Operations rotations

Click the Symmetry Operations below to view in 3D

C_n=360°/n

Molecules can rotate clockwise around the C_n axis, where n=1,2,3,4…..

C₁=360°/1 = 360°, C₂=360°/2 = 180°, C₃ = 120° and so on.

Other Rotations are C_n² – i.e. for a C₃ axis, the resuting rotation would be 240°=C₃²

C_n^-1 = (-360°/n) – Resulting rotation would be anticlockwise.

The Identity Operation

C_nⁿ = E

This results in a molecule rotating 360° i.e. For BF₃ molecule a C₃³ rotation is equal to the Identity Operation.