Hello,I have a proposal on the game!

[qk1x]

I played this game and I think it is the same with the elements and molecules, that is physical, if you can build the planets like the universe, also can create some of the molecules and electrons combine them to get in the game more interesting things, or to simulate real physical, so you can make the child better understand its principle players can experiment in which, on collision, acceleration anything, so I hope the game developers that you can note this recommendation, so the game more interesting.

[atomic7732]

Ok, this makes more sense.

Although it would be nice, the molecular "level" is governed by a completely different set of equations than the astronomical level. I know there's some pretty cool software for this (Atomsmith comes to mind) although they cost quite a lot of money.

[qk1x]

i just hope it can be an other game,  Atomsmith looks like not a game

[atomic7732]

Well, that's because it's not. And it could be (and was) debated whether or not Universe Sandbox is a game. I myself consider it not a game but a simulator. A tool to be used for smashing planets into others and causing doomsday on earth scientific purposes.

[Dan Dixon]

While atoms are often described or visualized as electrons orbiting a nucleus, this isn't really what's happening.

The best visualization tool that I've seen for atoms is product called: Atom in a Box
http://daugerresearch.com/orbitals/index.shtml

You can see some screen-shots on their iTunes page:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/atom-in-a-box-hd/id427644901


And atomic, do you have a link for Atomsmith? I haven't seen that.

[qk1x]

dan   look this   http://bitwixt.com/jsite/teaching-with-atomsmith.html

[qk1x]

all I want to say is I hope they can do it,

[ddoherty]

Hi All,

I'm the developer of Atomsmith and thought that I'd chime in here.

It's true that the physics of atomic structure is very different from that of planetary motion.  In fact, that very fact plays a central role in the history of the development in the theory of the atom, which is basically a 2,000 year exercise in the scientific method.  Atomsmith does have tools to "build" atoms from scratch.  Users interact with them via the symbolic representation called an "orbital box diagram."

Atomsmith does cost a lot more than the Universe Sandbox -- it's targeted toward schools and has a very expansive curriculum that works with the models.  We do have pricing for individuals too, but it's not $19.99.

On the other hand if you have a Mac, you can get much of the functionality for $14.99 in our Atomic Dashboard product, which is available on the Mac App store:

http://www.bitwixt.com/jsite/atomicdashboard

If you go there, have a look at the "A Tour of the Element Carbon" screencast to get an idea of how atoms are built by placing electrons in atomic orbitals (as opposed to the orbits in the solar system).

Have a great day and great job on the Universe Sandbox!

[smjjames]

Heh, small world isn't it? Welcome to the US community ddoherty

[ddoherty]

 

[Yannos]

I agree with Dan on this one.

1) Ubox is not the proper tool to create models of the microcosm, as now it is completely clear that its basic structure is based on different principles than the structure of the macrocosm. The entire idea of symmetry among models was for the scientific community as appealing as a dinner date with Monica Belluci. However we have to move on and get used to the idea that she is with another man. 

2) I have considered the educational possibility of creating basic chemical structure models through Ubox like for example Bohr's model for the hydrogen atom, but in the end I realized that this would cause a ton of misconceptions mostly because students would have to realize that these are just models for easier understanding and not what happens in reality. It's one thing to teach your student's about quantum quantities of energy and helping them understand it through a Bohr's model and another thing to let them believe that an electron does circles around a nucleus.

ps. Happy New Year