Class-XII

➔ In this session we discuss about

❖ Packing fraction / Packing Efficiency

❖ Density
Packing Efficiency
 The percentage of total space filled by the particles is called packing efficiency.

 The fraction of total space occupied by the particles is called Packing fraction.

Volume Occupied by atoms in the unit cell

Packing Efficiency( ) = ×100
Total Volume of the Unit cell

Volume Occupied by atoms in the unit cell

Packing Fraction ( ) =
Total Volume of the Unit cell

Z x Volume of one Atom

Packing Efficiency( ) = 3
×100
a
 
Z x   r3 
 Packing Efficiency ( ) =   ×100
a3
➢ Since atoms are spherical, Volume of sphere is taken as volume of atom
➢ a = Edge length of the cubic unit cell.
➢ r = atomic radius
1) Packing Efficiency in Simple Cubic Lattice

 In this lattice the unit cell is Simple Cubic Unit Cell

Z  Volume occupied by each atom
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 100
Total Volume of the unit cell
4
 Volume of unit cell = a 3 , Volume of a spherical atom =  r 3
3
 For, Simple Cubic lattice, Z = 1
4
1  r 3
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 3 100
3
a
 In Simple Cubic Lattice, a = 2r
4 4
1  r 3 1  r 3
 Packing Efficiency( ) = 3  100 = 3 100
3 3
(2r ) (2r )
4 3
r 
= 3 3 100 = 100
8r 6
= 52.36 = 52.4%
2) Packing Efficiency in Body Centre Cubic Lattice

 In this lattice the unit cell is BCC Unit Cell

Z  Volume occupied by each atom
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 100
Total Volume of the unit cell
4
 Volume of unit cell = a 3 , Volume of a spherical atom =  r 3
3
 For, Simple Cubic lattice, Z = 2
4 3
2  r
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 3 100
3
a
4
 In Simple Cubic Lattice, a = r
3
8 3 8 3
r r
 Packing Efficiency( ) = 3 3
 100 = 3
3
100
(4 / 3r ) 64 / (3 3) r
 3
= 100 = 68%
8
3) Packing Efficiency in Cubic Centre Packing (CCP/FCC)Lattice

 In this lattice the unit cell is CCP/FCC Unit Cell

Z  Volume occupied by each atom
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 100
Total Volume of the unit cell
4
 Volume of unit cell = a 3 , Volume of a spherical atom =  r 3
3
 For, Simple Cubic lattice, Z = 4
4
4  r 3
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 3 100
3
a
 In Simple Cubic Lattice, a = 2 2 r
16 3 16 3
r r
  Packing Efficiency( ) = 3 100 = 3 100
3 3
(2 2r ) 8(2 2) r
16 3
r 
= 3  100 = 100 = 74%
3
16 2r 3 2
4) Packing Efficiency in Hexagonal Close Packing Lattice

 In this lattice the unit cell is HCP Unit Cell

Z  Volume occupied by each atom
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 100
Total Volume of the HCP unit cell
4
 Volume of unit cell = 24 2 r 3 , Volume of a spherical atom =  r 3
3
 For, Simple Cubic lattice, Z = 6
4 3
6  r
 So, Packing Efficiency( ) = 3 100
3
24 2 r
2
 In HCP Lattice, Height of Unit cell = 4r
3

  Packing Efficiency( ) = 100 = 74%
3 2
Summary (Most Important)
Structure Simple Cubic BCC FCC/CCP HCP

a vs r a = 2r a=
4
r a = 2√2 r a = 2r
3
Z or N 1 2 4 6

Co-ordinatin No. 6 8 12 12

Packing Fraction 0.524 0.68 0.74 0.74

Packing
52.4 68% 74% 74%
Efficiency()
0.476 0.32 0.26 0.26
Void Space Or Or Or Or
47.6% 32% 26% 26%

Al, Cu, Au, Be, Mg, Ti,

Na, K, Rb, Cs,
Examples Pb, Pt, Pd, Cd, Co, Zn,
Po Ba, Cr, Mo, W,
Ni, Ca, Mn, Ce, Ti, Os,
Fe, Ti, Nb, V, Zr
Fe, Co Ru
Density of the Solids
 Density of the unit cell is equal to density of the solid
Mass of the unit cell
 Denisty of the unit cell =
Volume of the unit cell
 Mass of the unit cell = Z  Mass of each atom
Molar mass of the subs tan ce(M) M
 Mass of an atom = =
Avagadro number (NA ) NA
 Volume of the cubic unit cell = a3
 ZM 3

  Density of the unit cell / Subs tan ce = 3
g / cm 
 a  NA 
Note : Edge length usually given in pm or A o.so it should
be converted int o cm

Where ‘a’ is the edge length in pm/Ao units of the unit cell,
‘Z’ is the effective number of particle(atoms) per unit cell.
‘NA’ is Avogadro’s number(6.023x1023).
‘M’ molecular mass.
Illustrative example

Determine the density of BCC iron, which has a lattice parameter of 0.2866 nm.

SOLUTION

Atoms/cell = 2, a0 = 0.2866 nm = 2.866  10-8 cm

Atomic mass = 55.847 g/mol

Volume of unit cell = a3 = (2.866  10-8 cm)3 = 23.54  10-24 cm3/cell

Avogadro’s number NA = 6.02  1023 atoms/mol

zM
Density  =
NA  a3
(2)(55.847)
=
(23.54  10−24 )(6.02  1023 )
= 7.882 g / cm3
Illustrative example
An element exists in bcc structure with a cell edge of 288 pm. Density of the element is
7.2 g cm–3 what is the atomic mass of the element?

Solution:

bcc structure means Z = 2

Volume of the cell = (288)3 × 10–30

ZM
 Density() =
NA  a3
  NA  a3
 Molar mass (M) =
Z
Or 7.2 = 2 × M / 6.023 × 1023 × (288)3 × 10–30
M = 52 g mol–1
Illustrative Example

Aluminum has the face-centered cubic structure with a unit cell dimension of 4.041Å.
What is density of aluminum?

Solution:

Density (ρ) = mass of contents of cell/volume of cell

Mass of atoms in the cell = 4 x 1 x 26.98/6.022 x 1023
= 17.922 x 10-23 g
Volume of unit cell = (4.041 x10-8)3
= 6.599 x 10-23 cm3
ρ = mass/volume = 17.922 x 10-23 g/6.599 x 10-23 cm3
= 2.715 g cm-3
Illustrative example
A metal of atomic mass = 75 form a cubic lattice of edge length 5Å and density 2 g cm-3.
Calculate the radius of the atom. Given Avogadro’s number, NA = 6 x 1023.

Solution:

We know that

ZM 3
Density() = g / cm
a3  NA

2  6  1023  125  10−24

Z = =2
75
3
It indicates that metal has bcc lattice. For bcc lattice, r = a
4
Or r = 2.165 x 102 = 216.5 pm