Assignment #1

ENGR 2220

Structure & Properties of Materials

To get part marks, show all your work
1. Determine the density of BCC iron, which has a lattice parameter of 0.2866 nm.
Solution:
For a BCC cell,
Atoms/cell =2

a 0 = 0.2866 nm = 2.866 x 10 -8 cm
Atomic mass = 55.847 g/mol
3

-8
3
24
3
Volume of unit cell = a0 = (2.866 x 10 cm) 23.54 x10 cm / cell

23

Avogadros number NA= 6.02 x 10 atoms/mol

( number of atoms / cell )(atomic massof iron )

Density = (volume of unit cell )(avogadro ' s number )

=

(2)(55.847)
7.882 g / cm 3
( 23.54)(6.02 x10 23 )

2. The density of thorium, which has the FCC structure and one atom per lattice point, is 11.72 g/cm3.
The atomic weight of thorium is 232 g/mol. Calculate
(a) the lattice parameter; and
(b) the atomic radius of thorium.
Solution:
(a)
( number of atoms / cell )( atomic massof iron )

Density = (volume of unit cell )(avogadro ' s number )

(4)(232)
11.72 g / cm 3
3
( a 0 )(6.02 x10 23 )
3

a 0 1.315297 x 10 22 cm 3 or
a 0 5.0856 x 10 8 cm
(b) From the relationship between atomic radius and lattice parameter
r=

( 2 )(5.0856 x 10 8 cm)
1.7980 x 10 8 cm
( 4)

3. Copper has an atomic radius of 0.1278 nm, an atomic weight of 63.5 g/mol and a density of 8.94
g/cm3. Determine whether it has a BCC or an FCC crystal structure.
Solution:
For BCC:

nA
3
a NA

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Assignment #1

ENGR 2220

Structure & Properties of Materials

(2 atoms/unit cell)(63.5 g/mol)

3

4
-8
x (1.278 10 cm) /(unit cell ) (6.02210 23 atoms / mol )
3

= 8.21 g/cm3

For FCC

(2)(1.278 10

nA
nA

3
a N A (2 R 2 ) 3 N A

(4 atoms/unit cell)(63.5 g/mol)

-8

cm)(

2)

/(unit cell ) (6.02210 23 atoms / mol )

= 8.93 g/cm3

Which is closest to the density provided in the question.

4.

Within a cubic unit cell, sketch the following:

Solution:
(a)

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Assignment #1

ENGR 2220

Structure & Properties of Materials

(b)

5. Determine the Miller indices for planes A and B in the figure below:

Plane A is a 1 1 1 plane. The determination of its indices is summarized below.

x

Intercepts

-b

Intercepts in terms of a, b, and c

-1

Reciprocals of intercepts

-1

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Assignment #1

ENGR 2220

Structure & Properties of Materials

1 1 1

Enclosure

Plane A is a 0 3 0 plane. The determination of its indices is summarized below.

x

Intercepts

b/3

Intercepts in terms of a, b, and c

1/3

Reciprocals of intercepts

Enclosure

0 3 0

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