rotational symmetry
Turning preserves appearance
Rotational symmetry is a property of shapes or objects that look the same after being rotated less than a full turn around a central point.
A square has rotational symmetry because it appears identical at 90°, 180°, and 270° rotations.
The starfish exhibits five-fold rotational symmetry.
The concept applies in geometry, art, and crystallography.
Circular spiritual diagram
- kaleidoscopeTube with rotating color symmetry
- spiralCurve winding around center
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
- mosaicInlaid pictorial arrangement
tile · motif · whorl · ornament · pinwheel · rosette · arabesque · tessellation
Rapid rotation around axis
- revolveTurn around center
- turnRotational movement
- twirlRotate rapidly, often playfully
- pivotPoint of rotation
gyrate · wheel · swivel · turbine · centrifuge · rotor · propeller · flywheel
Rotation reference line
- angleGeometric measure of rotation
- degreesUnits of measurement
- centerMiddle of anything
- radialEmanating from center
invariance · transform · congruence · periodic · orientation · 360 · point · order
Feathery ice crystal
- starfishFive-armed marine invertebrate
- flowerPlant's reproductive organ
- jellyfishDrifting marine stinger
- nautilusChambered marine mollusk
sunflower · daisy · sea urchin · pinecone · whorl · petal · seed head · coral
State of balance
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- centerMiddle of anything
- proportionComparative relation of parts
- evennessUniform, balanced quality
uniformity · alignment · distribution · counterweight · centripetal · centered · visual weight · harmony
mandala
Circular spiritual diagram
- kaleidoscopeTube with rotating color symmetry
- spiralCurve winding around center
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
mosaic · tile · motif · whorl · ornament · pinwheel · rosette · arabesque · tessellation · medallion
spin
Rapid rotation around axis
pivot · gyrate · wheel · swivel · turbine · centrifuge · rotor · propeller · flywheel · gyroscope
axis
Rotation reference line
radial · invariance · transform · congruence · periodic · orientation · 360 · point · order · fold
snowflake
Feathery ice crystal
- starfishFive-armed marine invertebrate
- flowerPlant's reproductive organ
- jellyfishDrifting marine stinger
nautilus · sunflower · daisy · sea urchin · pinecone · whorl · petal · seed head · coral · diatom
equilibrium
State of balance
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- centerMiddle of anything
- proportionComparative relation of parts
evenness · uniformity · alignment · distribution · counterweight · centripetal · centered · visual weight · harmony
- compositionbalance, proportion, layout, arrangement, structure
- symmetrybilateral, mirror image, threefold, fourfold, sixfold
- tessellationstessellation, tiles, hexagons, squares, triangles
- body planbody plan, segmentation, body segments, body cavity, coelom
- patternspattern, chevron, geometric pattern, stripes, plaid
- transformationschange, changes, transform, transforms, transformation
rotational symmetryreflective symmetry
Matching across a line
mirror symmetry · bilateral symmetry · reflection symmetry · chirality · handedness
rotational symmetryasymmetry
Absence of balanced form
irregularity · randomness · disorder · chirality · amorphousness
rotate, rotation, symmetry, rotating, rotated, asymmetrical, symmetrical, symmetric, asymmetry