coordination number

American  

noun

Crystallography.

1. the number of anions surrounding a single cation in a stable crystal structure.

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coordination number British  

noun

1. chem the number of coordinated species surrounding the central atom in a complex or crystal

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Etymology

Origin of coordination number

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

For a polonium atom in a simple cubic array, the coordination number is, therefore, six.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

What is the coordination number of an aluminum atom in the face-centered cubic structure of aluminum?

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

For transition metals with a coordination number of four, two different geometries are possible: tetrahedral or square planar.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

What is the coordination number of a chromium atom in the body-centered cubic structure of chromium?

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

The number of other particles that each particle in a crystalline solid contacts is known as its coordination number.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019