Normal Mode Coordinate

From MaRDI portal
Quantity:6674076


Available identifiers

WikidataQ112730947 ScholiaQ112730947MaRDI QIDQ6674076


pattern of motion in which all parts of the system move sinusoidally with the same frequency and with a fixed phase relation




Normal coordinates refer to the positions of atoms away from their equilibrium positions, wrt a normal mode of vibration. Formally, normal modes are determined by solving a secular determinant, and then the normal coordinates can be expressed as a summation over the cartesian coordinates (over the atom positions). The normal modes diagonalize the matrix governing the molecular vibrations.