What is Atom in a Box? Atom in a Box is an application that aids in
visualizing the Hydrogenic atomic orbitals, a prime and otherwise
unwieldy
example of quantum mechanics. Unlike other tools in this category,
this
program raytraces through a three-dimensional cloud density that
represents the
wavefunction's probability density and presents its results in real-
time (up to
48 frames per second on the latest hardware). The user interface is
very
interactive and provides a wide degree of flexibility. It contains all
140
eigenstates up to the n=7 energy level and the allowed spectral
transitions
between those eigenstates. It also allows a state formed by a
superposition of
up to eight of those eigenstates allowing for over 3 trillion possible
states.
The program can display a wavefunction as a picture of a cloud, use
color as
phase, plot in red-cyan left/right for 3D glasses, and slice the
wavefunction.
How do I use Atom in a Box? The bottom line is: PLAY WITH IT! Go ahead
and
try anything your heart desires. Most Macintosh users skip manuals
anyway, and
the program displays help text and help balloons for almost all items
in the
window. This Read Me is meant for those who want more details about
the
program but is not required reading.
