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Symmetry through the Eyes of a Chemist pp 239–312Cite as

Electronic Structure of Atoms and Molecules

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Abstract

Everything that counts in chemistry is related to the electronic structure of atoms and molecules. The formation of molecules from atoms, their behavior and reactivity all depend on the electronic structure. What is the role of symmetry in all this? In various aspects of the electronic structure, symmetry can tell us a good deal; why certain bonds can form and others cannot, why certain electronic transitions are allowed and others are not, and why certain chemical reactions occur and others do not.

An atom must be at least as complex as a grand piano. William K. Clifford (18451879) [1]

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 91, H-1521, Budapest, Hungary

    Magdolna Hargittai & István Hargittai

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  1. Magdolna Hargittai
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Correspondence to Magdolna Hargittai .

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Hargittai, M., Hargittai, I. (2009). Electronic Structure of Atoms and Molecules. In: Symmetry through the Eyes of a Chemist. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5628-4_6

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