CS 39R: Symmetry & Topology
Lecture #11 -- Mon. 4/22, 2013.
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Your Project Presentations
Presentation Sequence:
In preparation for a couple of talks in our final meeting, think
about the following issues:
1.) Determining the Geometry and Topology of the Space
that you are living in; specifically:
==> How can 2D flat-worms determine
the type of 2D-manifold in which they are crawling around?
==> How could the old Greek
scientists determine the radius of the Earth with best accuracy?
==> If they were suspecting that the
Earth might be an ellipsoid {or torus} (-- they did not!),
how could they
have determined separate radii for the E-W direction and the N-S
direction?
2.) Symmetry, Asymmetry, and the Structure of Molecules:
---- A carbon atom connected to 4 different things ( atoms
or groups of atoms )
is a center of asymmetry that comes in two different (chiral)
forms.
---- A single bond between two atoms, e.g., -C--C- ,
allows twisting rotations in that axis.
==> Considering the above
facts: How many different molecular forms
(stereo-isomers)
result
from a molecule with this structure?
e.g.,
Final Homework Assignments:
Work on your projects! ( ... a
crucial part of getting a passing grade in this course!)
Prepare for Monday,
4/29/2013:
an 8-minute (15min. for 2-person teams) formal presentation
with visuals (and possibly models).
Practice your talk (and time it) !
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