Question

In a face centered cubic structure, every atom has 12 neighbors. Which arrangement of balls serves as the best model for this structure?

a) 8 balls at the corners of a cube, 6 balls in the centers of the cubes faces.
b) 8 balls at the corners of a cube.
c) 8 balls at the corners of a cube, and one ball in the center of the cube.
d) 12 balls arranged equally apart from eachother around a circle.

Answer 1

A solid with a unit cell that follows a structure to the face-centered cubic crystal would look like that shown in the attached picture. Thus, the model should consist of 8 balls, one for each corner of the cube. Also, It would need 6 balls, one at each center of the cube's faces. So, the answer is A.