Learning about our world.
I’ve been working on a set of 3D printed molecules for studying point groups. The set below contains 12 molecules that represent some of the point groups commonly taught in undergraduate inorganic chemistry classes. The structures are made using Mathematica’s curated data sets and a few molecules pulled from other sources. I split the set into two series for printing, each taking about 3 h to print.
…to decorate your droids
Born November 7th, 1867, you are but two years older than the periodic table – and just as relevant to the field of Chemistry.
Recently, I performed an experiment. Together with one of my faculty colleagues, a pair of chemistry students, and the historian for the Western Monroe Historical Society (who also happens to be my wife), we dressed up in Victorian-style costumes and told a story.
In order to keep the audience from running away during Act I, our Conversations on Victorian Chemistry performance promises cupcakes. And why not. It is National Chemistry Week after all, and we are having the performance on Mole Day, it makes sense to have a Periodic Table of Cupcakes.
I made a place mat for the cupcakes. The elements are depicted by an image which represents when the element was discovered (before Mendeleev, during the period covered in our play, or after the death of Marie Curie). The images will be covered by the cupcake, so feasters won’t know which time period their element comes from until they take it. Also, since we have six volunteer bakers, they won’t know which flavor their cupcake is. Therein lies the excitement of discovering their element/cupcake.