![]() | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(May 2013) |
![]() Involutional symmetry Cs, (*) [ ] = ![]() | ![]() Cyclic symmetry Cnv, (*nn) [n] = ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Dihedral symmetry Dnh, (*n22) [n,2] = ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Polyhedral group, [n,3], (*n32) | |||
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![]() Tetrahedral symmetry Td, (*332) [3,3] = ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Octahedral symmetry Oh, (*432) [4,3] = ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Icosahedral symmetry Ih, (*532) [5,3] = ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
A regular octahedron has 24 rotational (or orientation-preserving) symmetries, and 48 symmetries altogether. These include transformations that combine a reflection and a rotation. A cube has the same set of symmetries, since it is the polyhedron that is dual to an octahedron.
The group of orientation-preserving symmetries is S4, the symmetric group or the group of permutations of four objects, since there is exactly one such symmetry for each permutation of the four diagonals of the cube.
Chiral and full (or achiral) octahedral symmetry are the discrete point symmetries (or equivalently, symmetries on the sphere) with the largest symmetry groups compatible with translational symmetry. They are among the crystallographic point groups of the cubic crystal system.
Elements of O | Inversions of elements of O | ||
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identity | 0 | inversion | 0′ |
3 × rotation by 180° about a 4-fold axis | 7, 16, 23 | 3 × reflection in a plane perpendicular to a 4-fold axis | 7′, 16′, 23′ |
8 × rotation by 120° about a 3-fold axis | 3, 4, 8, 11, 12, 15, 19, 20 | 8 × rotoreflection by 60° | 3′, 4′, 8′, 11′, 12′, 15′, 19′, 20′ |
6 × rotation by 180° about a 2-fold axis | 1′, 2′, 5′, 6′, 14′, 21′ | 6 × reflection in a plane perpendicular to a 2-fold axis | 1, 2, 5, 6, 14, 21 |
6 × rotation by 90° about a 4-fold axis | 9′, 10′, 13′, 17′, 18′, 22′ | 6 × rotoreflection by 90° | 9, 10, 13, 17, 18, 22 |
Examples | ||||
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A complete list can be found in the Wikiversity article. |
As the hyperoctahedral group of dimension 3 the full octahedral group is the wreath product , and a natural way to identify its elements is as pairs (m, n) with and .
But as it is also the direct product S4 × S2, one can simply identify the elements of tetrahedral subgroup Td as and their inversions as .
So e.g. the identity (0, 0) is represented as 0 and the inversion (7, 0) as 0′.
(3, 1) is represented as 6 and (4, 1) as 6′.
A rotoreflection is a combination of rotation and reflection.
Illustration of rotoreflections | ||||
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Gyration axes | ||
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C4![]() | C3 > ![]() | C2![]() |
3 | 4 | 6 |
O, 432, or [4,3]+ of order 24, is chiral octahedral symmetry or rotational octahedral symmetry . This group is like chiral tetrahedral symmetry T, but the C2 axes are now C4 axes, and additionally there are 6 C2 axes, through the midpoints of the edges of the cube. Td and O are isomorphic as abstract groups: they both correspond to S4, the symmetric group on 4 objects. Td is the union of T and the set obtained by combining each element of O \ T with inversion. O is the rotation group of the cube and the regular octahedron.
Orthogonal projection | Stereographic projection | ||
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2-fold | 4-fold | 3-fold | 2-fold |
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Oh, *432, [4,3], or m3m of order 48 – achiral octahedral symmetry or full octahedral symmetry. This group has the same rotation axes as O, but with mirror planes, comprising both the mirror planes of Td and Th. This group is isomorphic to S4.C2, and is the full symmetry group of the cube and octahedron. It is the hyperoctahedral group for n = 3. See also the isometries of the cube.
With the 4-fold axes as coordinate axes, a fundamental domain of Oh is given by 0 ≤ x ≤ y ≤ z. An object with this symmetry is characterized by the part of the object in the fundamental domain, for example the cube is given by z = 1, and the octahedron by x + y + z = 1 (or the corresponding inequalities, to get the solid instead of the surface). ax + by + cz = 1 gives a polyhedron with 48 faces, e.g. the disdyakis dodecahedron.
Faces are 8-by-8 combined to larger faces for a = b = 0 (cube) and 6-by-6 for a = b = c (octahedron).
The 9 mirror lines of full octahedral symmetry can be divided into two subgroups of 3 and 6 (drawn in purple and red), representing in two orthogonal subsymmetries: D2h, and Td. D2h symmetry can be doubled to D4h by restoring 2 mirrors from one of three orientations.
