Symmetry lies at the heart of crystallographic analysis, both as a means of concisely describing the structure of the crystalline solid state and as a fundamental characteristic of these materials, which determines many of their physical properties and behaviors. The use of symmetry to describe the crystalline solid state and the notation used is outlined. The effect of symmetry on physical properties, phase transitions, and diffraction patterns is discussed, and the final section introduces the subject of long-range order in crystals.
