Resources written by Chas McCaw for sixth form chemistry teaching and beyond.
General interest:
Graphite Buckminsterfullerene Ice White phosphorus Benzene Cyclohexane AdamantaneCubic:
Sodium Caesium chloride Polonium Copper Halite Fluorite Antifluorite Zinc blende DiamondNon-cubic:
Hexagonal:
Magnesium WurtziteTetragonal:
RutileTrigonal:
α-quartzTriclinic:
Copper(II) sulfateOrthorhombic:
α-SulfurMonoclinic:
β-SulfurThe image from the previous page is reproduced with only the critical atoms showing; the sodium ion is virtually in contact with its neighbours. You will need to rotate the octahedron so that two parallel triangular faces are oriented horizontally, with the sodium ion in between. This shows how the central sodium ion nestles between the chloride ions from close-packed layers above and below.
The following pages take a more advanced approach.
Go to page 6 to consider the relationship between the two types of ion in the halite lattice.