Department of Chemistry - Teaching

This page provides interactive models of some small molecules that you can manipulate to help you work out the symmetry group of each one.

NOTE that for this to work you need to have Java enabled for your browser.

If you have a slow connection the first model will take some time to load, because the Java applet has to be loaded too, but subsequent ones should be much faster.

• Water, H₂O.
• Carbon dioxide, CO₂.
• Ammonia.
• Boron trifluoride.
• Methane.
• Ethylene (ethene), C₂H₄.
• cis-dichloroethylene, cis-ClHC=CHCl.
• Benzene, C₆H₆.
• Naphthalene, C₁₀H₆.
• Formaldehyde (methanal), H₂CO.
• SF₅Cl.
• SF₆.
• Cl₃PO.
• Cyclohexane (boat form).
• Cyclohexane (chair form).
• Hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂.
• Allene, C₃H₄.
• Sulphur, S₈.
• Buckminsterfullerene, C₆₀.

The following illustrate the symmetry operations for the molecules shown.

• Water.
• Ammonia.