Quote:
Originally Posted by Toxaris
Actually, 3D molecular structures are already on 2D paper for many, many years... I remember reading chemical literature from the 1920's with stereoscopes in it. If you look at it correctly, you see a perfect 3D representation of the molecule. Looking at it takes some practice, but it works without the need of special glasses or anything.
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Actually, i did not say they are not represented on paper. You just have to look into any good chemistry or biology (even a old one) book too see drawings of 3D molecules. And I know very well that 3D molecules are represented in 2D paper because... i see them everyday and i even draw them. That is part of my research. However, it is sometimes complicated to make my students visualize the molecules, or the mechanisms/reactions some of those molecules are involved (particularly proteins). A molecule is a bit easier to draw and interpret (can be complex, but is static), but a mechanism/reaction is more difficult, since it involves changes in the structures of the molecules involved and relative movement. And in the last decades chemistry and biology at the
molecular level made huge advancements because precisely we are able to see, control and change what happens at that level, something we could not do some 50 years ago.
Some of those mechanisms are rather complex and even bright students sometimes have trouble mapping the 2D drawing into a 3D model. That is what I was referring to as a potential good idea for a enhanced feature ebook. Got it?
