MATE1000

Physics and Engineering of Materials

Semester 2 2007
Tutorial 5 - Solutions
(Crystal Structures)

1. (a) A body centred cubic structure has an eighth of an atom at each of its eight
corners, and a whole atom at its centre, giving it a total of 2 atoms per unit
cell.
(b) A face centred cubic structure has an eighth of an atom at each of its eight
corners, and half an atom at each of its six sides, giving it a total of 4 atoms
per unit cell.

2. (a) If we call x the diagonal distance across the face of the unit cell then the unit
cell is equal to four atomic radii,

2a2 = 16R2

Therefore, √
a = 2 2R
(b) If we call x the diagonal distance across the face of the unit cell then,

2a2 = x2

So, √
x= 2a
And the diagonal distance through the centre of the unit cell is equal to four
atomic radii,
a2 + x2 = 16R2
Therefore
3a2 = 16R2
4R
a= √
3

1
3. The atomic packing factor (apf) is equal to the volume occupied by the hard spheres
divided by the total volume of the crystal. Hence,

(a)

Vs
apf =
Vu
4 43 πR3
= √
( 8R)3
π
= √
3 2

(b)

Vs
apf =
Vu
2 43 πR3
= 4R 3
(√ )
√ 3
3
= π
8

4. We are asked to calculate the volume of the unit cell of (f.c.c.) lead. The unit cell
is given by
√ √
Vc = (2 2R)3 = 16 2R3
√
= (16 2)(0.175 × 10−9 m)3
= 1.21 × 10−28 m3

2
5. We are asked to show that the ideal c/a ratio for (h.c.p.) is 1.633. A sketch of an
(h.c.p.) unit cell is shown in Figure 1.

c
M

L
J K
a

Figure 1: The unit cell for h.c.p.

Consider the tetrahedron labeled as JKLM, which is reconstructed in Figure 2.

The atom at point M is midway between the top and bottom faces of the unit cell,

L
H
J K

Figure 2: The tetrahedron from Figure 1.

i.e. MH = c/2. Also, since atoms at points J, K and M all touch one another,

JM = JK = 2R = a

where R is the atomic radius. Furthermore, from triangles JHM,

(JM)2 = (JH)2 + (MH)2

or
a2 = (JH)2 + (c/2)2 (1)

3
 L

H
o
30
J a/2 K

Figure 3: The equilateral triangle JKL.

Now, we can determine the JH length by consideration of triangle JKL shown in

Figure 3. From Figure 3 we have

a/2
cos 30o =
JH
which gives
a
JH = √ (2)
3
Combining Equations 1 and 2 yields
!2  2
2 a c
a = √ +
3 2
a2 c 2
= +
3 4
solving for c/a gives s
8
c/a = = 1.633
3