SymmetriesMolecules

Symmetries of Molecules, Crystals, and Space-Time

Fall 2008 IVRG run by Cal Burgoyne, Justin Manning, and Robert Varley

Introduction and Warmup

examples of translation, rotation, and reflection symmetries, and other types of symmetry
transformations
frieze and wallpaper patterns

The concept of a group of transformations

How do symmetry properties affect physics and chemistry?

Examples of continuous symmetries (circle, plane, space)

Loss or gain of symmetry

Basic ideas of Lie algebras (infinitesimal symmetries), spin and iso-spin

Additional Course Information

Prerequisites: Calc I-II.
This is a 1 credit hour course, designed to be appropriate for undergraduate majors (soph.-junior-senior) in mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering, and mathematics education.
For questions about the group, send an email to: burgoyne@math.uga.edu, rvarley@math.uga.edu, or jmanning@math.uga.edu.