Unit Cell (Noun)
Meaning
The smallest group of atoms or molecules whose repetition at regular intervals in three dimensions produces the lattices of a crystal.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made).
Examples
- The unit cell of a crystal is the smallest repeating unit of the crystal lattice, which can be repeated in three-dimensional space to form the entire crystal.
- The dimensions and symmetry of the unit cell determine the symmetry of the crystal lattice as a whole.
- In a face-centered cubic unit cell, each corner atom is shared by eight adjacent cells, while the center atom is not shared with any neighboring cells.
- The arrangement of atoms within the unit cell can affect the physical properties of the crystal, such as its strength and optical properties.
- The size and shape of the unit cell can be determined using X-ray diffraction techniques, which involve scattering X-rays off the atoms within the crystal lattice.