Prashasti
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Why is the coordination number for fcc 12, but that in NaCl 6? NaCl crystallises in ccp (or fcc) lattice, then how is it possible?
The coordination number for face-centered cubic (fcc) structures is 12, while sodium chloride (NaCl) exhibits a coordination number of 6 despite crystallizing in a cubic close-packed (ccp) lattice. This discrepancy arises from the difference in atomic arrangement; NaCl has a two-atom basis per primitive cell, which alters the coordination dynamics. In fcc metals, each atom is surrounded by 12 nearest neighbors, whereas in NaCl, each sodium ion is coordinated by 6 chloride ions, reflecting the ionic nature of the compound.
PREREQUISITESChemists, materials scientists, and students studying crystallography or solid-state chemistry will benefit from this discussion, particularly those interested in the structural properties of ionic and metallic compounds.