Symmetry of diatomic molecules

<p><a href="/facts/Molecular_symmetry/BrDxAkTK">Molecular symmetry</a> in <a href="/facts/Physics/a7aH2y08">physics</a> and <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a> describes the <a href="/facts/Symmetry/hpu7DK8p">symmetry</a> present in <a href="/facts/Molecule/N9ljSfFq">molecules</a> and the classification of molecules according to their symmetry. Molecular symmetry is a fundamental concept in the application of <a href="/facts/Quantum_mechanics/BRc3Mzgr">quantum mechanics</a> in physics and chemistry, for example, it can be used to predict or explain many of a molecule's properties, such as its <a href="/facts/Dipole/G1vRqruD">dipole moment</a> and its allowed <a href="/facts/Spectroscopy/mj71FuNK">spectroscopic transitions</a> (based on <a href="/facts/Selection_rules/q0l2TSEq">selection rules</a>), without doing the exact rigorous calculations (which, in some cases, may not even be possible). To do this it is necessary to classify the states of the molecule using the <a href="/facts/Irreducible_representations/Hu5geBgk">irreducible representations</a> from the <a href="/facts/Character_table/0TJakbcy">character table</a> of the symmetry group of the molecule. Among all the molecular symmetries, diatomic molecules show some distinct features and are relatively easier to analyze.
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Symmetry of diatomic molecules open-in-new

Symmetry of diatomic molecules