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Operator Properties&Mathematical Groups

The document discusses mathematical groups and their properties. It provides examples of operators that do and do not form groups. Specifically, it analyzes whether the operators C3, representing a three-fold rotation, and σv, representing a reflection plane, form a group. It determines that they generate a group of six elements that is closed and satisfies the other group properties of having an identity, inverses, and associativity. C3 and σv are identified as the generators of this group. [/SUMMARY]

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Rojo John
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48 views

Operator Properties&Mathematical Groups

The document discusses mathematical groups and their properties. It provides examples of operators that do and do not form groups. Specifically, it analyzes whether the operators C3, representing a three-fold rotation, and σv, representing a reflection plane, form a group. It determines that they generate a group of six elements that is closed and satisfies the other group properties of having an identity, inverses, and associativity. C3 and σv are identified as the generators of this group. [/SUMMARY]

Uploaded by

Rojo John
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

5.

04, Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II


MIT Department of Chemistry
Lecture 2: Operator Properties and Mathematical Groups

The inverse of A is B if A•B = E … for each operation

-1 =  …  •  = E
i-1 = I … i • i = E

(Cnm)-1 = Cnn-m … Cnm • Cnn-m = E (ex. (C52)-1 = C53 since C52 • C53 = E)
(Snm)-1 n even = Snn-m … Snm • Snn-m = Snn = E
(Snm)-1 n odd = Sn2n-m … Snm • Sn2n-m = Sn2n = E

Two operators commute when x•y = y•x

Example: Do C4(z) and (xz) commute?

C4(z) (xz)(x1, y1, z1)


y

(x1, y1)

x
(x2, y2) = (x1, -y1)
C4(z)(x 1, -y1, z1)
y

(x2, y2)

(x3, y3)=(-x1, -y1)


y
d’ d'

(x1, y1)

z1 does not change x C4(z)(xz) = d’


with d’

(x3, y3)=(-x1, -y1)

5.04, Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II Lecture 2


Page 1 of 5
(xz) C4(z)(x1, y1, z1)
y

(x1, y1)

(x2, y2)=(-x1, y1)


(xz)(y 1, -x1, z1)

y
(x3, y3)=(x1, y1, z1)

d’ (x2, y2)


y (x3, y3)

C4(z)(xz) = d’ (x1, y1)


(xz)C4(z) = d
x

so C4(z) does not d


commute with (xz)

A collection of operations are a mathematical group when the following


conditions are met:
closure: all binary products must be members of the group
identity: a group must contain the identity operator
inverse: every operator must have an inverse
associativity: associative law of multiplication must hold
(A • B) • C = A • (B • C)
(note: commutation not required… groups in which all operators
do commute are called Abelian)

5.04, Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II Lecture 2


Page 2 of 5
Consider the operators C3 and v. Obviously not a group as identity criterion
are not satisfied. Do E, C3, v form a group? To address this question, a
stereographic projection (featuring critical operators) will be used:

v plane normal to paper

signifies C3 (normal to paper)

How about closure?


v v v

C3 • C3 = C32
o o
v C3
C3 •  v = ? o

v'
o

C3 • v = v’

Thus E, C3 and v are not closed and consequently these operators do not
form a group. what other operators are generated by C3 and v?

… the proper rotation axis, C3:

C3

C3 • C3 = C32

C3 • C3 • C3 = C32 • C3 = C3 • C32 = E

C3 • C3 • C3 • C3 = E • C3 = C3

etc.

 C3 is the generator of E, C3 and C32

5.04, Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II Lecture 2


Page 3 of 5
… for the plane of reflection, v
v
v • v = E
v • v • v = E • v = v
etc.

so no new information here. But there is more information to be gained from


considering C3 and v. Have already seen that C3 • v = v’ … how about
v • C3?

v v v

o
C3 v
o o

o
 C3 • v = v”

Will discover that no new operators may be generated. Moreover one finds
that

1  2 1 1   -1   1


E1 C3 C3
v  v
 v

     
inverses      
2
E C3 C3  
v v v

The above group is closed, i.e. it contains the identity operator and meets
inverse and associativity conditions. Thus the above set of operators
constitutes a mathematical group (note that the group is not Abelian).

5.04, Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II Lecture 2


Page 4 of 5
Operators C3 and v are called generators for the group since every element
of the group can be expressed as a product of these operators (and their
inverses).

The order, h, of the group is the number of elements. In the above example,
h = 6.

Groups defined by a single generator are called cyclic groups.

Example: C3  E, C3, C32

Note that E, C3, and C32 meet the conditions of a group… they form a cyclic
group. Moreover these three operators are a subgroup of E, C3, C32, v, v’,v”.
The order of a subgroup must be a divisor of the order of its parent group.
(Example hsubgroup = 3, hgroup = 6 … a divisor of 2.)

5.04, Principles of Inorganic Chemistry II Lecture 2


Page 5 of 5

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