Octahedral symmetry and reflective subgroups | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Take the set of all 3×3 permutation matrices and assign a + or − sign to each of the three 1s. There are permutations and sign combinations for a total of 48 matrices, giving the full octahedral group. 24 of these matrices have a determinant of +1; these are the rotation matrices of the chiral octahedral group. The other 24 matrices have a determinant of −1 and correspond to a reflection or inversion.
Three reflectional generator matrices are needed for octahedral symmetry, which represent the three mirrors of a Coxeter–Dynkin diagram. The product of the reflections produce 3 rotational generators.
Reflections | Rotations | Rotoreflection | |||||
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Generators | R0 | R1 | R2 | R0R1 | R1R2 | R0R2 | R0R1R2 |
Group | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Order | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
Matrix |
O Td Th Cycle graphs of subgroups of order 24 |
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Rotational subgroups Reflective subgroups Subgroups containing inversion |
Schoe. | Coxeter | Orb. | H-M | Structure | Cyc. | Order | Index | |
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Oh | [4,3] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | *432 | m3m | S4×S2 | 48 | 1 | |
Td | [3,3] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | *332 | 43m | S4 | ![]() | 24 | 2 |
D4h | [2,4] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | *224 | 4/mmm | D2×D8 | ![]() | 16 | 3 |
D2h | [2,2] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | *222 | mmm | D3 2 = D2×D4 | ![]() | 8 | 6 |
C4v | [4] | ![]() ![]() ![]() | *44 | 4mm | D8 | ![]() | 8 | 6 |
C3v | [3] | ![]() ![]() ![]() | *33 | 3m | D6 = S3 | ![]() | 6 | 8 |
C2v | [2] | ![]() ![]() ![]() | *22 | mm2 | D2 2 = D4 | ![]() | 4 | 12 |
Cs = C1v | [ ] | ![]() | * | 2 or m | D2 | ![]() | 2 | 24 |
Th | [3+,4] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 3*2 | m3 | A4×S2 | ![]() | 24 | 2 |
C4h | [4+,2] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 4* | 4/m | Z4×D2 | ![]() | 8 | 6 |
D3d | [2+,6] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 2*3 | 3m | D12 = Z2×D6 | ![]() | 12 | 4 |
D2d | [2+,4] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 2*2 | 42m | D8 | ![]() | 8 | 6 |
C2h = D1d | [2+,2] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 2* | 2/m | Z2×D2 | ![]() | 4 | 12 |
S6 | [2+,6+] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 3× | 3 | Z6 = Z2×Z3 | ![]() | 6 | 8 |
S4 | [2+,4+] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 2× | 4 | Z4 | ![]() | 4 | 12 |
S2 | [2+,2+] | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | × | 1 | S2 | ![]() | 2 | 24 |
O | [4,3]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 432 | 432 | S4 | ![]() | 24 | 2 |
T | [3,3]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 332 | 23 | A4 | ![]() | 12 | 4 |
D4 | [2,4]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 224 | 422 | D8 | ![]() | 8 | 6 |
D3 | [2,3]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 223 | 322 | D6 = S3 | ![]() | 6 | 8 |
D2 | [2,2]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | 222 | 222 | D4 = Z2 2 | ![]() | 4 | 12 |
C4 | [4]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() | 44 | 4 | Z4 | ![]() | 4 | 12 |
C3 | [3]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() | 33 | 3 | Z3 = A3 | ![]() | 3 | 16 |
C2 | [2]+ | ![]() ![]() ![]() | 22 | 2 | Z2 | ![]() | 2 | 24 |
C1 | [ ]+ | ![]() | 11 | 1 | Z1 | ![]() | 1 | 48 |
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Octahedral subgroups in Coxeter notation [1] |
The cube has 48 isometries (symmetry elements), forming the symmetry group Oh, isomorphic to S4 × Z2. They can be categorized as follows:
An isometry of the cube can be identified in various ways:
For cubes with colors or markings (like dice have), the symmetry group is a subgroup of Oh.
Examples:
For some larger subgroups a cube with that group as symmetry group is not possible with just coloring whole faces. One has to draw some pattern on the faces.
Examples:
The full symmetry of the cube, Oh, [4,3], (*432), is preserved if and only if all faces have the same pattern such that the full symmetry of the square is preserved, with for the square a symmetry group, Dih4, [4], of order 8.
The full symmetry of the cube under proper rotations, O, [4,3]+, (432), is preserved if and only if all faces have the same pattern with 4-fold rotational symmetry, Z4, [4]+.
