I hope everything is fairly self-explanatory... but just in case....
The first time you start up the Periodic Table software, it will load the data then go to the table selection screen. You can **always** get back to this menu screen from ANY other part of other part of the program simply by pressing the <return> key on your keyboard.
From this menu, you can pick any of a number of periodic tables to view click on the name or the table icon to the left of the name to view any of the tables:
1. Atomic Information. This is just a standard periodic table, showing element symbols only. Clicking on any element on this table will take you to another screen detailing all the properties of the element available in this software. (See #4 below for more on this screen.) Alternatively, click the "Table Selection Screen" button in the bottom right corner to return to the menu.
2. Molecular Weight Calculator. At first glance this looks quite similar to table #1 above. However, clicking on elements in this table allows you to enter a formula and find the molecular weight of a compound quickly and easily. You may also enter a formula quickly by typing it into the text box in the upper right hand corner and clicking the "Calculate" button. Enter the formula as C2H5OH for ethanol, for example. Don't worry about subscripts. Parentheses are not yet supported, and the maximum quantity after an element symbol is 99. Once you have entered a formula, you may click on "clear formula" just above the formula display area to start entering a new formula. Click the "Table Selection" button in the bottom right corner to return to the menu.
3. atomic weight, atomic radius... nearest neighbor. The other 14 periodic tables take a bit longer to view (especially on slower computers) as they are generated when you click on one of them. They take one property, and show a scale of values to emphasize relationships between elements. For instance, click the electronegativity periodic table to quickly learn that fluorine is the most electronegative, while cesium and francium are the least electronegative. A color gradient key is also shown at the top of each periodic table. Click the "Table Selection" button in the bottom right corner to return to the menu, or press return to return to the menu. Also note that clicking any element on these 14 periodic tables will take you to the element information screen, displaying all the available data for that element, just as on the Atomic Information table (#1 above).
4. The Element Information screen can be directly accessed by typing in either an element symbol or element name (capitalization does NOT matter) into the text field on the menu screen and clicking the "Find" button (or press return). Try it with "Sb", then return to the menu and try "antimony"--you'll get the same results!
The Element Information screen contains all the information available about one element in this software. At the top (gray area) of the screen is the atomic number, followed by the at name, then the atomic weight. (For short-lived radioactive elements, this weight is the weight of the longest-lived isotope.)
Just below the top gray area is a description of the element's classification (on the left) and the element's electron configuration (on the right). A classification might be "transition metallic solid - group 11" for gold. (If you've changed your group numbering system with the preferences (see "Preferences-- Having it your way" below) The electron configuration is the condensed form. That is, it shortens the configuration by only writing the configuration since the last noble gas. Thus gold would be [Xe]6s1 4f14 5d10.
Below the element classification on the right are seven physical properties highlighted in red. On the left are four bonding properties, highlighted in blue. Below are four crystal properties highlighted in green. (I'll get to the icons momentarily.) You can click on any of the small periodic table icons beside any of the properties to jump to the periodic table for that property. In addition, you can click on the property NAME to get a quick definition of the property (click 'OK' to dismiss the dialog box that appears). Try it!
You will also see two (possibly three) icons in the white area below the properties and above the navigation controls at the bottom of the screen. The first icon, an erlenmeyer flask on a bunsen burner, will tell you some uses and facts about the element you're currently viewing when you click it. Close this dialog box by clicking 'OK'. The light bulb icon tells you who discovered the element, when they discovered it, and in what country they discovered it. Pretty cool! Again, click 'OK' to dismiss the dialog box.
Occasionally a third icon may be present--the radioactivity symbol. It only appears on elements which have no stable (non-radioactive) isotopes. Clicking the icon just tells you what it means--there are no non-radioactive isotopes of "element x" known. The radioactivity icon does not appear for gold, but it does appear, for example for uranium (symbol: U).
The bottom gray part of the screen contains navigation controls. On the left is an extended-form periodic table (with the lanthanides and actinides put in their proper positions). The element you are currently viewing is marked with a red dot. Clicking anywhere on this table will take you to the Atomic Information table, where you can pick another element to view. (This method was chosen over moving to the element you click directly because the squares on this mini-periodic table are so small!)
