Various atoms and molecules can be examined to see how things change with different forces. Isotopes can be substituted, so that the molecular basis of the kinetic isotope effect can be observed. The disposal of chemical energy can be related to the potential energy surface, and Reaction Dynamics makes clear why, for a certain class of reactions, much of the energy goes into vibrational excitation of the product molecule. This vibrational population inversion is what allows chemical lasers, such as the HF laser, to work. Reaction Dynamics is interactive and allows students to explore new situations on their own.
Students can change the initial conditions, masses or potential parameters to see how things change.
This type of experimentation can help students understand phenomena more easily than by reading about it in a book or being told about it in a lecture. Also, the graphics and animation capabilities of computers allow clearer and more natural displays of motion than are possible in textbooks. Reaction Dynamics is appropriate for general chemistry and physical chemistry courses, and special topics courses in kinetics or molecular reaction dynamics. Included with the software are sample simulations, accompanied by explanations in the documentation, which demonstrate some of the important concepts of reaction dynamics. Reaction Dynamics requires System 4.2 and Finder 6.0 or greater.