Simple Cubic
A crystal arrangement with particles only at the eight corners of a cubic unit cell.
Formula / equation
1 atom per cell, 52% packing
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
Each corner atom is shared among eight cells, so one atom belongs to each cell. With a coordination number of only six and a packing efficiency of 52%, this is the least efficient cubic arrangement and is consequently very rare among the elements.
Examples in the real world
Polonium is the only element that crystallises in the simple cubic structure under ordinary conditions.