Next there are four navigational arrows. You can use these arrows, or just use the directional arrows on your keyboard! These will allow you to move up or down a group (column) of the periodic table, or across a period (row) of the table. This helps in showing the relationships between elements and how their properties change going up/down a group or across a period. As you move from one element to another, the red square in the small periodic table in the bottom left corner moves with you, so you always know "where you are" on the table. The halogens (group 17) are a classic group to try this with--note how the properties vary between fluorine and astatine.
The last navigation control is the return to "Table Selection" button... click this to go back to the menu, or just press <return>.
Quitting and Getting Help
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You may quit the program by going to the main menu and clicking "Quit..." in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Alternatively, you can press COMMAND-Q from any screen to quit immediately. This is the standard Mac quit sequence for every Mac program that I am aware of!
You may get help by clicking on the Help... button from the main menu. The help screen displays this Read Me file within the program, for easy access.
Preferences-- As you like it!
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You can click the "Preferences..." button from the main menu and pick any of the periodic tables to be displayed when the program starts up. The standard setting is "Table Selection Screen" which is, of course, the main menu. But you can choose to view ANY of the periodic tables when the software starts up, bypassing the menu. If you find yourself always using the molecular weight calculator, for instance, just make it your startup periodic table!
If you find it annoying to have the main menu screen generate a random element in the "Find" field every time you run the software or return to the menu, you can turn this feature off here.
You can switch between IUPAC and "Classic" group numbering for the Atomic Information periodic table and on the Element Information screen by clicking on any of the group numbers on the atomic information periodic table, or by changing the preference setting on the preferences screen. The preferences setting is "permanent" until you change it again; switching group numbering on the atomic information screen is not.
If you click "cancel" your preferences are not saved. If you click "Save" they are saved. Either way you are returned to the Table Selection Screen (main menu).
Other Synergy Creations Products
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Synergy Creations also produces a series of touchscreen-driven early learning/special education software known as "Yes I Can!™" More information on this series can be obtained from the Synergy Creations web page at http://web.mountain.net/~lltpft/synergy
Bug Reporting
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If you find errors in the element data in the software, or bugs in the software, your best bet is to email Synergy Creations at "synergy@kagi.com". Although we can't promise a fix for everything, we'll try to fix any errors and get an updated version out to you.
Thanks
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Thanks to Greg Holsclaw for valuable interface conversations when this project was just getting started, and for demanding the crystal data sets be included.
Thanks to the HyperLogo mailing list--a super resource for anyone doing work with Logo and HyperStudio.
Known Issues
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When switching from Periodic Table to another application and then returning, the generated periodic tables (with gradients) may be erased. Just click the "Refresh" button at the bottom of the screen, and it will redraw. This is due to a bug in the HyperStudio Player. As soon as it is fixed, we will release an updated version to correct this.
Version History
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1.2 - May 1999
- fixed Kagi mailing address
1.1 - April 1999
- added faster formula entry to molecular weight calculator
- added property values and periodic tables for ionic radii, covalent radii, and thermal conductivity
- added periodic tables for lattice parameters and valences
- enabled keyboard navigation on the element information screen
- enabled copying of element property value fields
- added random element generation in "find" field on main menu, and option to turn it off.
- element information screen no longer erases when another program's window covers it, added refresh button to generated periodic tables
- interface cleaned up and made much more consistent
All non-profit user groups may distribute the unregistered version at no charge, subject to the above provision.
Magazines, CD-ROM shareware collections, redistribution companies, and CD-ROM magazines MUST contact Synergy Creations for our consent before including the software in their collections.
This software is provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind. By using this software you agree to assume all costs for any damage, real or imagined. Synergy Creations nor anyone else associated with Synergy Creations' Periodic Table for Macintosh software will not be liable for the use or misuse of this software or any damages caused by that use.
Although the property values used in this software have been checked for accuracy, please do not use this software as your only source for data if you're building a nuclear power plant or the like....
Synergy Creations, the Synergy Creations logo, and Yes I Can! are trademarks of Synergy Creations. All Rights Reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective holders. No infringement is intended.
Contacting Synergy Creations:
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web: http://web.mountain.net/~lltpft/synergy
e-mail: synergy@kagi.com
alternate e-mail: bft@access.mountain.net
To register this software, run the included "Register" program.
