koordinaatiomäärän

Koordinaatiomäärä is a Finnish term that translates to "coordination number" in English. It is a concept primarily used in chemistry and crystallography to describe the number of atoms, ions, or molecules that are directly bonded to a central atom or ion in a chemical compound or crystal structure. This number is crucial for understanding the geometry and properties of a substance.

For instance, in an ionic crystal lattice, the coordination number of a cation refers to the number of anions surrounding it, and vice versa. Similarly, in coordination complexes, the coordination number of the central metal atom is the count of ligands directly attached to it. The specific coordination number can influence factors like bond strength, molecular shape, and solubility.

Different types of chemical bonding and crystal packing arrangements lead to varying coordination numbers. For example, simple cubic packing has a coordination number of 6, while face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed structures both have a coordination number of 12. In molecules, the coordination number is determined by the valency of the central atom and the number of surrounding atoms. Understanding the koordinaatiomäärä is therefore fundamental to predicting and explaining the behavior of many chemical entities.