Example 1: The lattice constant a of BCC iron is 2.

86
. Determine the specific gravity.
Atomic mass of Fe = 55.85 g/mole.
# of atoms/cell = 1/8*8+1=2

2.86

Mass of single Fe atom =

55.85 / 6.02x1023 = 9.28x10-23 gr

2.86

Specific gravity = 2 * 9.28x10-23 / (2.86x10-8cm)3 = 7.93 g/cm3

Due to presence of imperfections in the crystal structures the
actual density is always slightly less than the theoretical density.
The density of Fe 7.86 g/cm3

Example 2: Specific gravity of a metal is 1.55. If the

metal has an FCC structure and its atomic mass is
40.08 g/mole, determine:
a)
The lattice constant, a=?
b)
The radius of a single atom?
c)
Determine [110] (linear density)
# of atoms/cell = 1/2*6+1/8*8=4
Mass of single atom =
40.08 / 6.02x1023 = 6.65x10-23 gr

1.55 =

4 * 6.65x10-23
a3

a3 = 1.72x10-22 cm3
= 5.56
a 2 = 4r

a 2
r=
4
= 1.97

a
z

[110]

2 atoms
2
=
=
2 a
2 * 5.56x10-8

y
x

[110]

[110] = 2.54x107 atoms/cm

Example 3: In a cubic unit cell, determine;

a) 110 family of directions
b) {110} family of planes
a.

110 [110] [101] [011]

z
[011]
[101]
x

[110]

b.

{110} (110) (101) (011)

z

(110)
y

x
z

(011)
y
x

(101)

Example 4: Determine the planar density of Pb along

the following planes
a)
(100)
b)
(110)
Note that Pb has an FCC structure and its atomic radius
is rPb = 1.75
a)

a 2 = 4r a = 4.95

y a
x

(100)

a
2r

# of atoms = 1+1/4*4 =2
r

(100) =

2
(4.95x10-8)2

= 8.16x1014 atoms/cm2

b) FCC structure, (110) plane

z

(110)
y
x

a
a 2

# of atoms = 1/4*4+1/2*2 =2 atoms

(110) =

2
2 (4.95x10-8)2

= 5.77x1014 atoms/cm2

Example 5: Determine the linear density of [110] for

the previous problem.
z

4r

[110] =

2
4*1.75x10-8

= 2.86x107 atoms/cm