Question

Consider ammonia and water molecules,show their symmetry operation and their symmetry element

Answer 1

Answer:

$adhxnd$

[h5] ansn[/h5]

Answer 2

The Ammonia Molecule
We shall introduce the concepts of symmetry and group theory by considering a concrete example–the ammonia molecule NH3. In any symmetry operation on NH3, the nitrogen atom remains fixed but the hydrogen atoms can be permuted in 3!=6 different ways. The axis of the molecule is called a C3 axis, since the molecule can be rotated about it into 3 equivalent orientations, 120∘
120
∘
apart. More generally, a Cn axis has n equivalent orientations, separated by 2π/n
2
π
/
n
radians. The axis of highest symmetry in a molecule is called the principal axis. Three mirror planes, designated σ1,σ2,σ3
σ
1
,
σ
2
,
σ
3
, run through the principal axis in ammonia. These are designated as σv
σ
v
or vertical planes of symmetry. Ammonia belongs to the symmetry group designated C3v, characterized by a three-fold axis with three vertical planes of symmetry.