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Related Concept Videos

Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

14.7K
Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
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Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

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Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
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Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes02:46

Crystal Field Theory - Tetrahedral and Square Planar Complexes

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Tetrahedral Complexes
Crystal field theory (CFT) is applicable to molecules in geometries other than octahedral. In octahedral complexes, the lobes of the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals point directly at the ligands. For tetrahedral complexes, the d orbitals remain in place, but with only four ligands located between the axes. None of the orbitals points directly at the tetrahedral ligands. However, the dx2−y2 and dz2 orbitals (along the Cartesian axes) overlap with the ligands less than the dxy,...
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Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes02:58

Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes

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Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
27.4K
Metallic Solids02:37

Metallic Solids

18.7K
Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
18.7K
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number02:33

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

9.9K
The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 8, 2025

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
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Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates

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Crystal structures.

Hans Beat Bürgi1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacy, University of Berne, Freiestrasse 12, Bern, CH-3012, Switzerland.

Acta Crystallographica Section B, Structural Science, Crystal Engineering and Materials
|June 13, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This personal view explores crystal structure challenges, including electron density reconstruction from X-ray diffraction and modeling real crystal structures using diffuse scattering. It highlights connections between crystallography and other sciences.

Keywords:
crystal electron densitydiffuse scatteringmotion in crystals

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Area of Science:

  • Crystallography
  • Materials Science
  • Solid-State Physics
  • Quantum Chemistry

Background:

  • Understanding crystal structures is fundamental to many scientific disciplines.
  • Reconstructing electron density and characterizing atomic motion remain key challenges.
  • Distinguishing between Bragg diffraction and diffuse scattering is crucial for analyzing real crystals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a personal perspective on solved and open problems in crystallography.
  • To discuss methods for reconstructing crystal electron density and atomic motion.
  • To explore the utility of diffuse scattering in modeling real crystal structures and interdisciplinary applications.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray diffraction data analysis for electron density reconstruction.
  • Combining atomic displacement parameters with quantum chemical calculations for motion characterization.
  • Utilizing diffuse scattering patterns to model deviations from ideal crystal structures.

Main Results:

  • Progress in reconstructing crystal electron density from X-ray diffraction data.
  • Insights into characterizing atomic and molecular motion.
  • Demonstration of diffuse scattering's role in understanding real crystal structures and their relationship to ideal models.
  • Identification of unexplored connections between crystallography and mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

Conclusions:

  • Significant advancements have been made in crystal structure analysis.
  • Further research is needed to fully address open problems in the field.
  • Crystallography offers rich potential for interdisciplinary exploration and application.