The center of each atom in a body-centered cubic metal is located at a lattice point. Atoms touch along the body diagonals of the unit cell.

The length of the body diagonal and the radius of the metal atom can be determined by measuring the edge length of the unit cell by x-ray diffraction. The length of the body diagonal is four times the radius of the atom. Thus the radius of the atom is one-fourth the length of the body diagonal.

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