In Riemann surface theory, the Bolza surface, sometimes called the Bolza curve, is obtained as the ramified double cover of the Riemann sphere, with ramification locus at the set of vertices of the regular inscribed octahedron. Its automorphism group includes the hyperelliptic involution which flips the two sheets of the cover. The quotient by the order 2 subgroup generated by the hyperelliptic involution yields precisely the group of symmetries of the octahedron. Among the many remarkable properties of the Bolza surface is the fact that it maximizes the systole among all genus 2 hyperbolic surfaces.
Class | Name | Picture | Faces | Edges | Vertices | Dual name | Picture |
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Archimedean solid (Catalan solid) | snub cube | ![]() | 38 | 60 | 24 | pentagonal icositetrahedron | ![]() |
Class | Name | Picture | Faces | Edges | Vertices | Dual name | Picture |
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Platonic solid | Cube | ![]() | 6 | 12 | 8 | Octahedron | ![]() |
Archimedean solid (dual Catalan solid) | Cuboctahedron | ![]() | 14 | 24 | 12 | Rhombic dodecahedron | ![]() |
Truncated cube | ![]() | 14 | 36 | 24 | Triakis octahedron | ![]() | |
Truncated octahedron | ![]() | 14 | 36 | 24 | Tetrakis hexahedron | ![]() | |
Rhombicuboctahedron | ![]() | 26 | 48 | 24 | Deltoidal icositetrahedron | ![]() | |
Truncated cuboctahedron | ![]() | 26 | 72 | 48 | Disdyakis dodecahedron | ![]() | |
Regular compound polyhedron | Stellated octahedron | ![]() | 8 | 12 | 8 | Self-dual | |
Cube and octahedron | ![]() | 14 | 24 | 14 | Self-dual |
In geometry, a bipyramid, dipyramid, or double pyramid is a polyhedron formed by fusing two pyramids together base-to-base. The polygonal base of each pyramid must therefore be the same, and unless otherwise specified the base vertices are usually coplanar and a bipyramid is usually symmetric, meaning the two pyramids are mirror images across their common base plane. When each apex of the bipyramid is on a line perpendicular to the base and passing through its center, it is a right bipyramid; otherwise it is oblique. When the base is a regular polygon, the bipyramid is also called regular.
In geometry, a cube or regular hexahedron is a three-dimensional solid object bounded by six congruent square faces, a type of polyhedron. It has twelve congruent edges and eight vertices. It is a type of parallelepiped, with pairs of parallel opposite faces, and more specifically a rhombohedron, with congruent edges, and a rectangular cuboid, with right angles between pairs of intersecting faces and pairs of intersecting edges. It is an example of many classes of polyhedra: Platonic solid, regular polyhedron, parallelohedron, zonohedron, and plesiohedron. The dual polyhedron of a cube is the regular octahedron.
In geometry, an octahedron is a polyhedron with eight faces. One special case is the regular octahedron, a Platonic solid composed of eight equilateral triangles, four of which meet at each vertex. Regular octahedra occur in nature as crystal structures. Many types of irregular octahedra also exist, including both convex and non-convex shapes.
In geometry, a tetrahedron, also known as a triangular pyramid, is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, six straight edges, and four vertices. The tetrahedron is the simplest of all the ordinary convex polyhedra.
In mathematics, a dihedral group is the group of symmetries of a regular polygon, which includes rotations and reflections. Dihedral groups are among the simplest examples of finite groups, and they play an important role in group theory, geometry, and chemistry.
In geometry, the truncated cuboctahedron or great rhombicuboctahedron is an Archimedean solid, named by Kepler as a truncation of a cuboctahedron. It has 12 square faces, 8 regular hexagonal faces, 6 regular octagonal faces, 48 vertices, and 72 edges. Since each of its faces has point symmetry, the truncated cuboctahedron is a 9-zonohedron. The truncated cuboctahedron can tessellate with the octagonal prism.
In four-dimensional geometry, the 24-cell is the convex regular 4-polytope (four-dimensional analogue of a Platonic solid) with Schläfli symbol {3,4,3}. It is also called C24, or the icositetrachoron, octaplex (short for "octahedral complex"), icosatetrahedroid, octacube, hyper-diamond or polyoctahedron, being constructed of octahedral cells.
