The unifying framework of symmetry reveals properties of a broad range of physical systems
Friday, August 29, 2014 - 08:01
in Physics & Chemistry
Symmetry is one of the most fundamental concepts in nature, and it can give rise to profound and wide-reaching physical effects. A one-dimensional wire, for example, has a different symmetry and very different mechanical properties to those of a two-dimensional sheet of the same material. Tomoya Hayata and Yoshimasa Hidaka from the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science have now studied the consequences of breaking symmetry for various systems found in nature, providing a powerful, general framework to describe the link between properties and symmetries.