pTable3D
Connections between adjacent,
and periodic-table column,
elements spontaneously rearrange themselves nicely
under spring tension in three dimensions. In the
mouse-interactive model below,
note
the white spiral pattern of increasing atomic number, as well as
the three holes in the topographic sheet. In fact, the net's topology
is the same as that of a T-shirt, so with a bit of added distortion
we might have something to talk to Tommy Hilfiger about! They
should probably consider both right and left handed versions (see
below). Our attempts at relaxing this same network of
connections in 2D are documented
here,
for comparison.
The periodic table "molecule":
What does this
shape remind you of, and can you guess which element is which?
Also, would this molecule be stable if it was sufficiently cold,
and if not, precisely how would its demise be met?
Labeled Version:
Here are one hundred and eighteen hints.
T-Shirt of the Elements' Topology
A bit of distortion of the above surface then yields
unambiguously
the following layout for a t-shirt
designed by nature and not man.
Note that the black line charts the
path of the periodic table's "z-spiral".
All columns
of elements flow from one of the red-outlined sleeve or
collar
openings: The main elements pour from the left sleeve opening,
transition metals from the collar, rare earths out of the right sleeve.
The color scheme follows this
flat
version of the same table.
The shirtmap also suggests a more informative layout for
Mendeleev's famous two-dimensional chart...
This page is
http://www.umsl.edu/~fraundor/nanowrld/newlive/ptable3d.html.
Thanks to Martin Kraus for his
Live3D
applet.
The person responsible for errors and Copyright (2006) is P. Fraundorf.
This site is hosted by the Department of Physics and Astronomy (and Center
for Molecular Electronics) at UM-StL.