Product Review

Chemistry is the science of materials, Their properties, and how they react with each other. All materials are made of atoms. Why do some atoms combine with each other while other atoms do not? Because atoms just want to be happy! Atoms tend to be more stable, or "happy," when they have certain numbers of electrons whizzing around their cores. Where do they find extra Electrons if they need more to be happy? From other atoms that have too many Electrons, of course! When atoms share or exchange Electrons to be happy, they stick together. Happy atoms form molecules! This physical and digital kit lets you discover the world of molecules in an intuitive, hands-on way. Using a set of 17 Atom models representing 6 different elements, you can assemble your own molecular models. The atoms stick together easily with magnets: metal tips on the ends of rubbery arms, which represent free Electrons, snap onto magnetic bonding sites on the Atom spheres, which represent empty spots for Electrons in the atom's outermost Electron shell. But how do you know what the molecule you've snapped together is? You use the included app for iPad and iPhone to snap its picture, and the app uses state-of-the-art image recognition technology to identify the molecule. The app recognizes tens of thousands of molecules and presents detailed information about 120 of the most important ones, such as a molecule's usage, properties, hazards, formula, and structure. The app takes you on guided quests to discover new molecules and learn about them, and you can also track your progress, collecting sets of molecules that you have built and explored. Many people think of chemistry as complicated and hard to grasp. New technology Now enables us to take this innovative approach to teaching chemistry, making it more tangible and instinctive than ever before. Requires iPad or iPhone.