Scribd
Upload
2K views8 pages

FCC Aluminum Density Calculation Guide

This document provides a step-by-step example of calculating the density of aluminum in its face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure. It first draws the FCC structure and defines the density formula. It then works through each term in the formula: (1) determining there are 4 atoms per unit cell in FCC aluminum, (2) using standard values for moles of atoms and grams per mole of aluminum, and (3) calculating the unit cell volume based on the FCC structure. Putting all the terms together using the density formula gives a final density of 2.71 g/cm3 for aluminum in its FCC crystal structure.

Uploaded by

Jesse Schreier
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2K views8 pages

FCC Aluminum Density Calculation Guide

This document provides a step-by-step example of calculating the density of aluminum in its face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure. It first draws the FCC structure and defines the density formula. It then works through each term in the formula: (1) determining there are 4 atoms per unit cell in FCC aluminum, (2) using standard values for moles of atoms and grams per mole of aluminum, and (3) calculating the unit cell volume based on the FCC structure. Putting all the terms together using the density formula gives a final density of 2.71 g/cm3 for aluminum in its FCC crystal structure.

Uploaded by

Jesse Schreier
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Density Calculation Example

by Thomas J. Webster

Density Question 1
Calculate the density of an FCC crystal
structure of aluminum.
Step 1: Draw the crystal structure:

Step 2: Write formula


Density = mass/volume
Use mathematical equation:
(atoms / cells) x (mole / atoms) x (mass / mole) x (cell /
volume) = (mass / volume)

Take this equation one part at a time


Determine: (atoms/cells)
For FCC: 8 corner atoms. 6 face atoms. Each corner
atom exists in 8 adjacent cells, so 1/8 of each corner
atom is in any particular unit cell. Each face atom exists
in 2 adjacent cells, so 1/2 of each face atom is in any
given unit cell. (see picture on next slide)
Total atoms / cell = 8 x 1/8 + 6 x 1/2 = 4.
So, (atoms / cell) = (4 atoms / cell)

Back to the mathematical equation:


(atoms / cell) x (mole / atoms) x (mass / mole) x (cell /
volume) = (mass / volume)

Remember, take this equation one part at a time


Next determine: (mole/atoms)
This is a given in chemistry. 1 mole = 6.022x10^23 atoms

Next determine: (mass/mole)


For aluminum, according to the periodic table,
aluminum has an atomic mass = 26.99g / mole

Next determine: (cell/volume)


This is complicated because the corners are not in contact with each other in FCC and
BCC cells.
The face of FCC cells looks like:
..
..
..
The atoms on the diagonal are touching. The upper left atom touches the middle which
touches the lower right atom.
The length of that diagonal = r from the upper left + 2r from the center + r from the lower
right atoms = 4r
Since this is a cube, via Pythagoreans theorem:.
(left edge length) + (bottom edge length) = (diagonal)
and in a cube the edge lengths are:
2 (edge length) = (diagonal)
2 edge length = diagonal
edge length = 4r / 2 = 22 r

r (or radius) of an aluminum atom =


1.43

and the volume therefore is...


V = (edge length) = (22 r) = (22 1.43 ) x (1 m / 10^10 ) x (100 cm / m) = 6.62x10^23 cm / cell
Thus, (cell/volume) = (1 cell/6.62x10^-23 cm)

How this changes for BCC


fyi.. if you are doing a problem involving a BCC
cube, the atoms touch on the diagonal of the
cube, not the face and the legs of the right
triangle are 1 edge length + 1 face diagonal so
that:
(4r) = (edge length) + (face diagonal)
(4r) = (edge length) + 2 (edge length)
(4r) = 3 (edge length)
and edge length = 4r / 3

Step 3: Put it all together:


(atoms / cell) x (mole / atoms) x (mass / mole)
x (cell / volume) = (mass / volume)
becomes
(4 atoms / cell) x (1 mole / 6.022x10^23
atoms) x (26.99g / mole) x (1 cell / 6.62x10^23 cm) = 2.71 g/cm

So, the answer is aluminum has a density


of 2.71 g/cm

You might also like