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The Face-Centered Cubic Unit Cell

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State

A face-centered cubic cell adds one particle centered on each of its six faces, giving four particles total and coordination number twelve.

Show

Copper, aluminum, and lead all crystallize face-centered cubic, packing more tightly than simple or body-centered cubic.

Watch for

A face-centered particle is shared between two cells, contributing one-half each, unlike a corner particle's one-eighth share.