What is the coordination number of face-centered cubic (fcc) structure?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the coordination number of face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure, which is a high-level concept in solid-state chemistry and materials science. The coordination number refers to the number of nearest neighboring atoms surrounding a central atom in a crystal lattice.
Answer
12
The coordination number of an FCC structure is 12.
Answer for screen readers
The coordination number of an FCC structure is 12.
More Information
In a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure, each atom is surrounded by 12 equidistant nearest neighbors, leading to a coordination number of 12. This arrangement is present in metals like aluminum, copper, and gold.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing the FCC unit cell with other types like Body-Centered Cubic (BCC) and Hexagonal Close-Packed (HCP), which have different coordination numbers.
Sources
- Crystal Structures and Coordination Numbers - britannica.com
- Coordination Number and Geometry - chem.libretexts.org
