Abstract
A solid-state crystal structure laboratory exercise for undergraduates in either a general chemistry course or a more advanced inorganic chemistry course is described. Students explore the lattice arrangement of atoms in unit cells by building models supplied by the Institute for Chemical Education. Emphasis is placed on building three-dimensional visual models of various crystal systems to display close packing of atoms, to identify tetrahedral and octahedral holes, to reveal number of atoms per unit cell, and to highlight ion coordination numbers and size differences. The relationship between solid-state bonding and a material’s physical properties is emphasized for elemental carbon.
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