When I was a kid, I had a Gilbert chemistry set. I didn't really learn a lot about chemistry, but I did manage to make some kind of purple substance that, when hit with a hammer, made a very satisfying explosion.
I don't need that set anymore: now I have a CD-ROM called ActivChemistry, a simulated laboratory for college students. Although a hammer is not included, I could probably make that purple stuff if I could remember what it was, and I can still make satisfying explosions with a virtual Bunsen burner and faux electrical switches. This, of course, satisfies the adolescent male in me.
The adult in me likes the hard science. In addition to tutorials by scientists, ActivChemistry contains a simulation engine designed by SimLife creator Ken Karakotsios. Just as in the real world, an infinite number of experiments is possible. I can make complex compounds, look at them in different ways, and watch them react (they can shoot off ionized electrons, for instance). The laws of quantum physics are built in, and there's an electron gun for bombarding molecules. Best of all, cleaning up the lab is easy - just Quit.
##### ActivChemistry: US$19.95. Benjamin/Cummings: (800) 322 1377, on the Web at www.awl.com/bc.
STREET CRED
Breeding the MachineListen hear
Combustible Edison
