isotropy | has antonym anisotropy | |
has synonym rotational invariance | |
has definition The property of being unchanged by a rotation. A sphere is rotationally invariant, but a rectangle is not. As far as we know the fundamental laws of physics are rotationally invariant. | |
has definition Quality of being the same in all directions. | |
has definition In cosmology, the property that the universe appears the same in all directions. The uniformity of the cosmic background radiation, coming from all directions of space, suggests that on the large scale the universe is isotropic about our position. If we then assume that our position is not unique, we conclude that: the universe appears isotropic about all points. This last result requires that the universe be homogeneous. (See cosmic background radiation; homogeneity.) | |
has definition The same in all directions. | |
has definition Having equal and uniform properties at all points and in all directions. In astronomy the term describes microwave background radiation. | |
has definition A universe is said to be isotropic, from the point of view of a given observer, if it looks the same in all directions. The isotropy of the real universe is seen most strikingly in the cosmic background radiation, which has the same temperature in all directions to an accuracy of about one part in 100,000. See also homogeneous. | |
is a kind of symmetry | |