Interactive 3-D Molecules

Use your mouse to have some fun with the molecule. Left click on the molecule and spin it around. Right click on the molecule to access an extensive menu of options. I recommend that you try:

Turning on spin
Go to "Style" --> "Scheme" --> Change the display scheme to "CPK Spacefill"

And if you really want to have fun - press the shift key, left click, then move the mouse.

If you can't see the molecule then you need to download Java. Jmol is a Java-based molecular modeling application.

Aspirin (C₉H₈O₄)
This molecule was first synthesized in 1853, but its value as an pain-reliever was not realized until forty years later when it was put on the market by the Baeyer Company in Germany.

Cocaine (C₁₇H₂₁NO₄)
This molecule is found in the leaves of the coca plant, native to the Andes. Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system, but is highly addictive. In experiments, monkeys have chosen cocaine over food which leads to weight loss, self-mutilation, and death within two weeks.

Caffeine (C₈H₁₀N₄O₂)
This molecule acts as a mild stimulant in the human body.

Cholesterol (C₂₇H₄₆O)
High levels of this molecule are implicated in heart disease.