# Atom in a Box HD

> Interactive 3D visualization of Hydrogen atomic orbitals for quantum mechanics exploration. (iPhone/iPad app by Dauger Research, Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atom-in-a-box-hd/id427644901 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Dauger Research, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284788636)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 11.1 · 1 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2011-03-29
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atom-in-a-box-hd/id427644901/reviews.md

## What is Atom in a Box HD?

Rewritten from scratch for the iPad, Atom in a Box HD is an aid for visualizing the Hydrogen atomic orbitals, the three-dimensional states that the electron occupies in Hydrogen, a prime and otherwise unwieldy example of Quantum Mechanics. It interactively shows, in an immersive environment, what the Hydrogen atom "looks" like. Unique among visualizations of Quantum Mechanics, it uses highly optimized code to perform 3D volumetric raytracing through the electron wavefunction's probability density and presents its results in real-time. It animates and mathematically describes all 2109 eigenstates up to the n=18 energy level. The app links to an online FAQ (see the Support link), and the atom rotates with the accelerometer and magnetometer. The bottom line is: Explore! The user are meant to explore all aspects of the atom, what it is and what it can do.

## Key features

- 3D volumetric raytracing
- Real-time animation
- Mathematical descriptions of eigenstates
- Accelerometer and magnetometer rotation
- Exploration of atomic states

## Recent user reviews (6 of 6)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atom-in-a-box-hd/id427644901/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great but it needs more features!!!

*2014-02-02, version 1.0.2*

This app is amazing.  The particles and orbitals are properly shown when probability and the idea of "wavicles" are put into account.      I believe that a more standard should also be included that bridges the gap.  This would be ideal for people that are new to quantum mechanics and particle physics.

### 3/5 — Graphics great, the rest is lacking

*2013-02-09, version 1.0.2*

Atom in a box gives great images and some nice tools for altering the appearance of orbitals, much as it did as a desktop/laptop app years ago.  Since I have migrated to the use of my iPad for teaching Freshman chemistry, I was pleased to see that I could show these images again.  However, the migration to the iPad didn't come at all seamlessly with respect to this platform.  If you want to show the radial distribution functions, for example, you can't zoom by pinching and stretching - you live with what is shown.  No coordinate systems can be added to the images.  First-year chemistry students just aren't going to understand complex wavefunctions, but there is no way to take real linear combinations to show px and py (not so bad, of course, since they look just like pz).  Real d orbitals other than d0 would be nice though.

### 3/5 — Disappointed

*2012-07-05, version 1.0.2*

The Mac version of this app is superb. The iPad version has one of the most annoying user interfaces I have ever encountered. The floating text fields serve no purpose that I could discern but make the app extremely difficult to use. One minor nit: for an app with the "HD" designation, the material on the left side is very pixelated on an iPad 3. Otherwise, a very user visualizer of the hydrogen wavefunctions.

### 3/5 — a good teaching tool, but not yet great

*2011-08-14, version 1.0.2*

To disclose first, for many years I've used the mac version of atom in a box as a teaching tool.  It is excellent -- unparalleled.  For the development of chemistry and bonding, having the ability to set up hybrid orbitals (superposition in physics lingo) is incredibly helpful.  Regretfully, this is missing in the ipad version.  I would have contacted the developer directly, but their web pages provide no direct support information.  The mac version also gives the opportunity to slice through wave functions showing 2D projections -- also very helpful but lacking here.  And finally, while the floating buttons on the ipad version are cute at first, they become annoying when trying explain to a student.  Fixed vs floating buttons should be an option.  Updating the ipad HD version to function more like the mac version (that's been around for 10+ years) would make this a real five star app.  As it currently is, the app shows colorful orbitals, but that's about it.

### 5/5 — A must for classroom instruction

*2011-06-01, version 1.0.2*

This app is an absolute must in physics or chemistry courses when a modern visualization of hydrogenic wavefunctions is needed. I use it several times each semester.

