Re: S/W: Periodic Table Browser

[Tim Wilson <wilson@chemsun.chem.umn.edu>]

On Fri, 25 Jun 1999, Kyle Burton wrote:

> How would you store the data?  It's not a flat type of heirarchy...it's
> not even like a grid.  I'm no chemist, but if you have 3Xs 4Ys and 3Zs, 
> isn't it possible that you might have 2, or more different compounds
> that contain the same number/type of elements, but just with a different
> structure?  Therefore different compunds?  I am not just referring to
> the right/left handed types of molecules, but am imagining wholly different
> chemicals.

Ahh yes. Now we're having some fun. :-) I've got to put that chemistry
degree to good use now. 

Compounds that have the same number and types of atoms, but different
chemical structures are called isomers. Usually their chemical properties
are similar, but not necessarily. You can also consider materials like
graphite, coal, and diamond. All three are pure carbon, but completely
different structures and obviously different properies.

-Tim

--
Timothy D. Wilson			"A little song, a little dance,
University of MN, chem. dept.		a little seltzer down your 
wilson@chem.umn.edu			pants."   -Chuckles the Clown
Phone: (612) 625-9828                       as eulogized by Ted Baxter