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VR Molecules Interactive Multimedia Simulation of Molecule Vibration & Rotation. Marc Couture Télé-université/UQAM mcouture@teluq.uqam.ca teluq.uqam.ca/spersonnel/mcouture MERLOT 2007 Conference New Orleans August 8. Summary. Context Let’s have a look Under the hood Using VR Molecules
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VR MoleculesInteractive Multimedia Simulationof Molecule Vibration & Rotation Marc CoutureTélé-université/UQAM mcouture@teluq.uqam.cateluq.uqam.ca/spersonnel/mcouture MERLOT 2007 Conference New OrleansAugust 8
Summary • Context • Let’s have a look • Under the hood • Using VR Molecules • What’s to come
1. Context • Project funded by Université du Québec network • 1 physicist (MC), a few chemists (’00-’03) • Télé-université • Distance education university, now part of Université du Québec at Montréal (UQAM) • No specialized science program, no chemistry courses • French-language online multimedia units integrating VR Molecules commercialized since ’03 by Université du Québec Press until this year • VR Molecules available in open access since ’04 (in French) and ’05 (in English)
3. Under the hood • The math • The physics • quantum / classical mix: discrete energy levels; zero-point energy / balls & sticks representation; classical velocities & amplitudes
3. Under the hood (continued) • The physics (cont’d) • mode configurations obtained from Herzberg’s book Molecular Spectra and Molecular Structure • validation by application of momentum and angular momentum conservation laws • The data • Excel file with all molecular parameters and formulae for amplitudes and conservation laws • internal database (40-odd molecules) imported from Excel file; alternate file may be loaded at startup • Data from various sources (Herzberg, NIST)
4. Using VR Molecules • Initial request: teacher’s tool for demonstrations in the classroom (“If we have the right tool to show it, they’ll understand”) • Online version (VR Molecules) to allow students: • to (re)view the same demonstrations • to freely explore (play with?) the simulation • At first, two versions • VR Molecules Pro, a stand-alone application which allowed the creation of configuration files and multimedia documents ($$$) • VR Molecules, a read-only online version (free)
4. Using VR Molecules (continued) • Multimedia units (in French) integrating VR Molecules and some specific-purpose animations/simulations ($$$) • All resources now available in open access • More advanced features allowing for richer learning activities • displaying other molecules defined in the database • adding new molecules in the database • Students should learn much in the way the simulation’s creator did
5. What’s to come • Discussions/data about actual classroom/student use of VR Molecules • Enlarging the database => collaboration • Enhancing higher-level functionalities (e.g. choosing & adding molecules) and making them more user-friendly
Acknowledgments • Alexandre Ayotte: expert graphics designer and programmer (a rare combination) • Guy Collin: chemistry professor, retired but in no way retarded • Université du Québec (and its Presses) and Télé-université