Question

Molybdenum has a body-centered cubic unit cell. how many atoms of mo are present in each unit cell?

Answer 1

Two atoms per unit cell.

Step-by-step explanation:

There are basically following types of cubic unit cells

a) Simple cubic cell : they have one atom on each of the eight corners of cube. So total one atom per unit cell.

b) body centered cubic cell : they have one atom on each of the eight corners of cube and one at the center of cube. So total two atoms per unit cell

one atom at each corner means = 8 X 1/8= 1

One atom at the center = 1

c) face centered cubic cell : one atom on each of the six faces of cube and one at the center of the cube So total four atoms per unit cell.

Based on above facts Molybdenum will have two atoms per unit cell.

Answer 2

Molybdenum is an element in the periodic table that has an atomic mass of 42 and its chemical symbol is Mo. This belongs to the group of transition metals. The body-centered cubic unit cell has a coordination number of 8 and has 2 total number of atoms.