Crystal Lab › The 230 space groups › Hexagonal
No. 174 P -6
Hexagonal space group · 6 symmetry operations per cell · 12 Wyckoff positions
Symmetry elements and Wyckoff positions (interactive)
No. 174 P -6
SettingLoading the group…
x = 0.10, y = 0.17, z = 0.08
- Number
- 174
- Hermann–Mauguin symbol
- P -6
- Hall symbol
P -6- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Operations per cell
- 6
- General position
- 6l (site symmetry 1)
Wyckoff positions (standard setting)
| Multiplicity | Letter | Site symmetry |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | l | 1 |
| 3 | k | m.. |
| 3 | j | m.. |
| 2 | i | 3.. |
| 2 | h | 3.. |
| 2 | g | 3.. |
| 1 | f | -6.. |
| 1 | e | -6.. |
| 1 | d | -6.. |
| 1 | c | -6.. |
| 1 | b | -6.. |
| 1 | a | -6.. |
How to read it
- Each symmetry element drawn in the cell is worked out from the group’s operations: rotation and screw axes as lines (arrow = direction; dashed = screw), mirror and glide planes as sheets (dashed outline = glide), inversion centres as dots; rotoinversion axes are dotted. Colours: 2-fold red, 3-fold green, 4-fold blue, 6-fold purple.
- The multiplicity is how many equivalent points an atom on that site generates in the conventional cell; the general position has the highest multiplicity, equal to the number of operations.
- Site symmetry is the point group that leaves that position fixed; a special position (lower multiplicity) sits on a symmetry element — press + on a row to see its atoms land on the drawn elements.