The atomic field laboratory
by
Greg Bryant
Atoms are modeled as fields with centers that attract and repel. Overlapping fields brighten.
click & drag
to stir the field
press space
to pause
press "r"
to reset
Pause
Reset
Atoms (centers)
More atoms → denser “soup” of overlapping fields (limited automatically by screen size).
Temperature (speed)
Sets root-mean-square speed of centers.
Resolution (steps/frame)
Higher = more accurate & stable when dense (slower).
Field & interaction parameters
Field radius
Visual reach of each field. Overlaps create bright regions.
Field intensity
Multiplier on brightness; high values make overlaps very luminous.
Preferred spacing (σ)
Rough “diameter” of an atom’s core. Sets where attraction flips to repulsion.
Interaction strength (ε)
Stronger ε → atoms pull together more vigorously and resist being pushed together.
Damping
Tiny drag for numerical stability. Set near 0 for almost “perfect” perpetual motion.
Wrap
Trails
Add heat
Cool
Drag in the canvas to “stir” the field. Clumps form where attraction balances repulsion; pushed too close, they split and reorganize.
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