Coordination in Ionic Compounds

Depending on the radii of the anions and cations, some ionic compounds have threefold, fourfold, sixfold, or eightfold coordination about the cation (three nearest-neighbor anions). This Demonstration allows the user to explore the ratio of the cation to anion radii in order to determine the ideal ratio. Because of electrostatic considerations, the minimum (and ideal) ratio occurs when the anions just make contact with one another and the cation just makes contact with each anion.


Snapshot 1: For threefold coordination, the minimum stable ratio is 0.15.
Snapshot 2: For fourfold coordination, the minimum stable ratio is 0.22.
Snapshot 3: For sixfold coordination, the minimum stable ratio is 0.41.
Snapshot 4: For eightfold coordination, the minimum stable ratio is 0.73.
 
Powered by Wolfram Mathematica
Give us your feedback
Give us your feedback

Source page:




 often  occasionally  never

Note: Please do not include anything you consider confidential or proprietary. Your message and contact information may be shared with the author of any specific Demonstration for which you give feedback, but will not otherwise be published or distributed.
Privacy Policy »

Note: To run this Demonstration you need the free
Mathematica Player
or Mathematica 7+
Download or upgrade to Mathematica Player 7
I already have Mathematica Player or Mathematica 7+