Metals and Unit Cells

The Structure of Metals

The structures of pure metals are easy to describe because the atoms can be thought of as identical perfect spheres. These substances all crystallize in one of four basic structures known as simple cubic (SC), body-centered cubic (BCC), hexagonal closest packed (HCP), and cubic closest packed (CCP).

The simplest structure to visualize is the one labeled simple cubic, in which the atoms form square packed planes, as shown in the figure below.




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