Copper Lattice

Copper is a metal element found in nature. Copper atoms can stick together forming large grid-like structures known as crystal lattice. I found a picture of copper lattice from a secondary school science textbook. The picture shows a simple grid structure so I quickly coded in VRMath2 Editor to produce the 3D model below. It is a small copper lattice structure in the outer space.

My interest is alway just from making 3D models using some geometry. However, affter I have done the model, I cannot resist to wonder why the structure of the copper lattice is like that. Does it have anything to do with its atomic structure particularly with its electrons at the outer layer?

Later, I searched online, and found a few different pictures of copper lattice. And my model of copper lattice could be incoorect..... oh no.

Anyway, maybe someone can carry on the research and help produce a better model.

Below is my LOGO codes, and files attached at the end.

; Copper lattice
; By Andy Yeh (2016)
 
RESET CLEAN HOME
 
MAKE "d 2
BK :d*2 DN :d*2 WEST :d*2
 
TO copper
  SETSCALE 1 1 1
  SETMAT 0 13
  BALL
END
 
TO bonding
  SETSCALE .1 :d*4 .1
  SETMAT 2 9
  RD 90
  CYLINDER
  RU 90
END
 
TRANSFORM
MAKE "parent OBJECT
SETPARENT :parent
 
REPEAT 5 [
REPEAT 2 [
REPEAT 4 [
  copper FD :d
] copper RT 90 FD :d RT 90
REPEAT 4 [
  copper FD :d
] copper LT 90 FD :d LT 90
] REPEAT 4 [
  copper FD :d
] copper UP :d RT 180 ]
 
HOME
BK :d*2 DN :d*2 WEST :d*2
 
REPEAT 5 [
REPEAT 2 [
FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 RT 90 FD :d RT 90
FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 LT 90 FD :d LT 90
] FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 RU 90 FD :d RD 90 RT 180
] RD 90 FD :d RU 90 RT 90 TL 180
REPEAT 5 [
REPEAT 2 [
FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 RT 90 FD :d RT 90
FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 LT 90 FD :d LT 90
] FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 RU 90 FD :d RD 90 RT 180
] LT 90 RD 90 FD :d
REPEAT 5 [
REPEAT 2 [
FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 RT 90 FD :d RT 90
FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 LT 90 FD :d LT 90
] FD :d*2 bonding FD :d*2 RD 90 FD :d RU 90 RT 180
]
 
SHOWALL
SPIN :parent "left 30
 
SETBG 47

Files: copper_lattice.x3d  copper_lattice.logo

I have also tried viewing this model in a CardBoard VRBox, hope someone can also try it. :-)