Crystal symmetry and atomic interactions

AbstractA crystal-chemical model of atomic interactions has been suggested which considers the conditions necessary for the attainment by a crystal of the minimum potential energy, which provides the appearance of symmetry including the translation one. The model has been tested on crystal structures of elemental substances and 26 structural types of inorganic compounds. The appearance of crystals symmetry, including the translation one, is explained in terms of multiatomic interactions (cooperative effect) reducing the potential energy of a multiatomic system to its minimum