symmetry
11
4.9
- noun
- /ˈsɪmɪtri/
- Specialized
:
simetría
- Many natural phenomena, such as snowflakes and flowers, exhibit symmetry, with identical patterns emerging from a central point.
- symmetry breaking
- gauge symmetry
- symmetry principles
And so we see that symmetry is itself not enough.
- And so we see that symmetry is itself not enough.
- OK, let's get back to the symmetries of physics.
- Well, the reason for that is because those are just symmetries of space-time.
- Same thing whether you use symmetry or just physical insight.
Examples
-
Yang-Mills theories have beautiful symmetry properties, not only in four spacetime dimensions, but also in five.
Academic text (1999) -
The group's three-dimensional configuration uses four beams traveling along the threefold symmetry axes of a regular tetrahedron.
Academic text (1994) -
But his own "precious field" remained the application of fundamental principles of symmetry in physics.
Academic text (1995) -
Let me now describe the more abstract version, the symmetry of equations.
-
Until the twentieth century, principles of symmetry played little explicit role in theoretical physics.
Academic text (1995) -
The spontaneous symmetry breaking of global and local gauge symmetries is a recurrent theme in modern theoretical physics.
Academic text (1995) -
In 1948, the physicist Richard Feynman showed that temporal symmetry exists in particle/antiparticle trajectories.
Academic text (1994) -
According to Wigner, gauge invariance was a dynamical symmetry, in contrast to Lorentz invariance, which is a geometrical symmetry.
Academic text (1995) -
In physics, symmetry is crucial because it ensures that experiments yield the same results regardless of the direction in which they are measured.
-
The elegant symmetry of the figure made it visually appealing, showcasing identical features on both sides.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A quantity that stays the same when you change a system, often in math or physics
1
9.9
The same quality in every direction inside a material or space
Two parts that look the same on each side of a middle line
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
7.9
A property of a system where left and right are swapped and it stays the same
- Specialized
1
6.0
Parts arranged around a central point so many cuts make identical sections
- Specialized
Physical laws do not change when left and right are swapped
How Symmetric
Surface Forms
Morphology
symmetry = symmetric (semi-transparent) = sym + metr + y
The noun relates to the adjective 'symmetric', but the combining form 'metr-' (measure) and the classical prefix 'sym-' are not fully transparent to average learners.
Etymology
Symmetry comes from Greek parts syn- 'together' and metron 'measure', which gives the idea of having the same 'measure' in every direction. In physics this means something looks the same when you turn it or move it, so its measurements do not change. So, symmetry in physics is about sameness in all directions.