Brief Outline Of Molecular Compounds

Molecules form when atoms combine with each other. The resulting combination is a molecular compound and the process of the combination is a chemical reaction. Evidence of a chemical reaction can be one or more of the following:

• Temperature Change -- Chemical reactions are described whether heat is released or absorbed during the reaction.

• Endothermic -- Heat is absorbed by the compound from the environment. Feels cold (to touch) because heat is taken from the environment (hand) by the reaction.

• Exothermic -- Heat is released into the environment by the chemical reaction. Feels warm (to touch) because heat is transferred to the environment (hand) by the reaction.

• Color Change:
• Release Of Gas:
• Release Of Odor:

The Periodic Table shows information about atomic elements and their structure. This shows the data which science has extrapolated to explain how compounds are formed, why certain atoms combine with other atoms and what happens when the combination, chemical reaction, occurs.

Data describing the molecular structures of about every molecular compound is contained in Protein Data Bank files. A site by Darmstadt University of Technology's Department of Physical Chemistry shows VRML views of many molecules based upon data from these files. 

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