A cubic solid is made of two elements P and Q . Atoms of Q are at the corners of the cube and P at the body-centre. What is the formula of the compound? What are the coordination numbers of P and Q ?
A cubic solid is made of two elements P and Q . Atoms of Q are at the corners of the cube and P at the body-centre. What is the formula of the compound? What are the coordination numbers of P and Q ?

Ans: It is given that the atoms of \mathrm{Q} are present at the corners of the cube. Therefore, number of atoms of Q in one unit cell =8 \times(1 / 8)=1
It is also given that the atoms of \mathrm{P} are present at the body-centre.
Therefore, number of atoms of P in one unit cell =1
This means that the ratio of the number of P atoms to the number of Q atoms, P: Q= 1: 1
Hence, the formula of the compound is \mathrm{PQ}
The coordination number of both P and Q is 8 .