Dismiss Notice
Join Physics Forums Today!
The friendliest, high quality science and math community on the planet! Everyone who loves science is here!

Homework Help: Radius ratio

  1. Sep 16, 2005 #1

    asdf1

    User Avatar

    in the radius ratio of a crystal, what is the difference between the radius of the interstitial atom and large atom?
     
    asdf1, Sep 16, 2005
  2. jcsd
    Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories on Phys.org
  3. Sep 16, 2005 #2

    HallsofIvy

    User Avatar
    Science Advisor

    Don't you think that depends one heckuva lot on exactly what crystal you are talking about and what the atoms are?

    Unless you are asking about the difference in meaning and I would think that would be obvious!
     
    HallsofIvy, Sep 16, 2005
  4. Sep 16, 2005 #3

    asdf1

    User Avatar

    i guess so, but i saw that in a textbook about crystallography, and i'm not really clear on what's the difference... it'd be nice if that book could show those two things in a picture or diagram...
     
    asdf1, Sep 16, 2005
  5. Sep 16, 2005 #4

    lightgrav

    User Avatar
    Homework Helper

    The bulk of a crystal is a repeating pattern,
    so a "unit cell" can be centered on any atom.
    There are many different types of "unit cells",
    some retained for the sake of tradition.

    Whenever the book describes structure vectors,
    assemble a set of sticks in 3-d to show them.
    Especially at first, 2-d drawings might not cut it.
     
    lightgrav, Sep 16, 2005
  6. Sep 27, 2005 #5

    asdf1

    User Avatar

    ok, thanks!
     
    asdf1, Sep 27, 2005
Share this great discussion with others via Reddit, Google+, Twitter, or Facebook