Fractional coordinates
Okay kiddo, do you remember when we talked about coordinates, like latitude and longitude on a map? Well, when we talk about fractional coordinates, we’re talking about something similar but used in a different way.
Instead of using latitude and longitude to pinpoint a place on a map, fractional coordinates are used to pinpoint where an atom is located in a crystal structure.
You see, crystals are made up of tiny particles called atoms that are arranged in a very specific pattern, kind of like a very organized Lego tower. Each atom has its own special place in this pattern, and to describe exactly where it is, we use fractional coordinates.
Instead of using whole numbers like latitude and longitude, fractional coordinates use numbers with decimals. This is because the position of an atom in a crystal can be in between two whole numbers, so we need to use decimals to be more precise.
Think of it like dividing up a pizza. If you have a pizza and you cut it into 4 pieces, each piece is one quarter, or 0.25, of the pizza. So, if we wanted to describe where an atom is in a crystal and it’s halfway between two other atoms, we might say its coordinates are 0.5.
Overall, fractional coordinates are used to describe the exact location of atoms in a crystal structure, and they do this by using numbers with decimals to be as precise as possible.
Instead of using latitude and longitude to pinpoint a place on a map, fractional coordinates are used to pinpoint where an atom is located in a crystal structure.
You see, crystals are made up of tiny particles called atoms that are arranged in a very specific pattern, kind of like a very organized Lego tower. Each atom has its own special place in this pattern, and to describe exactly where it is, we use fractional coordinates.
Instead of using whole numbers like latitude and longitude, fractional coordinates use numbers with decimals. This is because the position of an atom in a crystal can be in between two whole numbers, so we need to use decimals to be more precise.
Think of it like dividing up a pizza. If you have a pizza and you cut it into 4 pieces, each piece is one quarter, or 0.25, of the pizza. So, if we wanted to describe where an atom is in a crystal and it’s halfway between two other atoms, we might say its coordinates are 0.5.
Overall, fractional coordinates are used to describe the exact location of atoms in a crystal structure, and they do this by using numbers with decimals to be as precise as possible.