Q12.76P - Chemistry: Molecular Nature Of Matter And Change

Question

How are a solid’s unit cell and crystal structure related?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

For any crystalline solid, the constituent entities are arranged in proper orientation in a three-dimensional structure. This is actually a repetition of a lattice in three dimensions to form the whole crystal. This repetitive unit is called a unit cell.

Unit Cell

The unit cell is the smallest repeating unit in the crystal which when repeated in 3-dimension gives the whole lattice.

Relation with the crystal structure

The solid’s unit cell when repeated in the array of three dimensions provides the structure of that crystal.