Happy Atoms Digital & Physical Chemistry Set Thames & Kosmos

Chemistry is the science of materials, their properties, and how they react with each other. All materials are made of atoms. Why do some atoms combine with each other while other atoms do not? Because atoms just want to be happy!

Of course, atoms don’t really have feelings. But they do have observable behaviors. And atoms tend to be more stable, or “happy,” when they have certain numbers of electrons whizzing around their cores. Where do they find extra electrons if they need more to be happy? From other atoms that have too many electrons, of course! When atoms share or exchange electrons to be happy, they stick together. Happy atoms form molecules!

With this revolutionary approach to teaching chemistry, you can make your own happy atoms! This physical and digital kit lets you discover the world of molecules in an intuitive, hands-on way.

Using a set of 50 atom models representing 16 different elements, you can assemble your own molecular models. The atoms stick together easily with magnets: metal tips on the ends of rubbery arms, which represent free electrons, snap onto magnetic bonding sites on the atom spheres, which represent empty spots for electrons in the atom’s outermost electron shell.

But how do you know what the molecule you’ve snapped together is? You use the included app for iPad® and iPhone® to snap its picture, and the app uses state-of-the-art image recognition technology to identify the molecule. The app recognizes tens of thousands of molecules. It presents detailed information about 120 of the most important molecules, such as a molecule’s usage, properties, hazards, formula, and structure.

The app takes you on guided quests to discover new molecules and learn about them. You can track your progress with the app, collecting sets of molecules that you have built and explored.

Many people think of chemistry as complicated and hard to grasp. New technology now enables us to take this innovative approach to teaching chemistry and help make it more tangible.