Copper crystallizes in a face-centered cubic pattern. How many copper atoms are in each unit cell?
A)2
B)4
C)8
D)12
E)14

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure, there are 4 atoms per unit cell. This includes the atoms at the corners of the cube (each of which is shared among eight unit cells and thus counts as 1/8 of an atom per cell) and the atoms on the faces of the cube (each of which is shared between two cells and thus counts as 1/2 of an atom per cell).

Copper Crystallizes in a Face-Centered Cubic Pattern