What is the Difference Between Hexagon and Monoclinic Unit Cell?

The main difference between a hexagon and a monoclinic unit cell lies in the lengths of their axes and the angles between them. Here are the specific features of each type of unit cell:

Hexagon Unit Cell:

• Belongs to the hexagonal crystal system.
• Has two axes with equal lengths (a=b) and one axis with a different length (c).
• The angle between the two equal axes is 120° (γ=120°).
• The other two angles are 90° (α=β=90°).
• In summary, hexagonal unit cells have two equal axes and one unequal axis, with a 120° angle between the equal axes.

Monoclinic Unit Cell:

• Belongs to the monoclinic crystal system.
• Has all three axes with unequal lengths (a≠b≠c).
• The angle between the two equal axes is 90° (α=γ=90°).
• The other angle is not 90° (β≠90°).
• Monoclinic unit cells have a rectangular shape with a parallelogram as their base.
• In summary, monoclinic unit cells have three unequal axes and a parallelogram structure as the base of the unit cell.

In conclusion, hexagonal and monoclinic unit cells are portions of crystal systems that represent a repeating pattern. The main difference between them is that hexagonal unit cells have two equal axes and one unequal axis, while monoclinic unit cells have three unequal axes.

Comparative Table: Hexagon vs Monoclinic Unit Cell

The main difference between hexagonal and monoclinic unit cells lies in the lengths of their axes and the angles between them. Here is a table comparing the two:

A hexagonal unit cell has two axes with equal lengths and a third axis with a different length, forming a hexagonal prism shape. The angle between the two equal axes is 120°, while the other angle is 90°.

On the other hand, a monoclinic unit cell has three unequal axes and a rectangular shape with a parallelogram as its base. Two of the angles are 90°, and the third angle is not 90°.