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Crystal lattice:
A regular three dimensional arrangement
of points in space is called a crystal lattice.
Unit cell :
The unit cell is the smallest
portion of a crystal lattice which,
when repeated in different directions,
generates the entire lattice
Types of Unit Cells:
Unit cells can be broadly divided into two categories, i) Primitive and ii)
Centred unit cells.
(a) Primitive Unit Cells : When
constituent particles are present only
on the corner positions of a unit cell,
it is called as primitive unit cell.
Centred unit cells are of three
(b) Centred Unit Cells :
types:
When a unit cell contains one
or more constituent particles
(i) Body-Centred Unit Cells: A unit
present at positions other
cell contains one constituent particle
than corners in addition to
(atom, molecule or ion) at its body-
those at corners, it is called a
centre and eight particles are at its
centred unit cell
corners.
(ii) Face-Centred Unit Cells:
A unit cell contains one constituent
particle present at the centre of each
face, along with eight particles at its
corners.
(iii) End-Centred Unit Cells:
Number of atoms per unit cell :
Primitive Cubic Unit Cell
Each cubic unit cell has 8 atoms on
its corners.
CONTRIBUTION PER UNIT CELL =1/8
Body centered atom is 1
Each Corner atom contributes 1/8th
portion to the unit cell
Each face centered atom contributes
portion to the unit cell
Body centered atom is 1