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Symmetry Operation: Movement of An Object Into An Equivalent or Indistinguishable Orientation

This document discusses symmetry operations and elements, and introduces the concepts of: 1) The 5 types of symmetry operations - identity, proper rotation, reflection, inversion, and improper rotation. 2) Symmetry elements like points, lines, and planes that symmetry operations are carried out around. 3) Group theory and the definition of a mathematical group in terms of closure, associativity, identity, and inverse elements. 4) How point groups represent the symmetry of objects and molecules.

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61 views

Symmetry Operation: Movement of An Object Into An Equivalent or Indistinguishable Orientation

This document discusses symmetry operations and elements, and introduces the concepts of: 1) The 5 types of symmetry operations - identity, proper rotation, reflection, inversion, and improper rotation. 2) Symmetry elements like points, lines, and planes that symmetry operations are carried out around. 3) Group theory and the definition of a mathematical group in terms of closure, associativity, identity, and inverse elements. 4) How point groups represent the symmetry of objects and molecules.

Uploaded by

yinglv
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Symmetry Operation:

Movement of an object into an equivalent or indistinguishable


orientation
Symmetry Elements:

A point, line or plane about which a symmetry operation is
carried out
5 types of symmetry operations/elements
Identity: this operation does nothing, symbol: E

Element is entire object
Proper Rotation:

Rotation about an axis by an angle of 2t/n
m
n
C
n
n
n
n
n
C C
E C
=
=
+1
Rotation 2tm/n
C4
1
2
3
4
PtCl4
C2
The highest order rotation axis is called the principle axis.
How about:
NFO2?
H2O
NH3
Identity E
Proper Rotation Cn

Reflection: o
reflection through a mirror plan
NH3
H2O
a mirror plane containing a principle rotation axis is labeled o
v











a mirror plane normal to a principle rotation axis is labeled o
h


B
F F
F
B
F F
F
) (
) (
odd n
even n E
n
n
= =
= =
o o
o
Inversion: i
inversion center or center of symmetry
(x,y,z) (-x,-y,-z)
) (
) (
odd n i i
even n E i
n
n
= =
= =
Difference between inversion and 2-fold rotation
Inversion ?
Improper rotation: S
n

rotation about an axis by an angle of 2t/n followed by
reflection through a perpendicular plane.
(C
n
,o
h
symmetry are not necessary for S
n
to exist)

S6
P
F
F
F
F
F
P
F
F
F
F
F
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
S3
Contain C3, oh
In general:
S
n
with n even molecule contains C
n/2
, S
n
n
=E
S
n
with n odd molecule contains C
n
+ o
h
; S
n
n
=o
h
, S
n
2n
=E

P
F
F
F
F
F
1
2
3
4
5
P
F
F
F
F
F
1
2
3
4
5
Contain C3, oh
P
F
F
F
F
F
2
1
5
3
4
P
F
F
F
F
F
1
2
4
5
3
6
3
5
3
4
3
3
3
2
3
3
S
S
S
S
S
S
P
F
F
F
F
F
2
1
3
4
5
P
F
F
F
F
F
1
2
5
3
4
P
F
F
F
F
F
2
1
4
5
3
S6
E S
S
C S
S i S
C S
S
=
=
=
=
6
6
5
6
2
3
4
6
2
3
6
3
2
6
6
XeF4
4 2 2 2 4
'
, " 2 , ' 2 , , , 2 , 2 , , , S C C C C i E
v v h
o o o
2
C
'
2
C
"
2
C
v
o
4
S
C4
BF3
3 2 3
'
, 3 , , 3 , , S C C E
v h
o o
Group Theory

Definition of a Group:

A group is a collection of elements

(1).which is closed under a single-valued associative binary operation

(2).which contains a single element satisfying the identity law

(3).which possesses a reciprocal element for each element of the
collection.

1. Closure: A, B e G AB e G

2. Associativity: A, B, C e A(BC)= (AB)C

3. Identity: There exists E e G such that AE=EA=A for all Ae G

4. Inverse: A e G there exists A
-1
e G such that AA
-1
=A
-1
A=E

Mathematical Group
Order of a group: the number of elements it contains
Example:

1. set of all real number, under addition, order =
Closure: x + y e G
Associativity: x + (y +z) =(x+y) +z
Identity: x +0 =0+x =x
Inverse: x +(-x) =(-x)+x =0
2. set of all integers, under addition
3. {set of all real number}-{0}, under multiplication
Closure: x * y e G
Associativity: x * (y *z) =(x*y) *z
Identity: x *1 =1*x =x
Inverse: x *(1/x) =(1/x)*x =1
4. {+1, -1}
5. { 1, i}

Symmetry of an object point group (symmetry about a point)
{E, C
2
,o
v
,o
v'
} = point group C
2v

Binary operation: one operation followed by another

C2v E C2 ov ov
E E C2 ov ov
C2 C2 E ov ov
ov ov ov E C2
ov ov ov C2 E
Closure:
Associativity:
Identity:
Inverse:
Multiplication Table
C2v E C2 ov ov
E E C2 ov ov
C2 C2 E ov ov
ov ov ov E C2
ov ov ov C2 E
Rearrangement Theorem: each row and each column in a group
multiplication table lists each of the elements once and only once.

Proof: suppose AB=AC, i.e. two column entries are identical
then:

EB=EC
B=C
AC A AB A
1 1
=
C2v E C2 ov ov
E E C2 ov ov
C2 C2 E ov ov
ov ov ov E C2
ov ov ov C2 E
A group is Abelian if AB=BA ( the multiplication is completely
commutative).
Not all groups are abelian.

v v
C C o o
3 3
=
Any object (or molecule) may be classified into a point group
uniquely determined by its symmetry.

Groups with low symmetry:
{E}=C
1
, Schnflies Symbol/notation
{E,o} =C
s

{E, i} =C
i


ONCl, Cs
H
H
Cl
Cl
F
F
Ci
Groups with a single C
n
axis
{E, C
n
, C
n
2
, C
n
3
.C
n
n-1
} =C
n


H2O2

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