Crystal structure of NaCl

The crystal structure of NaCl (Sodium Chloride) is a cubic lattice structure with each ion surrounded by six ions of opposite charge. The structure consists of alternating Na+ and Cl- ions arranged in a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice.

Unit cell

The unit cell of NaCl crystal structure is a cube, with each corner occupied by a Cl- ion and at the center of each face is a Na+ ion. The unit cell contains one Na+ ion and one Cl- ion, making it a primitive unit cell.

Coordination number

The coordination number of NaCl crystal structure is six, which means each ion is surrounded by six ions of opposite charge.

Lattice parameters

The lattice parameter of NaCl is the distance between two adjacent ions in the crystal structure. The lattice parameter for NaCl is 5.64 Å.

Packing efficiency

The packing efficiency of NaCl crystal structure is 74%, which means that 74% of the total volume is occupied by the ions in the crystal structure.

Crystal symmetry

The NaCl crystal structure belongs to the cubic crystal system with a space group of Fm-3m. The symmetry of the crystal structure is described by the three-fold rotation axis and the inversion center.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the NaCl crystal structure is a cubic lattice structure with a coordination number of six. The lattice parameter is 5.64 Å, and the packing efficiency is 74%. The crystal structure belongs to the cubic crystal system with a space group of Fm-3m and has a three-fold rotation axis and an inversion center.