Normal Mode Explorer
Decompose molecular vibrations into individual normal modes. See how each mode contributes to the total vibrational motion.
normal modes symmetry selection rules
Normal modes are the fundamental vibrational patterns of a molecule. This tool lets you explore each mode visually and understand how molecular symmetry determines what spectroscopy can observe.
What You’ll Learn
- Each mode has a frequency (cm⁻¹), a displacement vector, and symmetry labels
- Selection rules determine whether a mode is IR-active, Raman-active, or silent
- For centrosymmetric molecules, IR and Raman modes are mutually exclusive
Features
- Animate each mode independently or combined
- Symmetry labels and selection rules displayed
- Side-by-side comparison of different modes
- Energy distribution visualization