CNET Editors' review
Budding chemists will enjoy using pElement to learn all about the periodic table of elements. This interactive program boasts a simple layout, several excellent tools, and an impressive collection of facts and figures.
The program's interface brought us back to chemistry class, as it is primarily just the periodic table. All the information embedded within each element was easy to access, and we never felt the need to seek guidance from the Help file or a tutorial. We simply clicked on one of the elements, and a box popped up with its basic information, like its periodic number and atomic weight. Above it, we were able to select five categories that showcased more depth. These included General Physical Properties (melting point, sublimation point), Chemical Information (atomic radius, oxidation states), Electron Information (Configuration, binding energy), Nuclear Information (number of isotopes, neutron scattering length), and Crystal Structure Information. All were laid out in clean columns and easily read. The program's finest feature provided more periodic table depth as well. A small menu let us sort the elements by Physical States, Isotopes, Element Classes, and more. This tool constantly impressed us with its simplicity and technical depth, and it will make a great tool for any chemistry student.
The publisher claims pElement's functionality is limited during its trial, but we encountered no limitations. It installs desktop icons without permission and leaves folders behind after uninstall. We recommend this program, thanks to its data and ease of use.
Publisher's Description
From Crystal Mountain Software:
pElement is an interactive reference tool on the periodic table. It features user selectable skins, 12 colored maps, find element tool, unit conversion tool, element index, and data index. The program contains extensive information on the elements including melting point, boiling point, density (solid, liquid and gas phases), year discovered, polarizability, oxidation states, X-ray energies, electron configuration, temperature coefficient of resistivity, crystal structures and lattice parameters of all stable phases at atmospheric pressure (190+ total phases), and half-lives and decay modes of 660+ radioactive isotopes. Extended features include a list of 23 fundamental constants, illustration of the activity series of metals, metric system prefixes, historical summary of superconducting materials and eNotes on chemistry fundamentals (2 modules). eNotes are colorfully illustrated electronic study guides which allow one to quickly review fundamental scientific concepts.
What's new in this version: Version 2.0.2 introduces minor improvements to eNotes and some of the InfoWindow buttons.
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All versions:
4.8 starsout of 9 votes
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Current version:
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Results 1-9 of 9
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"It`s OK. I find it very useful."
Version: pElement 2.0.2
Pros
I use it every day.
Cons
None yet...
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"im sure this is a great product"
Version: pElement 2.0.1
Pros
hard to tell its full potential because i can not have the www at the plase where i live
Cons
my problem is this . the place where i live i can not have the www . so it makes it very difficult if not imposible to use most software , most software , it does not matter if it is from you , or other trieware or bougth software .
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"Simple and sweet"
Version: pElement 1.4.1
Pros
Gives the most relevant facts about the elements.
Cons
No cons the program just works.
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"Still great!"
Version: pElement 1.4.1
Pros
Same pros as before.
Cons
This program brings with it no cons.
Summary
If you need a slim, simple app to review the Periodic Table of the Elements, get this one. It's free, and very, very good.
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"Outstanding Periodic Table app"
Version: pElement 1.4
Pros
This is a simple, clean, functional, informative periodic table of the elements. Works first time, every time. Now has cut and paste just because some of us mentioned we'd like it!
Cons
I cannot think of any cons.
Summary
pElement 1.4 improves upon the functionality of 1.3 in every way except for what worked perfectly already; those advantages carried over from the previous addition. Simply put, this is an outstanding application.
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"good for basic info for students"
Version: pElement 1.4
Pros
all good try it
Cons
none at all for program
Summary
try it you might learn something
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"Simple, robust periodic table app"
Version: pElement 1.3.8
Pros
If you want to get quick reference info on the periodic table of elements, this is a great application. If you want quick reference info on the periodic table of elephants, you're on your own.
Cons
It could use cut and paste functions.
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"Much more informative than a single sheet of paper"
Version: pElement 1.1.1
Pros
As advertised. Provides heat of sublimation, critical pressure, heat of formation, percent volume change upon melting, entropy, temperature coefficient of resistivity, etc.
Cons
Unlike paper, it requires an external source of power (electricity for desktop or battery for laptop). Not free.
Summary
Definitely useful program.
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"Outstanding tool!"
Version: pElement 1.1
Pros
This product was obviously thought out very well. What I really like about the program is how it presents in-depth element information in a simple easy to use manner. The program runs fast and smoothly.
Cons
I don't think it's going to work on my MAC as is, but I think it will run in a virtual machine OS like Parallels.
It wasn't so easy to find the program itself.Summary
The software seems to hit all the important features I would use it for and more. Again, I have to stress how nice it is on system resources, even on an OS that typically doesn't like to "share with the neighbors," it works very well. Software like this contains a great deal of data and it seems to manage that quite well. At this price,I think its a great tool to have on hand for students or teachers.
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