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| Volume 2D Number 1 | ||
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| In This Issue | ||
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| A Window on the Solid State | ||
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William R. Robinson
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| How a Photon Is Created or Absorbed | ||
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Giles Henderson Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL 61920 Robert C. Rittenhouse Walla Walla College, College Place, WA 99324 John C. Wright and Jon L. Holmes University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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| About This Issue | ||
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John W. Moore and Jon L. Holmes University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706-1396 |
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Note: |
This issue is out of print.This issue is out of print. |
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How to Use These Programs A Window on the Solid State provides interactive graphics to illustrate the fundamental principles of solid-state chemistry. An understanding of the extended structures of solids is as fundamental to understanding the behavior of matter as is an understanding of the structures of molecules. The bulk of the substances that we interact with every day are solids with extended structures. For example, metals have played a role in human society since the beginning of recorded history. Ionic compounds are found in rocks, minerals, and the solids of which our bodies and buildings are composed. Electronic devices depend on the properties of solids with extended structures. The presentation of the structural features of solids with extended structures challenges even the experienced instructor. There is no simple way to introduce these concepts. Models are clumsy and two-dimensional drawings take time to produce and do not always get the job done. One technique that has proved effective involves the use of lap-dissolve slides with a mix of photographs of extended models, photographs of unit cell models, and graphics (1). Unfortunately, these slides are not generally available and are not easy to distribute or use. A Window on the Solid State makes it easy for instructors to present and students to interact with the principles of solid-state structure. How a Photon Is Created or Absorbed is first-of-all a paper intended to provide instructors with increased understanding of a topic that is not typically included in the curriculum. In addition its figures have obvious classroom applications. The spreadsheets and graphic representations of quantum trajectories for the rigid rotor and harmonic oscillator transitions make excellent lecture demonstration aids. In addition they could be made available for students to use individually or in groups, changing parameters to see how this affects the transition. Both spatial and temporal coordinates can be varied, as can the transition chosen for display.
The animations of electronic transitions in a hydrogen atom will be useful in an introductory course if the instructor wants to illustrate the mechanism by which absorption or emission of radiation occurs. They will be an excellent addition to physical chemistry lectures as an introduction to electronic transitions and to the time dependent Schrodinger equation and its importance. Hardware and Software Requirements Software in Series D of JCE: Software requires Microsoft Windows version 3.0 or later and associated hardware as defined by Microsoft. We recommend an IBM-PC/AT, PS/2, or compatible computer with a 80386 or higher processor, a minimum of 4 MB of memory, a hard disk, one 3.5-in. floppy disk drive to install the software, a mouse, and a Windows-compatible graphics card (such as an IBM VGA or a SVGA adapter) with a compatible color monitor. DOS version 5.0 or later is highly recommended. In addition to the hardware and software recommended above, How a Photon Is Created or Absorbed requires Microsoft Word for Windows version 2.0 or greater and Excel for Windows version 4.0 or greater. An SVGA graphics adapter with 256-color capability or better is required. Installation of How a Photon Is Created or Absorbed requires about 15 MB of hard disk space; installation of A Window on the Solid State requires about 4 MB. Literature Cited |
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Last Updated: March 19, 2001 Created: December 10, 1996 |
Created by: J.L. Holmes Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu |
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| © 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved. | |