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Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2009

Series

Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Virtual worlds

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Education

Chemistry In Second Life, Andrew Lang, Jean-Claude Bradley Oct 2009

Chemistry In Second Life, Andrew Lang, Jean-Claude Bradley

College of Science and Engineering Faculty Research and Scholarship

This review will focus on the current level on chemistry research, education, and visualization possible within the multi-user virtual environment of Second Life. We discuss how Second Life has been used as a platform for the interactive and collaborative visualization of data from molecules and proteins to spectra and experimental data. We then review how these visualizations can be scripted for immersive educational activities and real-life collaborative research. We also discuss the benefits of the social networking affordances of Second Life for both chemists and chemistry students.


Visualizing Atomic Orbitals Using Second Life, Andrew Lang, David C. Kobilnyk Apr 2009

Visualizing Atomic Orbitals Using Second Life, Andrew Lang, David C. Kobilnyk

College of Science and Engineering Faculty Research and Scholarship

We demonstrate the usefulness of Second Life as a platform for enlivening major concepts in chemistry education. These concepts include absorption spectra, selection rules, quantum numbers, and atomic orbital shapes. We have built several exhibits in Second Life which provide 3-dimensional interactivity for each of those areas: an interactive experiment showing the absorption spectrum of hydrogen, an interactive model of selection rules showing allowed and forbidden transitions for each state, a 3-dimensional grid of orbitals showing the constraints on the values of quantum numbers, and a large-scale interactive orbital display allowing the user to choose and rotate to-scale atomic orbitals …