Symmetry

Abstract

Symmetry arises not only in the invariance of an object to certain operations, but also in invariance of the equations governing motion of particles. Noether’s theorem connects continuous symmetries of equations of motion to conservation laws. The concept of broken symmetry arises in phase changes and topological defects, such as dislocations and disclinations. The principle of symmetry compensation reveals a deep sense in which symmetry is never destroyed – broken symmetries relate variants of an object displaying reduced symmetry. Symmetry plays a fundamental role in characterising the physical properties of crystals through Neumann’s principle. The concept of quasiperiodicity is introduced and it is shown how it is related to periodicity in a higher dimensional crystal.