The number of lattice point in FCC?

AI Thread Summary
The face-centered cubic (FCC) structure contains four lattice points, while the body-centered cubic (BCC) structure has two. In FCC, there are atoms at each corner of the cube (1/8 contribution each) and one atom at the center of each face (1/2 contribution each), totaling four lattice points. In BCC, there are atoms at the corners (1/8 contribution each) and one atom at the center of the cube (1 whole contribution), resulting in two lattice points. Understanding how shared atoms contribute to lattice points clarifies the differences in these structures.
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The number of lattice point in FCC?

Hi, I am having a trouble to figure the number of lattie point in FCC structure out. My textbook said simple cubic has 1 lattice point, BCC has 2 points, and FCC has 4 points. However there is no further explanation or figures. I am a kind of understand about the simple cubic structure since the atom on every corner is the lattice point.

Can you guys explain that how the lattice points in FCC and BCC are 4 and 2?

Thanks.
 
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hermtm2 said:
Hi, I am having a trouble to figure the number of lattie point in FCC structure out. My textbook said simple cubic has 1 lattice point, BCC has 2 points, and FCC has 4 points. However there is no further explanation or figures. I am a kind of understand about the simple cubic structure since the atom on every corner is the lattice point.

Can you guys explain that how the lattice points in FCC and BCC are 4 and 2?

Thanks.

Atoms on the sides are shared between two unit cells, so you can only count each one as 1/2 atom. Atoms on the edges are shared four unit cells, so they count as 1/4 atoms. Atoms on the corners are shared between eight unit cells, so they count as 1/8 atoms. Do the numbers add up now?
 


So, one whole atom represents for one lattice point, right?
 


hermtm2 said:
So, one whole atom represents for one lattice point, right?

Yes. If you like, just replace "atom" by "lattice point" everywhere in my previous post.
 

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