In mathematics and geometry, a space group is a symmetry group, usually for three dimensions, that divides space into discrete repeatable domains.
In three dimensions, there are 219 distinct types, or counted as 230 if chiral copies are considered distinct. Space groups are also studied in dimensions other than 3 where they are sometimes called Bieberbach groups, and are discrete cocompact groups of isometries of an oriented Euclidean space.
In crystallography, they are also called the crystallographic or Fedorov groups, and represent a description of the symmetry of the crystal. A definitive source regarding 3-dimensional space groups is the International Tables for Crystallography (Hahn (2002)).
Read more about Space Group: History, Elements of A Space Group, Notation For Space Groups, Classification Systems For Space Groups, Table of Space Groups in 3 Dimensions
Famous quotes containing the words space and/or group:
“Why not a space flower? Why do we always expect metal ships?”
—W.D. Richter (b. 1945)
“Laughing at someone else is an excellent way of learning how to laugh at oneself; and questioning what seem to be the absurd beliefs of another group is a good way of recognizing the potential absurdity of many of one’s own cherished beliefs.”
—Gore Vidal (b. 1925)