BASIC CRYSTAL

STRUCTURE
DEFINITION
• Atoms: The smallest unit of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element. Atoms
are the fundamental building blocks of elements and are the smallest particles of an element that
retain the chemical identity of that element.
• Structure: Consist of a nucleus containing protons (positive charge) and neutrons (no charge),
surrounded by electrons (negative charge).
• Charge: Atoms are electrically neutral because they have an equal number of protons and
electrons. (Cations and Anions)
• Molecules: A group of two or more atoms chemically bonded together.
• Ions: An atom or molecule that has gained or lost one or more electrons, giving it a net electrical
charge.
• A mole is a unit of amount in chemistry, similar to how a "dozen" is a unit for 12 items. It represents
a specific number of particles, defined as Avogadro's number, which is approximately 6.022 × 10²³.
• The mass of one mole of a substance in grams is called its molar mass and has units of grams per
mole (g/mol).
Dalton`s Atomic Theory (1808)
1. Elements are composed of extremely small particle
called atoms. All atoms of a given element are identical.
The atoms of one element are different from the atoms of
all other elements.
2. Compounds are composed of atoms of more than one
element. The relative number of atoms of each element
in each compound is always the same.
3. Chemical reactions only involve the arrangement of
atoms. Atoms are not created or destroyed in chemical
reactions.
SOLIDS Types of Solids

1. Crystalline Solids 2. Noncrystalline or

Amorphous Solids
Crystalline Solids
• A crystal or crystalline solid
is a solid material, whose
constituent atoms,
molecules, or ions are
arranged in an orderly
repeating pattern
extending in all three
spatial dimension.
• Characterized by regular
arrangement of atoms or
molecules.
Amorphous Solids
• Composed of randomly
oriented atoms, ions or
molecules that do not form
defined patterns or lattice
structures.
• Lack a well-defined
arrangement and long-range
molecular order.
• Glasses, which typically form
in ceramic and polymer
systems, are good example of
amorphous materials.
CRYSTALLINE VS AMORPHOUS
Why study the
Structure of
Crystalline Solids
• 1. The properties of some materials
are directly related to their crystal
structures, the way atoms, ions or
molecule are spatially arranged.

• [Link] property differences

exists between crystalline and non-
crystalline materials having the same
condition.
 A crystal is built up from regularly
repeating “structural motifs” which
may be atoms, molecules or ions.
The structure of all crystal can be
Crystal described in terms of a lattice, with a
Structures group of atoms attached to each
lattice point called basis.

Basis or Motif is an atoms associated

with each lattice point.
Crystal Structures
The internal arrangement of atoms within a crystal structure
determines properties like:

• Mechanical Strength: Close-packed structures are generally

strong, whereas open structures can be more brittle.
• Electrical Conductivity: Highly symmetrical and closely packed
structures like metals (FCC and BCC) have high electrical
conductivity due to free electron movement.
• Optical Properties: The crystal’s arrangement affects how light
passes through it, impacting properties like transparency and color.
• Thermal Conductivity: Simple, close-packed structures usually
conduct heat well because of efficient vibrational energy transfer.
• These properties make crystal structures essential for various
applications, including material design, pharmaceuticals,
electronics, and mineralogy.
Lattice and Unit Cell
• A space lattice is the pattern formed by points
representing the locations of these motifs. The space
lattice is, in effect an abstract scaffolding for the crystal
structure. A three-dimensional system of points
designating the positions of the components that make
up the substances.
• The smallest repeating unit of the lattice is called the
unit cell. It is a building block of crystal structure. Thus,
a particular lattice can be generated by repeating the
unit cell in all three dimensions to form the extended
structure.
Four types of Unit Cells
Primitive unit cell : Atoms or particles are located only
at the eight corners of the cube.
Body-centered unit cell: In addition to the corner
atoms, there is one atom located at the very center of
the cube's body
Face-centered unit cell
• Atoms are present at each of the eight corners and also in the
center of all six faces of the cube.
End-Centered (or Base-Centered) Cubic
• This unit cell has atoms at the eight corners and also at the
centers of two opposite faces.
Crystal Systems

• Crystal Systems
• Crystal systems are a way of
classifying crystals based on the
symmetry of their unit cells. The
unit cell is the smallest repeating
unit of a crystal structure.
• Every crystal class is a
member of one of the seven
crystal systems. These systems
include the isometric,
hexagonal, Trigonal, tetragonal,
orthorhombic, monoclinic, and
triclinic crystal systems.
 Crystal Systems

• Isometric Crystal System

The isometric crystal system is also known as the cubic system. The crystallographic
axes used in this system are of equal length and are mutually perpendicular,
occurring at right angles to one another. All crystals of the isometric system possess
four 3-fold axes of symmetry, each of which proceeds diagonally from corner to
corner through the center of the cubic unit cell.
• Hexagonal Crystal System

The hexagonal crystal system is defined by its unique lattice structure,

characterized by four crystallographic axes. Three of these axes (a₁, a₂, and a₃) are
of equal length and lie in the same plane, intersecting each other at 120° angles.
The fourth axis, known as the c-axis, is perpendicular to this plane and is typically of
a different length, either longer or shorter than the other three. The unit cell of a
hexagonal crystal is often depicted as a hexagonal prism, with the parameters "a"
representing the length of the three equal axes and "c" representing the length of
the perpendicular axis.
 Crystal Systems

• Trigonal Crystal System

The trigonal system exhibits a three-fold rotational symmetry
rather than six-fold. This difference in symmetry results in distinct
crystal forms, despite the shared lattice structure with the
hexagonal system. In the trigonal system, the unit cell is often
described as a rhombohedron, a skewed cube where all edges are
of equal length, but the angles between them are not 90°.
• Tetragonal Crystal System
Minerals of the tetragonal crystal system are referred to three
mutually perpendicular axes. The two horizontal axes are of equal
length, while the vertical axis is of different length and may be
either shorter or longer than the other two.
 Crystal Systems

• Orthorhombic Crystal System

• Minerals of the orthorhombic crystal system are referred to three
mutually perpendicular axes, each of which is of a different
length than the others. Crystals of this system uniformly possess
three 2-fold rotation axes and/or three mirror planes.
• Monoclinic Crystal System
• Crystals of the monoclinic system are referred to three unequal
axes. Two of these axes are inclined toward each other at an
oblique angle; these are usually depicted vertically. The third axis
is perpendicular to the other two. The two vertical axes therefore
do not intersect one another at right angles, although both are
perpendicular to the horizontal axis.
 Crystal System
• Triclinic Crystal System
Crystals of the triclinic system are referred to three
unequal axes, all of which intersect at oblique angles.
None of the axes are perpendicular to any other axis.
Thank you!
• 7.1: Crystal Structure - Chemistry LibreTexts

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