Question

Zn convert it's melted state to its solid state, it has HCP structure, then find out nearest no. of nearest atom

• A. 6
• B. 8
• C. 12
• D. 4

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To determine the number of nearest atoms in Zinc (Zn) when it transforms from a melted state to its solid state with a hexagonal close-packed (HCP) structure, we need to understand a few key concepts about crystal structures.

Hexagonal Close-Packed (HCP) Structure:

• The HCP structure is one of the ways atoms are arranged in a crystal lattice. It is characterized by a hexagonal unit cell and each atom in the structure is surrounded by 12 nearest neighbors.
• This is due to the efficient packing of atoms in the HCP structure, where layers of atoms are arranged such that each atom in one layer is directly over the gaps in the previous layer, maximizing the number of nearest neighbors.

Conclusion:

When Zinc (Zn) assumes an HCP structure in its solid state, each zinc atom is surrounded by 12 other zinc atoms. Therefore, the number of nearest atoms is 12.

Thus, the correct answer is: 12.

Why the other options are incorrect:

• Option 6: This would be the coordination number for a simple cubic structure, not HCP.
• Option 8: This is characteristic of a body-centered cubic (BCC) structure but not of the HCP.
• Option 4: This coordination number does not pertain to any commonly known crystal structure.