Symmetry element

<p>In <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a> and <a href="/facts/Crystallography/9B5toeqG">crystallography</a>, a symmetry element is a <a href="/facts/Point_(geometry)/6YPAvX2a">point</a>, <a href="/facts/Line_(geometry)/gJqsr4Gj">line</a>, or <a href="/facts/Euclidean_plane/tAUtRFcn">plane</a> about which <a href="/facts/Symmetry_operation/umWYbPVH">symmetry operations</a> can take place. In particular, a symmetry element can be a <a href="/facts/Mirror_plane/5JHWnrql">mirror plane</a>, an <a href="/facts/Axis_of_rotation/PGcg3IY5">axis of rotation</a> (either proper and improper), or a <a href="/facts/Point_reflection/UzswAm8N">center of inversion</a>.  For an object such as a <a href="/facts/Molecule/N9ljSfFq">molecule</a> or a <a href="/facts/Crystal/e2R2mk3E">crystal</a>, a symmetry element corresponds to a set of symmetry operations, which are the <a href="/facts/Rigid_transformation/0KzWYQXl">rigid transformations</a> employing the symmetry element that leave the object unchanged. The set containing these operations form one of the <a href="/facts/Symmetry_group/CNqeseMp">symmetry groups</a> of the object. The elements of this symmetry group should not be confused with the "symmetry element" itself. Loosely, a symmetry element is the geometric set of <a href="/facts/Fixed_point_(mathematics)/vVVddTKc">fixed points</a> of a symmetry operation. For example, for rotation about an axis, the points on the axis do not move and in a reflection the points that remain unchanged make up a plane of symmetry.
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Symmetry element open-in-new

Symmetry element