### 2/5 — Very poor explanation and interface

*2011-03-30, version 1.0*

This app offers no practical explanation for what your actually looking at. For example, the 3 variables at the bottom left I assume refer to the shell, subshell, and orbital.  Since I am not a Phd physicist I don't know for sure, so why not tell us instead of giving us a long mathematical quantum equation which means little to anyone except a physics Phd.  Furthermore, I must assume that the program presumes that each orbital is full since there is no way to enter the number of electrons but again, I'm not sure because the developers offer no practical explanation. This means your not seeing half the atoms (I guess) because each orbital has a 2 electron capacity.  If you really want to create an educational app geared to help those of us who are not physics Phd's but who are laymen and students why not simply make it so all we have to do is enter the number of electrons or better yet the name of the element so we know for sure what we are seeing?  The electron configurations for all the elements are already known and that is all that is needed to create an accurate visualization for each and every atom.  Make your app more towards teaching what you know and less towards flaunting what you know and I would give it 5 stars.

## Frequently asked questions about Atom in a Box HD

### What is Atom in a Box HD?

Atom in a Box HD is an iPad application designed to visualize the three-dimensional states of electrons in a Hydrogen atom, offering an immersive exploration of quantum mechanics.

### What learning methodology does Atom in a Box HD use?

The app employs interactive 3D volumetric raytracing through the electron wavefunction's probability density, allowing users to explore and understand atomic states visually and mathematically.

### How does Atom in a Box HD track user progress?

The application is designed for exploration rather than structured progress tracking. Users are encouraged to freely explore all aspects of the atom and its states.

### Does Atom in a Box HD offer certifications?

Atom in a Box HD does not offer certifications. It serves as a visualization tool for educational purposes in quantum mechanics.

### What devices does Atom in a Box HD support?

Atom in a Box HD is specifically designed for and supports iPads.

### How often is Atom in a Box HD updated?

The latest version, 1.1, was released on December 6, 2017. Updates are not frequent, with the last update being several years ago.

### What is the age rating for Atom in a Box HD?

Atom in a Box HD has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in science.

### Where can I find more information or support for Atom in a Box HD?

The app links to an online FAQ, which can be accessed via the Support link within the application for further assistance.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.1 — 2017-12-06

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Updated to run as a 64-bit native app
Completed compatibility with iOS 11 including: 
- device orientation
- audio
- accelerometer
- alerts
- string drawing
- root view controller
- new font names
- method name collisions
Revised settings colors to not distract from the orbital
Removed calls to deprecated iOS APIs

### 1.0.2 — 2011-04-21

Compatibility with iOS multitasking, pausing all internal processing
"Drift" switch in a larger sliding settings panel and implementation for cards
Corner user-interface elements dim after inactivity and restore when tapped
Changes to the display of the wavefunction's terms
- uses scientific notation when needed
- prevents unnecessarily large terms
- reduces, where the numerics allows, to their smallest integer values

### 1.0.1 — 2011-04-06

Support for two-finger rotate
Blocked a signal from iOS 4.3 from incorrectly stopping orbital sound 
No drift of the last touched information card
Transitions for the appearance and disappearance of the coordinate axes
Structural changes to use UIViews and UIView-based animations for information cards and other elements, which facilitated:
Touch tracking for switches in the settings panel
Descriptions of information cards revealed via page curl 
Flip rotation of UI elements when the iPad is flipped

### 1.0 — 2011-03-29

No release notes.

## Apps similar to Atom in a Box HD

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [ODYSSEY Atomic Orbitals](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odyssey-atomic-orbitals/id830980902) | 3.0 (2) | $3.99 | Education |
| [ODYSSEY Ionic Solids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odyssey-ionic-solids/id897703914) | 5.0 (1) | $3.99 | Education |
| [ODYSSEY Electron Sharing](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odyssey-electron-sharing/id849135421) | 3.7 (3) | $3.99 | Education |
| [ODYSSEY States of Matter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/odyssey-states-of-matter/id1070030126) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Education |
| [Stoichiometry Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stoichiometry-pro/id1546919546) | — | $3.99 | Education |
| [1D Quantum Mechanics](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1d-quantum-mechanics/id910761108) | 5.0 (2) | $0.99 | Education |

## More apps by Dauger Research, Inc.

- [Atom in a Box](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atom-in-a-box/id284788633)

All apps by Dauger Research, Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/284788636

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*