vDiffraction vs Insight Mr Bit Lite

This game is a fun way to discover the world of crystals and their symmetries through diffraction. Crystals are all around us: in our environment (rocks and minerals, etc), in our bodies (sugar, bones, gallstones, etc.) and in technology (metals and alloys, silicon and quartz used for microelectronics, etc.). By successively discovering the diffraction of X-rays, neutrons and electrons, scientists in the twentieth century threw the door to the microscopic world wide open by demonstrating that crystals are made ​​up of atoms and molecules and explaining their structure. Crystals are characterised by the fact that their constituents are arranged in a highly ordered structure. This internal order and its symmetry is clearly visible in the diffraction patterns produced by any crystal. It is this symmetry which is also gives crystals their often amazing shapes, making them highly prized by rockhounds. Whether you are a senior scientist, a student, or just curious about science, vDiffraction is a serious game that will let you try your hand at crystal diffraction so that you can begin to understand how scientists identify the symmetry characteristics of a crystal. This is the first, crucial step towards understanding the atomic and molecular structure of a crystalline material, in other words what type of atoms and molecules make up the crystal and how they are organised.

This is the 'Lite' version of Insight Mr Bit which allows you to sample all the features of the full version and edit or build programs with a limited set of features. With Insight Mr Bit you can create simple programs in plain English to control the BBC micro:bit to do lots of useful things: • Show images, animations, messages and graphs • Control external devices and models connected to the micro:bit • Design and play games • Make measurements from sensors and do calculations • Transmit and receive radio signals between two or more micro:bits • Compose and play musical tunes You can make the micro:bit do all these things without worrying about complicated code. You decide on inputs and outputs, Mr Bit offers you choices and uses them to build a program script. You can run the script to see how it works and edit it if it needs adjusting. Then, at the touch of a button, Mr Bit controls the BBC micro:bit via super-fast Bluetooth wireless without the need of connecting wires. In Control mode the iPad screen simultaneously shows how your program is working in the micro:bit. With Transfer mode you can send the program code to the micro:bit allowing it to run independently. Mr Bit is a valuable tool for developing the logical thinking required in conventional computer languages. The 'Lite' app comes fully equipped with: • Tutorials - helping you start building and programming different types of control system • Exercises – five sample files helping you learn how to create a variety of activities with the BBC micro:bit • Experiments – four sample files helping you to get started with using external sensors (light and temperature) and controlling devices (LEDs and a buzzer) connected to the BBC micro:bit • Projects – Ideas for programming a working model of a pelican crossing which you can build and control with the BBC micro:bit • Example control systems - illustrating different types of programs for the BBC micro:bit Ideal for Key Stages 2 & 3.