asymmetry
/æ'simitri/
Definition
Noun 1. A lack of symmetry or balance between parts of a whole; the condition of being asymmetrical. This refers to a state where two sides or halves are not identical or mirror images of each other. - The asymmetry of the building's design made it a unique landmark. 2. (Mathematics) A specific lack of symmetry in a shape, function, or arrangement. This is a formal term for when an object or equation does not exhibit symmetry under a particular transformation, such as reflection or rotation.
Usage Examples
- General Use:
- The artist deliberately used asymmetry in the painting to create a sense of dynamic tension.
- Facial asymmetry is perfectly normal; no one's face is perfectly symmetrical.
- Scientific/Mathematical Use:
- The physicist studied the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the early universe.
- In geometry, an irregular pentagon is a clear example of asymmetry.
Advanced Usage
- "Information Asymmetry": A situation in an economic transaction where one party has more or better information than the other.
- Information asymmetry between buyers and sellers can lead to market inefficiencies.
- "Bilateral Asymmetry": Asymmetry between the two sides of a bilaterally symmetrical organism.
- The crab exhibited bilateral asymmetry, with one claw significantly larger than the other.
Variants and Related Words
- Asymmetric (adj): Not symmetrical.
- The vase had an asymmetric shape.
- Asymmetrically (adv): In an asymmetric manner.
- The leaves were arranged asymmetrically on the stem.
Synonyms
- Imbalance: A lack of proportion or relation between corresponding things.
- Irregularity: The state or quality of being irregular, not even or balanced.
- Lopsidedness: Having one side lower or smaller than the other.
Antonyms
- Symmetry: The quality of being made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis.
- Balance: An even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.
- Equilibrium: A state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced.
Related Phrases and Concepts
- "Symmetry breaking": (Physics) A phenomenon where small fluctuations acting on a system crossing a critical point decide the system's fate, leading to asymmetry.
- Symmetry breaking is a crucial concept in particle physics and cosmology.
- "Chirality" or "Handedness": A type of asymmetry where an object is not identical to its mirror image (like left and right hands).
- Many biological molecules exhibit chirality, meaning they exist in "left-handed" and "right-handed" forms.
Noun
-
(mathematics) a lack of symmetry
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