Normal Mode Vibrations of Buckminsterfullerene (C60)

elements

cage/polygons

cage/sphere

polygons only

sphere only

cage only

amplitude

vibration

mode

A

g

A

u

T

1g

T

1u

T

2g

T

2u

G

g

G

u

H

g

H

u

component

N/A

number

1

2

Buckminsterfullerene (the "buckyball") is a closed-cage molecule of 60 carbon atoms. There are 174 ways in which this molecule can vibrate such that each atom moves with the same frequency. These are known as normal modes. This Demonstration shows 88 of these normal modes, with an option to show possible corresponding distortions of the sphere on which the 60 carbon atoms lie when the molecule is at rest. The remaining 86 modes can be found by rotating various given modes about the

x

,

y

, and

z

axes.