Geometry

Boron is the fifth atom in the periodic table, being a metalloid. The rare element, only made as compounds in the nature, has been used commonly for glass and glazes production. While its presence has been known since 1808, the first 99 percent pure boron was made only in 1909. A 3D model of this boron was made using the VRMath2.0, shown below. The Bohr model has been used to represent the element, as it simplifies the characteristics of electron movements. However, the model is not entirely accurate. In the process of programming the atom, many difficulties and challenges were experienced.

Compounds are substances which are formed when two or more chemical elements are chemically bonded together. Compounds are found everywhere, from the water (H2O) which we drink, to the aluminium chloride we use as a deodorant. They consist of various atoms arranged in a specific structure, called molecules. Compounds are formed through two types of chemical bonding, covalent and ionic bonding. A covalent bond is formed when electrons are shared between atoms, whereas ionic bonds are formed through the attraction of oppositely (positive charge and negative charge) charged ions.

 

At the QUT workshop, I learnt how to use VRMath 2.0 to program, create 3D molecules/atoms and how to write a blog. With my partner Hana, we created a 3D model of a boron atom. In this blog post, I will explain the composition, structure and characteristics of boron, as well as the programming used.