In a Zinc Blende () unit cell, if the lattice is established by ions in a cubic close-packed (ccp) a — Solid State Chemistry Question
Question
In a Zinc Blende ($ZnS$) unit cell, if the lattice is established by $S^{2-}$ ions in a cubic close-packed (ccp) arrangement, what is the exact total effective number of $Zn^{2+}$ ions present inside one complete unit cell?
Answer: 4
💡 Solution & Explanation
In the Zinc Blende structure, the $S^{2-}$ ions form the ccp/fcc lattice, contributing 4 ions per unit cell. The $Zn^{2+}$ ions occupy half of the 8 available tetrahedral voids. Therefore, the total number of $Zn^{2+}$ ions per unit cell is $\frac{1}{2} \times 8 = 4$.
💬Ask on WhatsApp →
Still have doubts about this question?
Send it to our AI chemistry tutor on WhatsApp — gets answered in minutes