The structure extends (repeats itself) in all directions
giving a crystal with a regular arrangement of ions called a lattice.
The crystal is said to be highly ordered.
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Ionic Compounds - Structure.
Below is a small piece of a giant ionic structure.
It is also called a giant ionic
lattice.
The word "giant" means that a
huge number of ions are present
(compare this with the word simple).
The structure
extends (repeats
itself) in all directions
giving a crystal with a regular arrangement of ions called a lattice.
The crystal is said to be highly ordered.
For sodium chloride
the red balls may represent
Na+ ions
and the blue balls may represent
Cl- ions.
All ionic
solids have a similar
structure
to that
shown above but they may not be
identical.
Differences of packing and the relative
size and amounts of
ions
will give different crystal variations.
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Copyright © 2008 Dr. Colin France. All Rights Reserved.
