUARE CLOSE PACKING

&
HEXAGONAL CLOSE PACKING
 SQUARE CLOSE PACKING IN 2D
Square close packing : The sphere in the second row may be placed in such
a way that they are touching sphere of the first row ,i.e. there is horizontal and
vertical alignment of the spheres in the two rows.

If the first row is called 'A' type row,

the second row ,being exactly the
A
same , will also be 'A' type. Further
rows can be built in the same way .
Hence we call this arrangement as A
AAA type of arrangement. A
Coordination Number in Square Close Packing
(2D)

In this arrangement , the coordination no. is 4.

Further on joining the centers of the four spheres touching a particular
sphere ,a square is formed . Hence this packing is called Square close
packing in two dimensions
 Hexagonal Close Packing In 2D

The sphere in the second row are placed in the

depression of the first row. This produces a row
different from the first row . Hence we call first
row as 'A' type .Second row may be called as 'B' A
type. B

When the spheres in the third row are placed A

in depressions of the second row , the third row B
formed is exactly similar to the first row , i.e., 'A' A
type . The fourth row formed will be again 'B'
type and so on . Hence this type of arrangement is
ABAB type of arrangement
COORDINATION NO. IN HCP(2D)

In this arrangement , the coordination no. is 6.

Further on joining the centers of the six spheres touching a
particular sphere , a Hexagonal close packing is formed . Hence this
packing is called Hexagonal close packing in 2D
 Square Close Packing In 3D
Formation of three-dimensional close packing can be done by placing the second
square closed packing exactly above the first one. In this close packing, the spheres are
aligned properly in horizontally and vertically. Similarly, by placing more layers one
above the other, we can obtain a simple cubic lattice. Hence if we call the first layer as
'A' type, their lattice generated will be AAA...... type.
COORDINATION NO. IN SQUARE CLOSE
PACKING (3D)

In this arrangement , the coordination no. is 6. This will

be a simple cubic lattice and its unit cell will be a
primitive cubic unit cell . Hence this packing is called
Square close packing in three dimensions