... cell, frequently the cubic unit cell is used instead,called conventional unit cell. It is easy to determine whether a unit cell of a12 1 The structure of materialsFig. 1.7. Different unit cells ... in section 1.3.1. The number of bonds formed by an atom is called itsvalency. So fluorine has a valency of 1, oxygen of 2, and carb on of 4.3The valency model of the elements can explain many ... valency of elements whose outer shell is less than half occupied is given notby the number of missing electrons but by the number of electrons present. Thus,sodium has a valency of 1, magnesium of...