Crystal structure of

metals: efficient packing

ELEM ENT S AND CO M PO UNDS
body-centered
cubic packing
coordination
number
face-centered
cubic close
packing
hexagonal close
packing
Key words
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Face-centered cubic close packing
1Efficient packing
Hexagonal close packing
2 Less efficient packing
Body-centered cubic packing
1Efficient packing
G Both hexagonal close packingand
face-centered cubic close packingmay
be consi dered aseffi ci ent packi ng
si nce the spheresoccupy 74 percent
of the avai lable space. I n both
arrangements, each sphere i si n
contact wi th 12 others, and i ssai d to
have a coordination number of 12.
2 Less efficient packing
G Body-centered cubic packingi sless
effi ci ent than hexagonal and face-
centered cubi c close packi ng. Spheres
occupy only 68 percent of the avai lable
space. Each sphere i si n contact wi th
ei ght others( four i n the layer above
and four i n the layer below) and,
therefore, hasa coordi nati on number
of ei ght.
Metals showing hexagonal
close packing
G Cobalt
G Magnesi um
G Ti tani um
G Zi nc
Metals showing face-
centered cubic close
packing
G Alumi num
G Calci um
G Copper
G Lead
G Ni ckel
Metals showing body-
centered cubic packing
G Group 1 metals
G Bari um
G Chromi um
G I ron
G Vanadi um