In geometry, the rhombic dodecahedron is a convex polyhedron with 12 congruent rhombic faces. It has 24 edges, and 14 vertices of 2 types. As a Catalan solid, it is the dual polyhedron of the cuboctahedron. As a parallelohedron, the rhombic dodecahedron can be used to tesselate its copies in space creating a rhombic dodecahedral honeycomb. There are some variations of the rhombic dodecahedron, one of which is the Bilinski dodecahedron. There are some stellations of the rhombic dodecahedron, one of which is the Escher's solid. The rhombic dodecahedron may also appear in the garnet crystal, the architectural philosophies, practical usages, and toys.
In mathematics, a Euclidean group is the group of (Euclidean) isometries of a Euclidean space ; that is, the transformations of that space that preserve the Euclidean distance between any two points (also called Euclidean transformations). The group depends only on the dimension n of the space, and is commonly denoted E(n) or ISO(n), for inhomogeneous special orthogonal group.
Rotational symmetry, also known as radial symmetry in geometry, is the property a shape has when it looks the same after some rotation by a partial turn. An object's degree of rotational symmetry is the number of distinct orientations in which it looks exactly the same for each rotation.
In geometry, the 16-cell is the regular convex 4-polytope (four-dimensional analogue of a Platonic solid) with Schläfli symbol {3,3,4}. It is one of the six regular convex 4-polytopes first described by the Swiss mathematician Ludwig Schläfli in the mid-19th century. It is also called C16, hexadecachoron, or hexdecahedroid [sic?].
The Schoenfliesnotation, named after the German mathematician Arthur Moritz Schoenflies, is a notation primarily used to specify point groups in three dimensions. Because a point group alone is completely adequate to describe the symmetry of a molecule, the notation is often sufficient and commonly used for spectroscopy. However, in crystallography, there is additional translational symmetry, and point groups are not enough to describe the full symmetry of crystals, so the full space group is usually used instead. The naming of full space groups usually follows another common convention, the Hermann–Mauguin notation, also known as the international notation.
In geometry, a point group in three dimensions is an isometry group in three dimensions that leaves the origin fixed, or correspondingly, an isometry group of a sphere. It is a subgroup of the orthogonal group O(3), the group of all isometries that leave the origin fixed, or correspondingly, the group of orthogonal matrices. O(3) itself is a subgroup of the Euclidean group E(3) of all isometries.
In mathematics, and especially in geometry, an object has icosahedral symmetry if it has the same symmetries as a regular icosahedron. Examples of other polyhedra with icosahedral symmetry include the regular dodecahedron and the rhombic triacontahedron.
A regular tetrahedron has 12 rotational symmetries, and a symmetry order of 24 including transformations that combine a reflection and a rotation.
In mathematics, a symmetry operation is a geometric transformation of an object that leaves the object looking the same after it has been carried out. For example, a 1⁄3 turn rotation of a regular triangle about its center, a reflection of a square across its diagonal, a translation of the Euclidean plane, or a point reflection of a sphere through its center are all symmetry operations. Each symmetry operation is performed with respect to some symmetry element.
In chemistry, molecular symmetry describes the symmetry present in molecules and the classification of these molecules according to their symmetry. Molecular symmetry is a fundamental concept in chemistry, as it can be used to predict or explain many of a molecule's chemical properties, such as whether or not it has a dipole moment, as well as its allowed spectroscopic transitions. To do this it is necessary to use group theory. This involves classifying the states of the molecule using the irreducible representations from the character table of the symmetry group of the molecule. Symmetry is useful in the study of molecular orbitals, with applications to the Hückel method, to ligand field theory, and to the Woodward-Hoffmann rules. Many university level textbooks on physical chemistry, quantum chemistry, spectroscopy and inorganic chemistry discuss symmetry. Another framework on a larger scale is the use of crystal systems to describe crystallographic symmetry in bulk materials.
In geometry, a point reflection is a geometric transformation of affine space in which every point is reflected across a designated inversion center, which remains fixed. In Euclidean or pseudo-Euclidean spaces, a point reflection is an isometry. In the Euclidean plane, a point reflection is the same as a half-turn rotation, while in three-dimensional Euclidean space a point reflection is an improper rotation which preserves distances but reverses orientation. A point reflection is an involution: applying it twice is the identity transformation.
In geometry, the polyhedral group is any of the symmetry groups of the Platonic solids.
In geometry, Coxeter notation is a system of classifying symmetry groups, describing the angles between fundamental reflections of a Coxeter group in a bracketed notation expressing the structure of a Coxeter-Dynkin diagram, with modifiers to indicate certain subgroups. The notation is named after H. S. M. Coxeter, and has been more comprehensively defined by Norman Johnson.