513.001 Molecular and Solid State Physics

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Physical
Constants

Periodic System
of Elements

      

MIT 8.231 Physics of Solids, 1.7

Graphite, a form of elemental carbon, is made up of planes of atoms as shown below.

In each plane the atoms are at the corners of open hexagons. The odd-numbered layers are all identical when viewed from above. All even-numbered layers are also identical, but they are shifted with respect to the odd layers. Half of the atoms in the even layer occur exactly below the center of each hexagon of the odd layer. Describe this structure by giving the lattice type, the primitive unit cell, and the basis.